Located on the second floor of Kellogg Library, The Makery is a place for students to exercise creative freedom and explore new skills using a variety of tools and materials. In partnership with the HOPE & Wellness Center at SHCS, The Makery will be hosting art and mental health workshops to enhance students’ mental well-being and connect them to mental health resources.

During the most recent workshop, students created their own “monster” symbolizing their individual mental health experiences and struggles. Once the crafting was done, the students could share what they felt comfortable with about their monsters. The workshop was led by Anahi Martinez Mendez, a Master of Social Work graduate assistant, and Madison Di Palermo, a peer lead health educator.

The workshops give students the opportunity to process and express emotions and experiences that are often hard to put into words by using art. They also help students find community with one another and receive help whenever they need it.

Media Contact

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

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. Patty Diaz worked in Student Affairs and was the SOAR coordinator. Today, Diaz is the coordinator of CCN.

“It’s an incredible feeling to witness something you’ve helped build flourish,” Diaz said. “I’m proud of what Cougar Care Network has become and the positive reputation it has gained among students, faculty and the entire campus community. Together we are making a real difference in the lives of students.”

SOAR was the primary referral source for faculty teaching first-year and underserved students. It operated like a concierge: Students visited the office, where they were routed to other campus support systems, such as counseling or academic services. In fall 2016, SOAR rebranded as part of CCN. Today, CCN is a trusted place for students to build community while at CSUSM.

“It’s fantastic,” said Donna Davis, CCN director. “It’s wonderful that the university has embraced us so much. And students know enough about us to walk right in with anything on their minds, knowing they can get some help. So we are honored by that every day.”

Davis joined CCN in 2022 and became the program's director in 2023.

“This team, they care so deeply,” Davis said. “We have a very dedicated group of professionals here that are creative, energized and excited to help students. I am so beyond honored to work with this group, and that is what’s kept me here through it all.”

As CCN has grown over the past decade, so has the number of students it serves. During the 2024-25 academic year, it managed 4,620 student cases, a 58% increase from the previous year, according to CCN. There was an average of 20 new cases each day, and students expressed appreciation for the ease of being able to drop into the office to get immediate help with their concerns.

While CCN does not offer long-term therapy, most of the cases involve mental health. The staff can provide advice and resources for issues like day-to-day anxiety, the stress of failing a test or the emotional roller coaster of going through a breakup. The team also helps students take their first step toward using counseling services on campus.

“We spend a lot of time walking beside students until they are ready to take that step,” Davis said.

Visiting CCN is easy and accessible. Students can email or submit a referral form to schedule a visit, or drop in to Administrative Building 1200, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Professors can refer students, and an assigned staff member will reach out to the student to check in and invite them to stop by.

“Once we connect with them, we’re always going to make that person feel as comfortable as they can,” Davis said.

One way that CCN helps students feel comfortable during their visits is by offering a treasure chest in the office. Filled with items like face masks, notebooks, fidget toys and mugs, the chest began as a form of staff appreciation and evolved into a fun activity for students to engage with. The treasure chest also gives students the opportunity to visit the office and become familiar with the staff while they’re still deciding if they’re ready to talk to someone.

Another entry point is the Cougar Care Network cart, introduced in the fall of 2023. The cart is operated by service-learning students as an informal, peer-to-peer way for students to learn more about the program and build connections at CSUSM, so they know support is available.

“We are students ourselves. We’re not faculty or staff,” said Fernando Vasquez Rendon, a fourth-year psychology major and service-learning student with CCN. “Knowing that we’re also students adds a sense of trust and relatability.”

Vasquez Rendon said he understands why some students may feel nervous about approaching the cart, and he encourages them to interact with it and see what it has to offer. He said students often express gratitude for the cart, those who work it and the free items and resources it carries.

“Please, come up to the cart. We’re always happy to chit-chat,” he said. “I’m always open and I really want students to know that I and the team are here to really listen and support.

“One of the best parts is seeing a student for the first time and their interaction with the cart. Those interactions are what make this role beautiful, and I think those moments are really important.”

CCN also uses the cart as a tool to help students connect with the University Student Union centers. For example, Davis explained that for students curious about the Pride Center but hesitant to walk alone, the card serves as a bridge, as students might walk into the center when the cart is there.

