The summit is from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 14 at the USU Ballroom and features keynote speaker Daniel G. Solórzano, a professor of social science and comparative education at UCLA.

The HSI Summit will serve as an opportunity for professional development, a deeper understanding of HSI responsibilities and the generation of collaborative solutions that benefit both the campus and the broader community. 

The summit brings together faculty, staff, administrators, students and partners from other institutions to engage in meaningful conversations and explore how HSI can promote student achievement and create an inclusive environment where students can thrive.

The event is free and open to all. Register online.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Everyone is invited to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month events. 

Chingona Fest  

Tuesday, Sept. 9 

This two-part event celebrated and uplifted CSUSM's Latina-identifying students and their experiences. This year’s theme was Chingona Sin Frontiers, facing barriers in pursuit of education. 

Cafecito con Pan 

Monday, Sept. 15, noon, USU 3200 

This series, hosted monthly in the Latinx Center, connects students with professionals across campus and offers opportunities for conversations over coffee and pan dulce. 

Latinx Center’s 10th Birthday Party 

Wednesday, Sept. 17, noon, USU 3200 

To celebrate its 10-year anniversary, the center will host birthday party with games, cake and community.  

Raices de Barro: Talavera Workshop 

Tuesday, Sept. 23, noon, USU 3200 

The Latinx Center will explore the roots of Mexican Talavera artwork and ceramics, with opportunities for students to create their own vase. 

Shared Roots: Tattoos in Our Cultures (With APIDA) 

Thursday, Sept. 25, USU 3200 

An ongoing series in collaboration with the APIDA Student Center explores the cultural significance of tattoos in both APIDA and Latine communities. 

Chisme Club: Sin Fronteras 

Thursday, Oct. 2, noon, USU 3200 

Students are invited to reflect on the impact of current events on our communities, with a self-care activity to end the session. 

Latine Heritage Month Celebration 

Thursday, Oct. 9, 5 p.m., USU Ballroom  

Join us as we close out the month with music, food and games at a celebration open to all. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

CSUSM received recognition in the following categories: 

• No. 39 in total bachelor's degrees granted;
• No. 84 in total enrollment among four-year schools;
• No. 9 in family and consumer sciences/human sciences; and
• No. 10 in social science degrees. 

Hispanic Outlook annually publishes its “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics” issue, which draws on the latest data from the federal National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to provide enrollment numbers from two- and four-year institutions and degrees granted by level and field of study. 

The university has placed highly in other recent rankings, including:

• 97th out of 500 in the Wall Street Journal
• 27th out of 200 in Washington Monthly’s “Best Bang for the Buck: West”
• 38th out of 589 in Washington Monthy’s list of schools that award a significant number of master’s degrees
• Tier 1 school in Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Everyone is invited to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month events.

Latinx Heritage Month Reception

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 5-8:30 p.m., Forum Plaza

Kick off Latinx Heritage Month with cultural music, a speaker, games, student org tabling, food and performances.

Chingona Fest

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. brunch event, 5-8 p.m. festival event, USU Ballroom

Join the Latinx Center and Women and Gender Equity Center for Chingona Fest to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month.

My Culture is not a Trend 

Tuesday, Sept. 24, noon-1 p.m., USU 3300 (Latinx Center)

Learn about problematic stigmas that society creates and the inappropriate portrayal of members in the Latinx community. 

Shared Roots (in collaboration with APIDA)

Wednesday, Oct. 2, noon-1 p.m., USU 3300 (Latinx Center)

APIDA and Latinx communities will explore shared roots.

Cafecito Con Pan

Tuesday, Oct. 8, noon-1 p.m., USU 3300 (Latinx Center)

Students will hear from success coaches Samantha Bosch and Elizabeth Hernandez.

Joteria Night (in collaboration with PRIDE)

Thursday, Oct. 10, noon- 1 p.m., USU 3100 (Pride Center)

Feminism in Latin America (in collaboration with WGEC)

Tuesday, Oct. 15, noon-1 p.m., USU 3200 (WGEC) 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

CSUSM received recognition in the following categories: 

• No. 43 in total bachelor's degrees granted;
• No. 82 in total enrollment among four-year schools;
• No. 10 in family and consumer sciences/human sciences.

