But before putting the finishing touches on your list of New Year’s resolutions, let’s take a look back at some of the most-talked-about stories of 2025.

Hunter Industries Gives Transformational $10M Donation for ISE Building

In September, CSUSM announced a transformational $10 million philanthropic investment from Hunter Industries, one of the largest gifts in university history. The donation is supporting the construction of CSUSM’s new Hunter Hall of Science and Engineering, a cornerstone of the university’s commitment to preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists.

Perfect Chemistry: Campus Wedding 16 Years in the Making

If getting married at one’s place of employment seems unconventional, it shouldn’t to those who know biology professor Elinne Becket and chemistry professor Robert Iafe. The passion they have for their students is the same passion they have for the university, so it makes sense that the tied the knot on campus at the McMahan House on campus.

CSUSM Kicks Off Historic $200 Million Fundraising Campaign

Through the largest fundraising campaign in university history, CSUSM is aiming to raise $200 million to support student success and power the region’s future. The university officially launched its “Blueprint for the Future” campaign on Sept. 19. It’s an effort that combines philanthropy with grants and research funding. The campaign’s theme reflects both the physical growth on campus and the forward momentum building at CSUSM. 

Professor Elevates Samoan Language, Culture as Consultant for "Moana 2"

Professor Grant Muāgututiʻa never could have dreamed that linguistics would take him to the shores of Oʻahu as he rubbed elbows with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and other stars of the Disney glitterati before the world premiere of the animated film “Moana 2” in 2024. Indeed, Muāgututiʻa was more than a little caught off guard when the filmmaking team behind the sequel to the wildly popular movie “Moana” from 2016 contacted him out of the blue two years ago.

Construction of New Wellness and Rec Center Underway

CSUSM held a Construction Kickoff on Nov. 12 to celebrate construction being underway for the Student Wellness and Recreation Center (SWRC), which is expected to open by summer 2027. CSUSM is partnering with Sea Breeze Properties – developers of North City, which includes CSUSM’s North Commons, The QUAD and the Extended Learning Building – on the SWRC, which will be the latest addition to campus life.

Faith, Resilience Help Athlete Through Life-Threatening Crisis

It all started with a headache. A seemingly normal ailment, but Malachi Wright doesn’t get headaches. And he definitely doesn’t get headaches that force him to leave work early or have him confined to the couch and throwing up for three straight days. That's when his mom, Ivonne Mancilla, knew this was something more. Wright spent the next 40 days in the hospital, undergoing three brain surgeries with no idea what the future would bring. But Wright defied all odds. 

Alumna Finds Purpose in Advocacy for Native Children and Families

As Maya Goodblanket reflects on her time as a student, she vividly remembers the day she found the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center at Cal State San Marcos. Little did she know that she was meeting mentors that day who would help her achieve the career she has today. Goodblanket, a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, serves as an Indian Child Welfare Act court advocate for the Valley Center-based Indian Health Council, which provides health and wellness services for American Indian communities in north San Diego County. 

Ask the Expert: A Scientific Perspective on the L.A. Fires

When the hills above Los Angeles exploded in flames early last month, Matt Rahn snapped into action. Rahn, though, isn’t a firefighter who was called into duty to help battle what became one of the biggest and most destructive fires in California history. Rather, he’s a wildfire researcher at Cal State San Marcos who, in 2019, created a unique degree program called Wildfire Science and the Urban Interface. He’s also the executive director of the Wildfire Conservancy, a nonprofit research foundation dedicated to serving the state’s firefighters and protecting its communities.

Cougar Care Network Marks 10 Years as a Campus Hub for Connection

Built on listening first and guiding without judgment, the Cougar Care Network enters its second decade as a trusted stop for students seeking practical help, community and a path forward. The Cougar Care Network (CCN) launched in fall 2015 as part of Cal State San Marcos’ Early Support Initiative within the Student Outreach and Referral (SOAR) program. 