“We know that there needs to be this kindness movement right now,” Davis said. “We know students are isolated and lonely. And regardless of how much social media they have – and the people they can connect with online – they’re still feeling alone on the inside. So the cart was started as a way to go over to students who are sitting alone and introduce them to the cart, because sometimes that’s the only person that student may talk to all day.”

Lizet Palestina, another service-learning student with the CCN and a criminology major in her final semester, shared how she uses the cart to start conversations with students sitting alone.

“I think it’s easier for students to talk to us rather than a staff member,” Palestina said.

Once the conversation is underway, Palestina and other service-learning students inform students about campus resources, such as the CCN, Student Health & Counseling Services (SHCS), the Cougar Pantry and workshops.

“There are a lot of students who are by themselves, and sometimes they’ll be nervous. But once you get the conversation going, they’re a lot more open,” she said. “It’s as simple as asking if they want a little duck, and then you keep the conversation going.”

The mini ducks are one of the main reasons why students approach the cart. Vasquez Rendon said it's common to see students visiting the cart to add more ducks to their collection. The ducks serve as a small symbol to remind students that they’re not alone.

“Put it in your pocket, keep it in your book bag. But take it out and physically hold onto it as a reminder that we believe in you and know that you got this,” Davis said.

Along with the standard mini ducks, CCN also releases special-edition ducks for campus events. During a Commuter Breakfast event, the cart featured ducks in cars. In a previous collaboration with SHCS, a duck in a fry basket was offered in reference to the F.R.I.E.S. program on consent. F.R.I.E.S. describes consent as something freely given, reversible, Informed, enthusiastic and specific.

CCN also rotates the cart's theme and available items based on cultural events and student feedback. Vasquez Rendon said the team is working to update the cart's theme for Dia de los Muertos and to provide cultural information about the holiday.

“The cart is always changing as the student population changes,” he said. “I want students to know that the conversations we have don’t fall on deaf ears. If they bring up questions, comments or concerns, I always relay it back to the team.”

Alongside the service-learning students, CCN also has a staff of Master of Social Work (MSW) interns who provide support to students. Vasquez Rendon plans to apply to the MSW program for the fall 2026 cohort.

Davis said community donations and grant funding are crucial to ensuring that CCN can provide students the support they need. CCN is a part of the university's Community of Care program, an intentionally connected network to support students that was made possible by a generous grant from the Conrad Prebys Foundation. CCN also received philanthropic funding from a San Diego Foundation mental and behavioral health-focused grant to be able to staff MSW interns.

“We’ve been very blessed with the grants, and they allow our MSW interns to dedicate their full attention to the students," Davis said. 

Community donations often help stock the treasure chest at the CCN office. Davis said new or gently used physical donations are always welcome and that students donate items like candles, face masks and other small gifts they no longer need.

Ten years in, CCN remains focused on simple ideas that matter, starting with a warm welcome and practical help that arrives when students need it. The aim is to walk beside each person until the next step feels possible and the path forward is clear.

“We’re here to walk beside you,” Davis said. “And if you’re not ready today, no worries. Maybe you’ll chat with somebody at the cart or follow us on Instagram. Just in case you need us, we’re here.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Martinez Mendez contended with social anxiety herself as a teen, and she was eager to ensure that her younger siblings knew there were resources and support systems to help if they faced similar challenges.

“I was like their second mother, especially with my sister,” Martinez Mendez said. “It made me think, ‘How can I implement and help with mental health and related issues?’ Because growing up, I never really had the support system.”

Martinez Mendez arrived at Cal State San Marcos initially planning to major in psychology and work toward becoming a clinical psychologist or family therapist. But working at Student Health & Counseling Services (SHCS) inspired her to pursue a slightly different path.

Martinez Mendez spent two years during her undergraduate studies working in CSUSM’s HOPE & Wellness Center as a peer educator. The experience was life-changing, inspiring Martinez Mendez to pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at CSUSM after she graduated last May as a double major in child and adolescent development and Spanish.

“I realized that I love doing more community outreach than working one on one,” she said.

The HOPE & Wellness Center is among several groups on campus devoted to providing mental health services for CSUSM students. Last year, the university received a $250,000 grant from the Conrad Prebys Foundation to advance those services, part of a larger $6 million investment by the Prebys Foundation in grants to 23 local organizations. 