Hispanic Outlook annually publishes its “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics” issue, which draws on the latest data from the federal National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to provide enrollment numbers from two- and four-year institutions and degrees granted by level and field of study. 

In other recent college rankings: 

• CSUSM ranks No. 28 in the category “Regional Universities West” on the U.S. News 2024 Best Colleges list. That’s an increase of 11 spots from the publication’s rankings last fall.  
• CSUSM ranks 39^th in the country in the 2023 Economic Mobility Index by national think tank Third Way.  
• CSUSM is No. 30 in the West in the annual Best Bang for the Buck rankings by Washington Monthly.  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

“Observing Latinx Heritage Month holds vital importance as it pays homage to the varied histories, cultures and contributions of the Latinx community,” said María Venegas Escobedo, the College Assistance Migrant Program project director and the interim director of the Latinx Center. “At CSUSM, a large makeup of our student body self-identifies as Latinx, and having such a recognition fosters a sense of belonging, unity and understanding among all students.”

Everyone is invited to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month events.

Heritage Month Kickoff 

Thursday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Celebrate the Latinx/Hispanic community by listening to music, watching live performances, playing games and eating cultural food. 

National Voter Registration Day 

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 11:30 a.m., Forum Plaza 

The Latinx Center and other student life centers and organizations will be available to help students register to vote. 

The College of Colleges 

Thursday, Sept. 21,11:30 a.m., Latinx Center (USU 3300)

One representative from each college will discuss the resources and services available to students within their major. 

Our/My Culture Isn’t a Trend 

Tuesday, Sept. 26, noon, Latinx Center (USU 3300)

Learn about problematic stigmas that society creates and the inappropriate portrayal of members in the Latinx community. 

Chingona Fest 

Thursday, Sept. 28,11:30 a.m., USU 3200/3300

Join us in celebrating and uplifting Latinx women. The Women and Gender Equity Center will be hosting week-long events that highlight the trailblazing women in our lives and history. Students will learn about female empowerment in the cultural community.

Cafecito Con Pan

Tuesday, Oct. 3, noon, Latinx Center (USU 3300)

Students will hear from a guest speaker about their career path. 

Financial Wellness

Thursday, Oct. 5, noon, Latinx Center (USU 3300)

Students will learn about budgeting, the importance of having a savings account and other financial resources to help them achieve financial freedom. 

Do Not Label My Body 

Tuesday, Oct. 10, noon, Latinx Center (USU 3300)

Students will have a conversation about how body image is perceived in Latin America.  

Heritage Month Closing 

Thursday, Oct. 12, 5:30 p.m., USU Ballroom

Learn about different music and dance styles of Latin America to celebrate the end of Heritage Month. Students will have the opportunity to meet the center staff and learn about the cultural significance of why it is important to celebrate this month each year.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

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

“Our Latinx community is multicultural with varying intersectionalities, and highlighting heritage from multiple celebration points is vital to the forward progress of our Latinx community,” said Renzo Lara, the director of the Latinx Center. “Our intent is to create a transformational and empowering experience for students that allows them to build on community values, which ultimately allows them to focus in on their educational objectives.”

Everyone is invited to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month events.

Heritage Month Kickoff

Thursday, Sept. 15, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Come celebrate the Latinx/Hispanic community by listening to live music, playing games and eating cultural food. Students will have the opportunity to enter a giveaway. 

Latinx Resource Fair 

Tuesday, Sept. 20, noon, Latinx Center (USU 3300)

Culturally related departments and student organizations will be invited to participate in a resource fair at the Latinx Center. Students will be able to learn about the areas on campus that can support them on their academic and social journey. 

Our/My Culture Isn't a Trend

Thursday, Sept. 22, 3:30 p.m., Latinx Center (USU 3300)

Come learn about problematic stigmas that society creates and the inappropriate portrayal of members in the Latinx community. 