Chronic Illness a Journey of Strength, Self-Discovery ... and Salt

The first time Emmi van Zoest rode in an ambulance was in May 2024. She was in the middle of her 10:30 a.m. Communication 200 class when she realized her vision and hearing were failing. She couldn't keep her legs or arms straight and she couldn’t speak. The full memory is hazy, but she found herself sitting outside of Crash’s Market in the University Student Union with a handful of salt packets and on a Facetime call with her parents, who live in Tennessee. This experience didn’t come out of nowhere. She has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, a chronic condition that she has lived with since her junior year of high school.  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

CSUSM is partnering with Sea Breeze Properties – developers of North City, which includes CSUSM’s North Commons, The QUAD and the Extended Learning Building – on the SWRC, which will be the latest addition to campus life. 

“This has been a long time coming, and we couldn’t be more proud to be here today,” said Darren Levitt, vice president and partner of Sea Breeze Properties and emcee for the Construction Kickoff. “I don’t know of any other development in the country that includes all of these elements in one project.”  

The SWRC will have a 10,000-square-foot gym space with strength training equipment and cardio machines, two standard-sized indoor courts and a rooftop deck with a turf field. In addition to the extensive room for student exercise, there will be dedicated wellness areas indoors and outdoors, a commuter lounge and an esports collaboration den. The project also includes additional student housing, with over 900 beds, as well as a central park and retail space.

“When students have access to wellness and recreation resources, they thrive, manage stress better, perform stronger academically and feel more connected to their campus,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “That’s what this center is all about.” 

“When you choose an institution of higher learning as a student, you’re not just choosing a place to learn; you’re choosing a community to live in and live with, and having this very crucial piece of the community be here on campus is going to be an enormous opportunity for our students,” Assemblymember Darshana Patel said. 

CSUSM’s Campus Recreation students and staff worked hard to advocate for the center. Campus Rec student ambassadors, along with other student groups and organizations, helped make the project a reality by conducting a referendum to ensure that students' voices determined the outcome of the SWRC.  

“I’ve seen firsthand how much our students have wanted and needed this space,” said Illeana Carmona Chavez, an Associated Students, Inc., leader and former Campus Rec employee who helped lead the student referendum. “Since 2016, students have been advocating for more wellness and recreation opportunities, and we’re making that dream a reality. 

“This center is about fitness and wellness, but it’s also about belonging. It’s about giving students – especially commuters like me – a place to connect, recharge and feel part of something bigger.” 

Added San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones: “We are very focused on wellness and keeping people healthy, so this could not be more appropriate. San Marcos used to be just known as the educational hub of North County; now we’re known as the health care epicenter. So to have a place like this built makes so much sense.”  

As CSUSM’s campus continues to grow, buildings like the SWRC are what make all the difference. Providing a space for students to exercise, play sports with friends or simply relax and unwind fosters the sense of community that CSUSM strives for. 

“This project reflects the power of public and private partnerships – students, faculty, staff, business, government and community coming together to make something extraordinary happen,” Neufeldt said.  

“Whether students live on campus, commute or call CSUSM home for just part of their day, this center will be their space – a place to recharge, to build friendships and to strengthen mind and body.”  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The Cougars were led by Shea Morgan, who scored seven goals in the final game of the Division II bracket of the 2025 U.S. Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) national championship in Wichita, Kan. 

The event featured top women’s collegiate sport clubs from across the country, including 11 teams in the Division II bracket. CSUSM finished third at nationals last year. 

The national title completed an undefeated season for CSUSM (15-0). 

“At the beginning of this season, we struggled with offensive communication and showing up to game days focused and ready,” women’s coach Jillian Dohrmann said earlier this season. “Late fall, our whole offense met outside of practice and talked about their disconnect, and ever since then we have been excelling and have had great communication and collaboration.”

Five Cougars were named WCLA Division II All-Americans: Morgan (first team), Angela Chantaca (first team), Kali Price (first team), Cierraleone Warfield (first team) and Kamryn Kinsey (second team). Morgan also was named the Attacker of the Year and the WCLA tournament MVP. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

But the best, they hope, is still to come.