The Prebys Foundation’s funding helped CSUSM launch a mental health intervention program called the Community of Care that brings together the Cougar Care Network, SHCS and the Crisis Response Team. The grant also served as a catalyst for additional philanthropic support, including funding from the San Diego Foundation’s mental health program for MSW interns and a matching contribution from the Epstein Family Foundation.

 The Community of Care’s efforts to decrease mental health challenges and crises for students include the following strategies: 

• Providing counseling through SHCS for students seeking mental health support. 
• Providing basic needs resources and expanding mental health referral support through Cougar Care Network and its mobile Care Cart. 
• Providing response to time-sensitive mental health crises on campus. 

Martinez Mendez is part of those efforts as a MSW graduate assistant this year for the HOPE & Wellness Center. She works closely with Cathy Nguyen, the coordinator of health promotion and a senior health educator, and Rosa Hunt, a health educator.

Martinez Mendez became more interested in social work through her undergraduate work with psychology professor Aleksandria Grabow. It was Grabow who taught her about the many different areas that social work touches. A self-described introvert, Martinez Mendez also credits psychology professor Kimberly Vanderbilt for helping her grow and become more comfortable working with families.

As a MSW student, Martinez Mendez attends classes two days a week while working 20 hours a week at schools in San Marcos Unified School District to earn her pupil personnel services credential, which authorizes individuals to work as school counselors, school psychologists or school social workers.

It’s all part of her goal of becoming a school social worker or therapist to continue advocating for mental health for school-aged children.

Visit the Student Health & Counseling Services website to learn about free mental health first aid trainings. SHCS will host the “Suicide Awareness Walk and Candlelight Vigil”  on Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. Learn more about other upcoming events to support mental health on the SHCS events calendar.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation selected CSUSM during its 2025 grant cycle themed “Wellness Across the Lifespan” to fund programs that encourage hands-on nutritional education. CSUSM is committed to promoting student wellness and working with SHCS to advance a campus culture of health and resilience. 

“We’re incredibly grateful to receive the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation grant to support our Cougars Cooking for Wellness program," said Cathy Nguyen, CSUSM's coordinator of health promotion. "This funding allows us to expand our efforts in educating students about nutrition through hands-on cooking demonstrations and empower students with practical nutrition skills, cooking confidence and access to healthy food resources. This support helps us build a culture of wellness that strengthens student health, connection and academic success.”

CSUSM aims to host four cooking demonstrations, four education sessions and two “Cook and Connect Events” through the program during the 2025-26 academic year. CSUSM also will provide in-person and online sessions for ongoing student access.  

Online nutrition workshops will include many important food- and health-related topics, and cooking demonstrations held on campus will provide students with strategies for cooking in dorm kitchens. Students also will learn how to make meals with ingredients provided at the ASI Cougar Pantry. 

“Cougars Cooking for Wellness” will aim to increase students’ nutrition literacy, influence healthy behaviors, build confidence in food preparation and ultimately stimulate academic success and retention.  

Media Contact

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

The grant will fund the creation of the Cougars Sexpert Station, a name voted on by CSUSM students, which will be a mobile outreach station hosting monthly information stops across campus.

“This mobile station run by HOPE peer educators will provide CSUSM students access to free safer sex supplies, STI testing information and birth control resources, empowering students to make informed choices about their sexual health,” said Cathy Nguyen, coordinator of health promotion at CSUSM.

Student Health & Counseling Services (SHCS) also will launch a digital awareness campaign on social media and the SHCS website, and a print and digital STI resource guide will be distributed to students living in campus housing.

SHCS will utilize the grant to expand its efforts in STI (sexually transmitted infection) education and prevention through peer education, community partnerships and inclusive health promotion. STI testing is available through SHCS for all currently enrolled students who have paid the university’s health fee. Testing is done by licensed medical professionals in a confidential and supportive environment.

The SPT Mini Grant Program offers financial support to institutions that aim to enhance access to STI education, prevention and testing services on their campuses. More than 40 institutions submitted proposals for the grant.