The Pride Center Presents: 3 Latinx Transgender Activists

Tuesday, Sept. 27, TBD

Students can listen to three Latinx transgender activists tell their story and talk about trans history, their life, their struggles and their accomplishments.

Cuentos de Ninos

Thursday, Sept. 29, 3:30 p.m., Latinx Center (USU 3300)

Come learn about the importance of cultural storytelling and history in Hispanic/Latinx families as bedtime stories and childhood myths are shared. Some stories include el cucuy, la llorona and el chupacabra. Students will have an opportunity to reminisce and learn about these cultural traditions.

Chingona Fest 

Tuesday, Oct. 4, noon, USU 3200/3300

Join us in celebrating and uplifting Latinx women. The Women and Gender Equity Center will be hosting week-long events that highlight the trailblazing women in our lives and history. Students will learn about female empowerment in the cultural community.

Latinx Film Professionals Panel

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m., Latinx Center (USU 3300)

In collaboration with arts, media and design professor Jonathan Berman, students will meet Latinx film and media professionals and learn about their experiences in the industry. 

Heritage Month Closing 

Friday, Oct. 14, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Come learn about different music and dance stylings of Latin America to celebrate the end of Heritage Month. Students will have the opportunity to meet the center staff and learn about the cultural significance of why it is important to celebrate this month each year.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

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

Workshops, a keynote address, roundtable discussions and more will be held Thursday, April 21, and Friday, April 22. Visit the HSI Summit website to register or for more information on events.

HSIs, or Hispanic Serving Institutions, are defined as colleges or universities where at least 25% of the undergraduate, full-time enrollment is Hispanic and at least half of the institution’s degree-seeking students must be low-income. CSUSM is among 21 California State University campuses that meet these criteria, allowing them to compete for federal funding to expand and enhance educational opportunities for students.

Gina Garcia, a leading scholar on HSIs, will be the keynote speaker at 5:30 p.m. on April 21. She is also an associate professor in the Department of Administrative and Policy Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

“We are excited to have Dr. Gina Garcia visit our campus and assist with the forward development as well as progress of our Hispanic Serving Institution affairs and Latin@/x Student Outcomes at CSUSM," said Renzo Lara, director of the Latin@/X Center. "The intent of the summit is to examine our HSI status, identity, and highlight current efforts toward Latin@/x Student Success and explore solutions to close equity gaps among communities of color at CSUSM. The HSI Summit is meant to be a launching point for continued campus wide initiatives toward social mobility for Latin@/x students.”

In addition to the campus community, regional CSUs and community college partners are invited to CSUSM’s HSI Summit to share their institutional efforts toward HSI effectiveness and highlight best practices.

Visit the HSI Summit website to register or for more information on events.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

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

Dedicated Sept. 17, 2015, the Latin@ Center was envisioned as a resource-rich enclave in the University Student Union to foster academic achievement, promote greater awareness of Latino/Latina issues, promote workshops and discussions, and offer the services of peer coaches to provide guidance.

Mission accomplished.

“Opening the doors to a space that gives dignity and cultural validation to our Latin@/Latinx scholars has exceeded the expectations of the original vision for the center,” said Latin@ Center Director Maria Mendoza-Bautista. “I have been given a precious gift in this lifetime to work with an extraordinary group of students and who have given valuable feedback to make the Latin@ Center their home away from home, a space that is inclusive and promotes cross-cultural collaboration. Every corner of the center permeates the spirit of our community and the roots of Latin@ culture; from indigenous roots to contemporary influences and heroes/sheroes of our time. This space represents the daily struggle of our community in America, to never take for granted what our immigrant parents came to this country to do, to work hard and give their children a better life.”

For Mendoza-Bautista, the 1,200-square-foot Latin@ Center with computers, printers, and free green books and scantrons is a far cry from what she found when she arrived as an undergraduate student at San Jose State University after transferring from Long Beach City College. Support services for Latinos and Latinas were hardly bountiful in those days.

“We had a small area tucked away on the last floor of the university library, basically two shelves, dedicated to Chicano/Latino literature,” she said.