The CSUSM men’s team has a record of 11-2 and is ranked eighth nationally among Division II schools in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. The Cougars have one game left in the regular season, and it’s a big one – Friday, April 18 at home against their top rival, UC San Diego, which is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the MCLA Division II poll.

“We have a lot of transfers that have played at a higher level in the NCAA who have come in and have really helped with the team chemistry,” men’s coach Tim Puls said. “We all have one goal on our team, and that is to win a national championship.”

The CSUSM women have been even better. They are unbeaten at 10-0 and ranked first nationally among D-II schools in the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Their regular season has finished, with the next challenge upcoming in the WCLA regionals, April 12-13 in Santa Cruz.

“At the beginning of this season, we struggled with offensive communication and showing up to game days focused and ready,” women’s coach Jillian Dohrmann said. “Late fall, our whole offense met outside of practice and talked about their disconnect, and ever since then we have been excelling and have had great communication and collaboration.”

The Cougars’ men are led by sophomore midfielder Colin Dobbins, a Carlsbad native who transferred to CSUSM from Stevenson University, a NCAA Division III power. Dobbins paces the team with 52 goals, and none of them were more significant than the six he scored in an upset win over then-No. 1 Air Force last month.

For his efforts, he was named the MCLA Division II Warrior Player of the Week.

“He is the backbone of our offense,” Puls said of Dobbins. “He wants to make his teammates better and makes them work hard day in and day out in practice, and it shows during games. He is our go-to guy, and when we need someone to make a play, we call his number.”

Dobbins has accomplished all of this after recovering from a broken collarbone.

“Having the team’s support really gave me confidence and helped me recover faster and stronger,” Dobbins said.

For the women’s team, the top scorer is Shea Morgan with 44 goals, but the heart of the team is goaltender Cierra Warfield. She has posted one shutout and four other games in which she allowed three or fewer goals.

“The key to my success this season has been staying consistent with my game and practice and having a great community around me to lift me up when I fall,” Warfield said.

After the rivalry game against UCSD at Mangrum Track & Field, the men’s team next will head to Santa Barbara for the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference tournament April 25-27, with a goal of advancing to the MCLA national championships from May 5-10 in Round Rock, Texas.

The women, meanwhile, are gearing up for regionals, where they hope to qualify for the WCLA nationals from May 6-9 in Wichita, Kansas. The Cougars finished third at nationals last year.

“This year we are aiming for first place,” Dohrmann said. “The team is looking forward to playing and traveling. We have worked hard in fundraising throughout the year to afford these trips.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Loschiavo found so much more than a steady paycheck. She advanced to being the student coordinator of Outdoor Adventures. She developed skills that include leadership, communication and technical know-how. She even began to see potential career pathways that she never would have considered previously.

“Before joining Campus Recreation, my career prospects felt limited,” said Loschiavo, a junior kinesiology major. “But this experience has greatly expanded my understanding of available opportunities.”

Loschiavo is part of the small but mighty team at Campus Recreation, which features five full-time professional staff members and 35 student assistants. In the most recent academic year, the organization hosted 24 day and overnight trips through Outdoor Adventures, serving 221 students; ran 12 intramural leagues, serving 869 students; welcomed more than 2,000 participants in 290 group fitness classes and nine wellness events; and supported 425 members across a dozen sport clubs.

Campus Rec, though, has long since run out of space while sharing Clarke Field House with CSUSM’s athletic department, limiting its ability to grow in line with the campus. To remedy that, the group for years has been advocating for a new wellness and recreation facility that would address its needs and benefit the student body holistically.

Next week, Campus Rec hopes to take a big step toward making its vision a reality.

From Oct. 21-23, a referendum will be held in which students can vote on whether they want to increase their student fees to fund the project. Voting will begin on Monday, Oct. 21 at 7 a.m. and continue until Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. Ballots will be sent to eligible students via their university-registered email addresses. All matriculated students who pay the recreation fee are eligible to vote. 