Media Contact

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

Being a middle child among three sisters, Walker was often the person who would help and listen to her siblings, cousins and close friends when they needed someone to discuss their feelings or mental health challenges. Without even realizing it at the time, Walker was already heading down the path of psychological sciences.

Coming to Cal State San Marcos, Walker felt introverted and nervous to talk to others, but that did not stop her from pushing herself to step outside her comfort zone.

Walker has been inspiring her peers and helping create a safe space on campus through her work as a residential adviser; as a collections, delivery and access student assistant in Kellogg Library; and by educating and advocating for BIPOC mental health awareness at Student Health & Counseling Services as a HOPE peer health educator.

Walker’s efforts led her to be selected as the recipient of the 2025 Dean of Students Award for Outstanding Leadership.

“I was just watching true crime and crocheting when Dean of Students Jason Schreiber called and told me that I won the award,” Walker said. “I was shocked. After I talked to him during the candidacy process, I felt really good about our conversation. I was kind of thinking, ‘Wow, I just finished talking to the Dean of Students.’ ”

Walker first knew that she wanted to work in the psychological sciences at 13 after experiencing her best friend going through a challenging time. Walker was a constant advocate for her best friend by being there for meetings with social workers and comforting her when others were dismissing the friend’s mental health struggles.

Walker was able to separate herself from the situation and truly just be there for her best friend.

The experience opened Walker’s eyes to the need for mental health advocacy, specifically for BIPOC communities when she would hear people dismiss the mental health experiences faced by young individuals.

Walker reflected on the rhetoric used during her experience advocating for her best friend.

“People would say, ‘You're too young to be depressed. You don't have anything to be depressed about. You don’t have anything to be stressed about,’ ” Walker said. “There were a lot of things that were happening in her life and happening to her that people were dismissing, and that was taking a toll on her mental health as well. Just seeing how big of an effect it was having on her, I was shocked by the lack of support. It made me aware that people in communities of color do not care as much as they should.”

Walker is from Los Angeles and a first-generation college student, so coming to San Marcos was a big transition. But being so active on campus helped her thrive, leading her to believe that you always end up where you need to be.

After she graduates next month with her bachelor’s in psychological science and a minor in Spanish, Walker has big plans for the future. She plans to return to L.A. and work as a mental health counselor specializing in underserved communities and communities of color.

Her educational and career goals, however, do not end there. Walker intends to obtain her doctorate to work as a psychologist, along with continuing her advocacy and educational work for BIPOC communities, which is similar to her focus at CSUSM.

Walker’s hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed.

“Miyah’s commitment to excellence in leadership, scholarship and service is clear, both as an RA and as a HOPE peer educator,” Stephanie Burga, a residential director, wrote in her nomination of Walker for the Dean of Students Award. “In all of her roles at CSUSM, she has challenged herself to think creatively and communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals. She has also played a significant role in developing programs and initiatives that advance the university’s mission, and each of the programs she’s hosted has contributed to enriching student life at CSUSM.”

There’s little doubt that Walker’s legacy at CSUSM will live on as she moves forward with her education and career goals of being a pillar for mental health awareness in BIPOC communities.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

After all, years later she owns an MFA from San Diego State in filmmaking and is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in literature and writing studies from Cal State San Marcos. 

She’s earning the latter while also working full time as the administrative coordinator with the LTWR department. She’s also a wife and mom to three children. 

Creating art has always been inside Mendez, and her work reflects that. She will show her documentary “Bad Child” on March 4 in Arts 111 as part of CSUSM’s Arts & Lectures series.  

The 13-minute film will be shown at noon, followed by a brief discussion from Mendez. She’ll also lead a panel discussing the impacts of sexual assault, how trauma is expressed artistically and the many resources available to survivors. Staff from Student Health & Counseling Services and faculty and staff from the department of psychology and the School of Arts will sit on the interdisciplinary panel. 

As with most A&L events, CSUSM students, faculty, staff and alumni are free. Community members are $5. Tickets are available online. 

The topic is heavy. She wrote and produced it as a retelling of her personal sexual abuse as a child primarily at the hands of her step grandfather.  

“So the film is entirely my story,” Mendez said. “It goes through every kind of what I see as different stages of the outcomes. I was sexually abused as a child multiple times, so this is something that impacted me throughout my entire lifespan. The film goes through different developmental stages and how it affected me throughout that time.” 

