University Honors Outstanding 2026 Graduates
More than 4,000 students are expected to graduate from Cal State San Marcos this academic year, including six standouts from the Class of 2026 who are receiving special recognition for their achievements.
Honorees were nominated by faculty or staff and endorsed by their college’s dean. Here is a closer look at each award recipient:
Alexis Medina, human development
President’s Outstanding Graduate Award
Dean’s Award, College of Education, Health and Human Services
Medina was lauded as an exceptional scholar, mentor and advocate whose achievements reflect the highest ideals of CSUSM and the CSU’s mission of social mobility.
His academic excellence culminated in a 3.97 grade-point average and summa cum laude distinction. But it was his hands-on commitment to advancing student success for others that most distinguishes him.
Across more than 1,200 hours of community-engaged service, Medina has worked directly with K-12 students in under-resourced schools, providing individualized academic support, facilitating small-group instruction and mentoring young learners as they navigate their own educational journeys. In dual immersion classrooms, he leverages his bilingualism, supporting Spanish-speaking students in developing both academic confidence and a sense of belonging in spaces where they are often marginalized. He intentionally creates inclusive learning environments that affirm students’ identities, reinforce their capabilities and encourage persistence in the face of challenges.
Beyond the classroom, Medina extends this impact by guiding high school students, including first-generation and multilingual learners, through college and career exploration, helping them envision pathways that may have once felt out of reach.
Wendy Hardy, linguistics
Dean’s Award, College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences
Hardy, who also has a minor in French and American Indian studies, was praised for leaving a lasting impact academically and culturally across the campus community.
Hardy’s work demonstrates the transformative power of language to build understanding, preserve culture and advance justice. Graduating with a 3.958 grade-point average, she displays academic excellence that's matched by the depth of her applied work, from contributing to the Kawaiisu Language Documentation Project in support of Indigenous language revitalization to advancing research on linguistic justice through faculty-led scholarship. She is also a gifted educator, serving as a teaching assistant in French, teaching at the San Marcos Senior Center, and bringing creativity and care to tutoring and mentoring.
As founder and inaugural president of the Linguistics Collective, president of the French Club and a leader on the CHABSS Dean’s Student Advisory Council, Hardy has created spaces for belonging, professional growth and community that will endure well beyond her time at CSUSM.
Casey Budlong, business administration marketing
Gerevas Family Dean’s Award, College of Business Administration
Budlong has made a difference across many student groups on campus, and she was hailed as a purpose-driven student leader whose academic excellence and professional growth reflect the very best of CoBA.
Graduating with a 3.915 grade-point average, Budlong has distinguished herself as a top-performing marketing student with a strong foundation in both the analytical and creative dimensions of the field. Business professor Kristin Stewart said from her experience working with Budlong through a Professional Sales Center social media micro-internship, along with consistent feedback from her professors, she is repeatedly described as reliable, independent and collaborative. Budlong also was lauded for consistently taking initiative and producing work that is both thoughtful and results-driven.
Beyond the classroom, Budlong has made a meaningful impact on campus and in the broader community through leadership and service, including supporting environmental efforts through the Surfrider Foundation and serving as a volunteer board member for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America San Diego Chapter.
Isabel Serrano, biochemistry
Dean’s Award, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Graduating with a 3.95 grade-point average in a demanding major, Serrano has distinguished herself through academic excellence and the depth and impact of her research.
In the lab, Serrano has made meaningful contributions to the field, developing novel compounds with potential applications in areas like medical imaging and next-generation technology. Her work has led to a peer-reviewed publication and a patent contribution through her internship with Novartis.
Serrano was lauded for how she brings others along with her. As the founding president of Out in STEM and a leader in multiple student organizations, she has created opportunities for her peers to connect and see themselves in STEM fields. She has helped raise funds so fellow students could attend conferences, mentored first-generation students and built communities where people feel like they belong. Outside of campus, she has carried that same commitment into her community, using her bilingual skills to advocate for others. Serrano’s journey is already opening doors for those around her.
Callie Steppat, biological sciences
Dean’s Award, Graduate Studies and Research
Steppat is completing a master’s degree with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average and will continue her education in a Ph.D. program at Cornell.
In the lab, Steppat has built an extraordinary track record by finishing her degree in one year, an unprecedented achievement in the program. She has led five research projects, contributed to six peer-reviewed manuscripts and introduced entirely new lines of inquiry that will continue shaping the lab’s work long after she leaves, according to biology professor Dennis Kolosov.
Kolosov praised Steppat for being an outstanding teacher and mentor, someone who creates supportive, inclusive spaces where students feel comfortable asking questions and building confidence in science. She has co-mentored undergraduate and graduate students in the lab and the classroom, truly embodying the teacher-scholar model, helping lead them to conference presentations and publications.
Outside the university, she volunteers in her community through beach cleanups, supporting dental care for underserved populations and working with veterans in need.
Nayelie Ortiz, sociology
Dean of Students’ Outstanding Leadership Award
Ortiz has built a strong academic record, but Interim Dean of Students Norma Larios said what stands out most is how Ortiz has used her time at CSUSM to lift up those around her.
Since her first year, Ortiz has been deeply involved with the COMPASS Center, supporting undocumented, mixed-status and immigration-impacted students through mentorship, advocacy and day-to-day care. She has helped students navigate challenges and persist to graduation, often stepping in during moments of real crisis to make sure no one feels alone. Whether organizing support for a peer in need or simply showing up consistently with empathy and encouragement, Ortiz leads in a way that is both powerful and personal.
That commitment to others extends far beyond campus. Ortiz mentors first-generation students, coaches youth soccer and volunteers in community safety patrols to support families in her hometown. Even while facing personal challenges, including the impact of devastating fires affecting her own community, she has remained focused on showing up for others.
Media Contact
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ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314