Today, Latinos are enrolling in colleges and universities in record numbers, making support services such as the Latin@ Center as vital as ever. At CSUSM, which has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution, Latinos constitute 40 percent of the student population.

However, according to The State of Higher Education in California – Latino Report published in the spring of 2015, too many Latinos at campuses across the country lack access to the resources that can help them succeed. The result: in the CSU system, the four-year graduation rate divide between white and Latino students has almost doubled from an 8.5-point gap for the freshman cohort enrolling in 1998 to a 15.4-point gap for the cohort enrolling in 2007, the report found.

Deyanira “Deya” Hernandez, who was the first peer coach hired at the center, is among the program’s biggest fans.

“It’s a safe, comfortable place for students to come in and talk to someone about whatever might be on their mind,” she said. “A place where students are able to have a voice. A place where students can come and talk to a peer mentor and have access to a number of resources.”

Hernandez said the Latin@ Center underscores CSUSM’s commitment to inclusion.

“Cal State San Marcos has done a wonderful job in terms of diversity,” she said. “You see people with backgrounds from everywhere. This is a campus that definitely gives an opportunity for minorities to get a quality education.”

Brenda Diaz, a senior majoring in kinesiology who has worked as a peer coach since the Latin@ Center opened, said she is getting as much out of the facility as anyone she is helping. Her job has provided her with the valuable “soft skills” such as leadership and ability to work with others that employers often complain are lacking in today’s college graduates.

“It’s had a huge impact on me,” she said. “It’s provided me with a place to focus on school, a safe haven, a place for familia. College can be a struggle sometimes, and having a center that can inspire you is invaluable.”

Comments from 530 students surveyed who were asked how the Latin@ Center impacted them this first year include: “The Center has helped me be more positive about the my semester and the environment within the center has helped me believe I can do it when I feel like giving up;” “Has given me the necessary resources to succeed in my classes;” “It has helped me with finding a safe spot to do work and feel comfortable;” and “It provided me a place where I felt at home & could relax while still being able to complete my work.”

Most popular resources used were the study area, printing services, lounge area, and scantrons and green books. What’s more, nearly 60 percent of students who responded said they stayed on campus longer because of their visits to the Latin@ Center.

The Latin@ Center is not restricted to Hispanic students. Everybody is welcome. On average, up to 120 students visit per day and up to 2,100 people visit monthly when K-12 students and those from community groups are included.

“We get a wide variety of people from different cultures who drop in,” said Javier Jara, a junior studying history who has been working as a peer coach at the center since it opened. “A lot of people come in with their friends, feel at home and keep coming back. It’s a place where people can have a home away from home.”

WHO: Dr. Karen Haynes, President, CSUSM; Dr. Lorena Meza, Vice President of Student Affairs, CSUSM; Maria Mendoza-Bautista, Latin@ Center Associate Director, CSUSM; Enrique Morones, founder of Border Angels, a San Diego-based non-profit that advocates for human rights, humane immigration reform and social justice; and Quetzal, the Grammy-award-winning Chicano rock band, will perform at the event. Other guests include elected officials, regional leadership, and student, faculty and staff.

WHEN: Thursday, September 17 at noon - remarks begin at approximately at 12:20 p.m.

WHERE: California State University San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd., San Marcos.

Remarks will be in the University Student Union amphitheater followed by the official ribbon-cutting at the Center, located in the University Student Union, room 3300A.

Recommended media parking is in Parking Structure I, located near the intersection of Campus Way and Campus View Dr.

WHY: According to the The State of Higher Education in California – Latino Report, published in April 2015, in California Latinos are underrepresented in every segment of higher education and have lower levels of college degree attainment than other racial/ethnic groups. On average, 31 percent of Californians have a bachelor’s degree while only 12 percent of Latinos in the state do. The CSUSM Latin@ Center will serve the nearly 40 percent of CSUSM students who self-identify as Hispanic/Latino by helping these students set goals, gain leadership abilities and develop skills that will help them succeed academically, professionally and personally. A welcoming place for all students, the Center is an inclusive environment that will enhance CSUSM’s mission to be a diverse and welcoming university, reflecting and serving the region.