The film also has interviews with psychologists who speak to the technical side of recovering and healing. Mendez included facts from her own research as well as statistics on recovery.  

Her own personal story is woven throughout the film. 

She sees the event as an opportunity to discuss a subject that still doesn’t get enough attention on college campuses, although she is quick to praise the work done by SHCS. 

“There’s a lack of people who talk to their children about sexual assault,” said Mendez, 42. “It's not discussed enough as kids are growing up. It's ignored. So I think a lot of young people get to college and they don't think about these risks, and they don't think that these things do happen. And then when they happen to someone they know, or they're aware that these things are occurring, they don't know what to do. They don't know how to help. They don't know how to positively contribute to such an important issue. And so those are all things I want to touch on.” 

Filled with expert interviews and personal narratives, the film touches on her experiences while also placing a hard emphasis on the importance of parental and caregiver support in the aftermath.  

Healing is an individual journey, one that could be made much longer and more difficult without the presence of support.  

That’s particularly important when the abuse happens to a child, according to Mendez. 

“How that event impacts you is greatly determined by the support you receive or don't receive when you disclose that event, it is so critical for someone who has had horrible things happen to them,” Mendez said. “After disclosure is supported appropriately, they (a victim/survivor) will likely have less severe outcomes compared to someone who might have had something happen and they tell someone, and the person doesn't believe them, or they tell them they're a liar. There's such a big impact.” 

The switch in pursuits to visual arts as an undergraduate student at a small liberal arts college in Portland wasn’t as much of a stretch as it seems because it aligned with Mendez’s interests. And when she took a film class in the SDSU MFA program in 2018, it sparked a passion for filmmaking, leading to a transition from fine art to film. 

While some people choose activities when they have free time, Mendez simply doesn’t have much. Instead, she makes time for her creative outlets partly by involving her family. 

Her first film — a short narrative about a girl and her grandma — was inspired by her childhood experiences – memories of making tamales with family and listening to music, which often sparked creative ideas. In the film, the girl goes into one of her grandma's rooms and starts using her sewing materials and tries to make herself a dress. At the end, the grandma comes in and offers to help her as a form of connection through action. 

Mendez finds inspiration from both real-life experiences and music, particularly non-lyrical film scores. Her art is personal, often reflecting childhood experiences and family dynamics as someone who grew up in Chula Vista but also lived in Florida, Connecticut and other parts of San Diego and L.A. 

In addition to making documentary films, she’s an accomplished painter. She painted her daughter for a decade in a series that explored themes of childhood innocence and the contrast between child and adult expressions. 

“That was obviously a very personal series,” Mendez said of her now 16-year-old daughter. “I was, in a sense, reexamining my own childhood through these pictures of her. And then when I went off and started making films, I did some animations, and all of those had to do with my childhood. And then the film about the dress. There were elements of my childhood that were put into that.” 

Her love for color and patterns is evident in all her work, from painting to filmmaking to her personal style. 

Mendez of course finds it challenging to balance full-time work, family responsibilities and creative pursuits. She has slowed down on creative work to focus more on family time, especially as her three children — one in high school and two in elementary school — have more activities. 

Mendez’s goal is to educate and inspire collective improvement in supporting victims and addressing sexual assault. Healing is a process, and it’s one that is different for every survivor. 

She reported her abuser during the making of the documentary, which took a long time to be processed. He was arrested the same week the film was completed in spring 2022, adding another level of emotional impact to the project.  

Just last month — three decades after the abuse began — he was sentenced to six years in prison. At age 87, he will most likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. 

The reporting process was challenging with delays and emotional tolls, but Mendez felt it was important to go through it at the pace it required. The documentary serves as a testament to her persistence. The long journey of reporting and seeking justice is over, but the healing continues. 

“I won't say there's a real resolution because I do feel like when someone experiences sexual assault of any sort, no matter how minor it is, it affects you forever,” Mendez said. “It'll affect you less if you handle it, you face it, you deal with it, you process it and process it and process it. I do believe it gets better, and some of that is shown in the film. It's not all just dark and negative. It’s more factual and just this is how it was and is. 