CSUSM is planning to lease space in a new mixed facility boasting 49,200 square feet for wellness, recreation and basic needs services, plus 530 new student housing beds. The building would feature, among other amenities, more than 10,000 square feet for cardio machines and strength training equipment; dedicated wellness areas; an outdoor rooftop deck with a synthetic turf field for fitness programs, intramurals and sport club workouts; two standard-sized indoor courts; multipurpose rooms for a variety of individual and group activities; and a commuter lounge and e-sports collaboration den.

The wellness and recreation facility would be located across Barham Drive from University Village Apartments and directly next to The QUAD.

Lisa Dickinson, director of Campus Rec, said CSUSM is one of the only California State University campuses that lacks such a facility for its students.

“This is truly a now-or-never opportunity,” Dickinson said. “The traditional path to a building on campus is too expensive and therefore not possible. This facility can be transformative in young people’s lives and create waves of positive change for families and their communities.”

CSUSM held a referendum on the same project in April that received a low response rate and failed to garner the requisite majority of the vote. Since then, Campus Rec has solicited feedback from students and modified its proposal accordingly.

The three notable changes are:

• The increase to the recreation fee was reduced by $20, to $245 per semester (representing a $210 hike to the existing $35 fee). The referendum in the spring called for a fee of $265 per semester.
• The fee will not be charged until the year when the facility opens, which is projected to be 2026-27. Students objected to language in the previous proposal calling for them to start paying the higher fee in fall 2025, one year before the building’s opening.
• The facility will be able to support more diverse programming. Large spaces like the indoor courts, rooftop terrace and outdoor courtyard can be reserved for student organization, department or student life events, which will expand programs to promote recruitment, retention, community and student success. 

“I’m optimistic about this referendum vote because of the changes we made to it,” said Jacob Alvarez, a student assistant for Outdoor Adventures. “The biggest criticism we heard was about the fee for students who weren’t going to be here when the building opened. Now that we have deferred the payment until the opening of the facility, this will no longer be an issue.”

Alvarez and Loschiavo are among the student assistants who double as Campus Rec ambassadors, fanning out across campus and social media to educate their fellow students about the referendum and the facility, and encourage them to make their voices heard. The ambassadors have given presentations on the upcoming vote in classes and to sports teams, even appearing at large events like the recent Cougar Madness. They mention aspects that could be appealing, like the 70-plus student employment positions and academic program partnerships. 

“We've received a great deal of positive feedback from the places where we have made presentations on the proposal,” Loschiavo said. “I feel that students are much more educated about the referendum this semester. The student ambassador and project team's goals are to be as transparent as possible to students, to allow them to fully understand what the referendum entails so that they can provide an accurately educated and informed vote.”

Students who will graduate before the facility opens won't have to pay the fee, nor will they be able to enjoy the facility, but they can leave a legacy of supporting well-being and better spaces for future Cougars.

“This referendum has to pass for the benefit of all future students and for the good of the campus,” said Davis Hancock, a fourth-year student who plays lacrosse at CSUSM.

Loschiavo understands how important the vote next week is to Campus Rec and the university.

“The proposed facility,” she said, “has the potential to transform the CSUSM student experience.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

The word that perhaps best defined the team was “chill.” The roster size was modest. Practices weren’t all that frequent or intense. Games attracted few spectators beyond family members. The highlight of the season was the spring break trip, but the appeal was more the destination than the competition.

What a stark contrast it was, then, when CSUSM hosted UC San Diego at Mangrum Track and Field last April. A crowd pushing 500 people lined the field as the Cougars faced a local opponent that had become a fierce rival in short order. Among those in attendance were dozens of players from youth clubs around North County who were drawn by the excitement and the prospect of themselves suiting up for CSUSM someday. On the field, the Cougars displayed grit and fortitude in rallying from a halftime deficit to win 15-11 for their 12^th victory in a row (the streak would ultimately stretch to 15).

“That was an incredible game. It’s probably one of my favorite memories of being at CSUSM,” said Austin Contreras, a fifth-year senior who will be playing his final season this spring.