 “I want people to take something away from it as far as how can we be better? Just collectively, parents, teachers, mentors, people who are in those positions to receive that information, those disclosures. How can we as a community, as society, be more supportive and be better?” 

Mendez the chemist and/or mathematician never surfaced, and probably for good reason as her art has and will inspire others.  

But perhaps there’s something to order, problem solving and truth that chemistry and math provide that also speaks to who she is.  

Whatever she chooses to do with her career, it’s clear Mendez is one thing above all — resilient.  

“I want to focus on how to help people who have experienced that because when someone discloses sexual assault, the reactions that they receive to that disclosure impact the outcomes of that assault, sometimes more than the assault itself,” Mendez said. “It has such a profound impact on how someone heals or is able to cope that it is really critical that people have an idea of the language to use and how to address those situations.  

“And the reality is this does happen, or people have experienced it in their past. But it still affects them, of course.  To know how to interact with someone about those topics who has had those experiences, that’s really important.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

At a time when mental health challenges among young people are pervasive and most CSUSM students come from systematically disadvantaged communities where accessing mental and behavioral health services is stigmatized, the Prebys Foundation’s support for bolstering inclusivity and accessibility in mental health intervention is paramount. The grant not only enhances crisis response, mental health training and peer support initiatives on campus, but also it serves as a collective commitment toward fostering a supportive environment where all students can thrive academically and personally. 

Additionally, this funding will broaden resources like the Health Assistance Fund and BetterYou app, and it will provide stipends to Master of Social Work interns, promoting social mobility by empowering students to pursue their education without sacrificing employment opportunities. Student voices are echoing the significance of such investments in mental health support.

“I will always be so grateful for Student Health & Counseling Services because it allowed me to receive the mental well-being help I needed,” said CSUSM student Amber Arenas, who's pursuing a double major in psychology and criminology and justice studies. “Everyone has financial burdens, and this fund helps a lot of us not have the stress of money so we can fully spend our time being a college student and becoming academically successful.”  

Social mobility cannot exist without breaking down these systemic barriers to provide students with access to testing, training and treatment that honors their lived experiences. CSUSM’s Community of Care initiative aims to enhance these wraparound services and address the mental health needs of students. 

The impact of the Prebys Foundation grant will be amplified further thanks to a recent philanthropic pledge. In March, CSUSM Foundation Board Director Dan Epstein and his wife, Phyllis, made a transformational $10 million matching gift to CSUSM, effectively doubling the foundation grant into a total of $500,000. CSUSM’s receipt of the Prebys Foundation grant, coupled with the Epstein matching gift, symbolizes the power of community partnerships in effecting transformative change. 

Grant Oliphant, CEO of the Prebys Foundation, emphasized the importance of empowering young individuals and building meaningful community ties.

“San Diego can become a national model by consistently supporting the well-being of youth and young adults," Oliphant said. "The health and vitality of student leaders are crucial for a vibrant future.” 

As CSUSM continues its mission to strengthen mental health services, the university remains dedicated to ensuring that students thrive academically and personally, irrespective of background or circumstance. To get involved in mental health and wellness efforts on campus, follow the Cougar Care Network (@csusmccn) and SHCS's HOPE & Wellness Center (@csusmhope) on social media.  

Visit the Health Assistance Fund and Student Health & Counseling Services websites to learn about upcoming Mental Health First Aid trainings.   

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

The awards are given to people or organizations with extraordinary achievements in areas of public health services that protect and promote the health of San Diego County residents. CSUSM was one of the three winners in the category of public health services when the awards were handed out on April 5.

“We’re truly humbled to receive this award,” said Cathy Nguyen, coordinator of health promotion at CSUSM. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team at the SHCS: HOPE & Wellness Center over the past 23 years.”

Part of Student Health & Counseling Services, the HOPE & Wellness Center provides culturally competent health promotion programs to help students develop healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices. The center aims to educate students about various health topics and engage them in activities, events and counseling, all to build healthier students. 

“Through advocacy, education and culturally competent health promotion programs, we’ve strived to foster a campus culture that prioritizes student well-being,” Nguyen said. “This recognition highlights the collective effort of our incredible past and present staff, interns and peer educators who have contributed significantly to our mission. It reaffirms the importance of promoting wellness in higher education and motivates us to continue our efforts in creating a healthier, happier campus community because public health is everything and everything is public health.”

Media Contact

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

It wasn’t the class she was most interested in at the time, but it was the one that changed her career path and led her to become a certified sexual assault advocate. 

When Wencl started volunteering at a local rape crisis center and working in a domestic violence shelter, her passion for helping victims was solidified. 

“This is when my passion became clear,” Wencl said. “I felt clear about wanting to decrease harm and suffering for victims. I wanted to bring them into the world and show them that they don't have to be alone.” 

After serving the Cal State San Marcos community for seven years, Wencl moved on to another opportunity earlier this month. But her legacy lives on at CSUSM.

“It was an honor to join Christa’s team in 2020 to expand the Sexual Violence Advocacy & Education program,” said Avery Bather, a sexual violence prevention educator and advocate for Student Health & Counseling Services. “Christa has been an incredible mentor to me as a new advocate. She holds an immense amount of knowledge on the intricacies of trauma and healing, and I am a better advocate because of her.

“Everything Christa does is rooted in compassion and social justice, and she is an extraordinary role model to me and so many colleagues. I am forever grateful to have worked by her side and that she will continue serving survivors close by in her new role at One Safe Place in San Marcos.”

When Wencl stepped into her role as the first sexual violence advocate at CSUSM, she simply expected to inform and educate students on the resources available for sexual assault victims. She did just that, but her role evolved over the years to best support students, which left a lasting impact on campus. 

A year after Wencl started at CSUSM, she was asked by a student she met with regularly if there were any support groups available on campus for sexual violence. There weren’t any yet, but Wencl was eager to make the student’s ideas a reality because she had experience facilitating support groups.

In March 2016, about seven months after arriving at CSUSM, Wencl held the first group with four students who joined. 

“My first support group meeting was so magical and powerful,” she said.

Wencl would start by asking students in support groups if they were seeking something in particular from the meeting that day. If there were any specific needs, Wencl would address those first. Sometimes she would invite students to come just to show support for others. Other times, students would lean on Wencl when there was an issue of national importance. 

“There have been times when we've met twice a week because of the #MeToo movement,” Wencl said. “So when there's a national conversation happening, people's families and friends are talking a lot about this topic. And a lot of times, people don't know they're talking to someone who has experienced sexual violence and survivors will hear things that are pretty painful.” 

Wencl’s support groups helped bring to campus an event called “Survivors Are Welcomed Here,” which is a panel where students can share coping strategies and learn about resources. Members of the support group also suggested a survivor graduation, which Wencl made a reality.  

“I think our community of survivors is so strong and so visible,” she said. “The support groups helped develop the panel and the survivor graduation recognition events. The data shows that 30% of survivors will drop out of college. So the fact that we're losing a third of our survivors – they're not graduating, they're not walking across that stage – makes it even more profound of why we need to talk about it and celebrate it. We need to acknowledge all the barriers and obstacles that survivors are overcoming to get that degree. 

“When people come together with a shared experience, that can be so silenced and tucked away in an environment where you're not questioned and people just believe you. It is so powerful. There's such power to support groups, especially the ones here.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

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

Today, Christa Wencl, CSUSM’s new sexual violence advocate and educator, is part of the University’s efforts to shine a spotlight on the darkness of these issues, support and advocate for survivors, and help build a stronger and healthier community both on campus and off.

“When a survivor comes forward, the common inclination is to question and even blame him or her for what happened,” she said. “My role is to be a confidential advocate, someone who can be there in a crisis, listen, provide referrals to resources, discuss options and even accompany that individual to medical appointments, and university Title IX and legal proceedings.”

Her position was born out of a California State University initiative to appoint advocates for victims of sexual assault on all 23 of its campuses—a move that may spur other colleges around the nation to take similar action.

Bystander Intervention: Helping a Friend

Wencl works closely with Cathy Nguyen, a health educator, who oversees initiatives that help students develop healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices. One of those programs is S.T.A.R.S.—Students Talking About Relationships and Sex—a sex-positive peer education and prevention program that uses interactive theater and dialogue to transform individual behaviors and create positive social change. Other initiatives include the It’s On Us and Red Flag campaigns.