“There’s been a total flip in mentality. Before, it was just, ‘Let’s chill out, have some fun, play lacrosse.’ But we’re here to compete. We want to solidify our name as a program to be afraid of.”

The men’s lacrosse team is practicing four times a week as it gears up for a spring season in which expectations, both internal and external, have never been higher. Coming off a campaign in which they went 16-2 and reached the semifinals of the national tournament for the first time, the Cougars top the preseason poll of Division II of the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference and are among the favorites to claim the title when the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association holds its annual championships in May.

The roster has almost doubled in two years to 33 players, and the talent pipeline is stronger than ever. In September, CSUSM organized its first prospect camp to introduce local high school players to the program. More than 50 kids turned out.

“Since the pandemic, our program has made tremendous strides to change the team culture and camaraderie," said Wyatt Ehrhardt, who was hired as an assistant coach in 2018 and took over the head coaching duties two years ago. “We had to go to tournaments to reach out to players and get contact information, have tours on campus to intrigue players to join the team. But due to recent success, I get probably three to four emails a day from players all over the country who want to play for us.”

In many ways, from competition level to time commitment to on-field performance, the men’s lacrosse team resembles one of CSUSM’s NCAA Division II programs. Instead, it’s among 12 sport clubs at the university. Housed under Campus Recreation rather than the athletics department, the sport clubs program originated 20 years ago and now includes women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s volleyball, baseball, swimming, surfing, powerlifting, dance and e-sports.

The dozen clubs consist of 354 members, more than the number of athletes in CSUSM’s 13 NCAA programs, as well as 28 coaches (14 part-time employees and 14 volunteers). And there is a desire among students for expansion of sport clubs at CSUSM. In the last 18 months, Campus Rec has received inquiries about starting clubs for rugby, field hockey, tennis, wrestling, cross country, track and pickleball.

“Sport clubs are a huge part of the college experience for students all over the country,” said Ryan Groth, assistant director of Campus Rec. “They are competitive, student-run organizations. The members may not be on scholarship or have the five days a week of practice that NCAA student-athletes do, but you could argue that sport clubs can help provide a better balance for students who are trying to maintain grades and a social life, as well as utilizing the clubs as their competitive outlet in a sport they are passionate about and talented in. The time, effort and work these students put into their craft is truly incredible.”

Campus Rec contributes some money to the sport clubs, but the vast majority of their operational funding comes from dues and fundraising. The total amount spent by the 12 clubs this academic year is expected to approach $330,000. Men’s lacrosse makes up almost half of that at $150,000, and dues of $3,000 per player mean that fundraising must cover the shortfall of more than $50,000.

That’s why campaigns like Giving Day and Cougar Crowdfunding are so important to men’s lacrosse, and all the sport clubs. Last year, men’s lacrosse brought in about $11,000 between those two initiatives. (You can give to men’s lacrosse, one of the 11 other clubs or Campus Rec in general at the Giving Day website.)

“Giving Day is huge for us,” Contreras said.

A business management major, Contreras has been the treasurer of the club for four years. He says the team’s budget has more than doubled during that time, in proportion to its ambition. A hefty chunk of the expenses this season is for travel to out-of-state tournaments that will better challenge a team that last year feasted on regional foes by gaudy margins like 26-9 (University of San Diego), 30-4 (Long Beach State), 32-0 (UC Irvine) and 21-1 (Cal State Fullerton).

Contreras stays in constant contact with team manager Charity Jones, who has kept close to the program even after her son’s graduation from CSUSM.

“I have the budget pinned on my computer desktop, and we look at it every single day,” said Contreras, who was collecting money for a Krispy Kreme doughnut fundraiser before a practice this month. 

The focus and drive that Contreras brings to his role as treasurer is mirrored by all the players once they take the field at Mangrum – or “the Mang,” as the team affectionately calls it. There's nothing laid-back about this program anymore.

“We’ve become known as a school for lacrosse,” Contreras said. “It’s a combination of players who have strong drive and coaches who aspire to the highest level of play. We have a single goal in mind, and that’s for this program to be one that wins that national championship.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306