“First year students in particular are vulnerable to sexual assault because they are in a brand new environment, exploring themselves and often testing boundaries,” said Nguyen. “What we are trying to do is create a community based on the values of respect while giving students the tools to be positive, active bystanders.”

Bystander intervention is a violence prevention strategy that encourages individuals to safely interrupt a potentially harmful situation. For students that could mean making sure a friend makes it home from a party safely. But it also can mean expressing disapproval when someone makes inappropriate sexual innuendo, tells a joke about rape or touches someone in a sexual manner.

Yes Means Yes Means Asking for Genuine Consent

In addition, Wencl and Nguyen are among those at CSUSM spreading the message about California’s “Yes Means Yes” law. The law, signed by Governor Brown in September 2014, made California the first in the nation to require affirmative consent.

“The problem with the ‘no means no’ standard was that it wasn’t always accurate—lack of protest, resistance or just silence does not mean consent,” said Wencl. “I like this new definition because it goes beyond hearing the word yes and puts the onus on both partners to genuinely agree with what’s happening versus responsibility solely on the victim/survivor to say no.”

Four years ago, Nguyen and a group of S.T.A.R.S. students produced a video titled “Consent is Sexy.” The video is shown to all CSUSM students as part of orientation.

"The only way to be positive your partner is consenting is to check in with them along the way, listen to their responses and act accordingly," she said. "Ask your partner what she or he wants! And ask again if you're not sure. Really respect their wishes. And good sex, sex you will not regret later, is all about respect. "

A Resource for Friends and Families

Family and friends of people who have experienced sexual assault can also struggle with distressing feelings.

“I’m here to be a resource for loved ones too,” said Wencl. “If someone you care about has gone through a traumatic experience, you might be wondering what you can do to help. Oftentimes both survivors and their supporters struggle with overwhelming feelings and need help learning how best to respond.”

What’s her number one piece of advice for anyone who wants to help a survivor?

“Listen, don’t blame,” she said. “The only question you should ask is, ‘how can I help you?’”

Contact Christa Wencl at the Student Health and Counseling Services Center: 760-750-4910 or cwencl@csusm.edu.

Your Reporting Options

In addition to receiving advocacy and support through Student Health and Counseling Services and CSUSM’s Sexual Violence Advocate and Educator, victims/survivors may report to the University’s Title IX Coordinator any incident of sex discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct.

Contact CSUSM Title IX Coordinator Bridget Blanshan at bblansha@csusm.edu or call 760-750-4056. Students may also call the Deputy Title IX Coordinator Dilcie Perez at dperez@csusm.edu or call 760-750-4935.

To file a criminal report, you may contact the University Police Department at 760-750-4567 or 911 from a campus phone.

More information about sexual assault is available online.

Learn More about the Issues

Several events this month continue the conversation about ending campus sexual assaults. Learn more about the issues by attending one or more of these special events:

Film Screening of “Tough Guise 2” - Monday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

University Village Apartments Classroom

Watch Tough Guise 2, a film that argues that men aren’t naturally violent but that our culture teaches them to be so. Following the screening will be a discussion about men and masculinity.

It’s on US Advocacy Tabling - Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 20-21, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

University Student Union Arcade

Sign a pledge and make a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault.

Film Screening of “The Hunting Grounds” - Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.

University Student Union Ballroom

The Hunting Grounds is a documentary that exposes sexual violence as a prevalent problem on campuses of higher education across the country. Weaving together verité footage and first-person testimonies, the film foregrounds the efforts of survivors as they attempt to pursue—despite incredible pushback, harassment and traumatic aftermath—both their education and justice.

A Discussion about Dating Violence - Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

University Hall, Room 100

Speakers include Caitlin Dahlin, a survivor of dating violence and speaker for the non-profit Break the Silence against Domestic Violence, and Terry Josiah of Music.Life.Change, a business that that seeks to change the world through music, healthy lifestyles and product and apparel awareness.

Ask the SEXperts: Healthy Relationships - Thursday, Oct. 22 from noon to 1 p.m.

Markstein Hall, Room 101

No More.org Donut Day - Friday, October 23 from 8 to 9 a.m.

Chavez Circle

Sign a pledge against sexual violence and help yourself to a free donut and coffee!