Tara Jones was only 17 years old when she enlisted in the U.S. Navy in August 2001, driven by a strong sense of duty and a desire to help others. Just months later, the world changed on Sept. 11, and Jones found herself serving during wartime, first stateside and then around the world. “I became a hospital corpsman and was embedded in the Marines,” Jones said. “I worked in trauma bays and in field environments. I saw the best and worst of humanity. And through it all, I knew I was doing what I was meant to do – take care of people.” Jones served for two decades, earning accolades, earning the respect of her peers and gaining the kind of experience that most civilians could only imagine. But when she retired from active duty, a different question emerged: What comes next? “I wasn’t done serving,” she said. “I just needed to find a new way to do it.” That calling led her to Cal State San Marcos, where she is part of the inaugural cohort of the university’s new Veterans Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) program. The program is designed specifically for veterans who, like Jones, bring a wealth of medical experience and leadership into a second career as a registered nurse. “This is just a different kind of uniform,” Jones said. “The mission is still the same: serve with compassion, leadership and integrity.”   A New Path Built for Veterans Jones already had earned a master’s degree in forensic science and worked for the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office in her post-military career. But something was missing. “I missed the connection with the patients,” she said. “There’s something sacred about caring for someone when they’re vulnerable. I needed to get back to that.” She learned about the VBSN program at CSUSM after seeing a flyer. The program immediately piqued her interest, especially its focus on supporting veterans’ transition into health care. “When I saw the VBSN flyer, I felt like it was calling me,” Jones said. “I realized I could bring everything I’d learned in the military – trauma care, leadership, the ability to stay calm in chaos – and use it to keep helping people.” She applied and was accepted into the spring 2025 cohort. Now, in her second semester, she’s thriving. For U.S. Army veteran Anthony Caesar Sapinoso, the journey to the VBSN program began in high school, when he enlisted through the Army's Future Soldiers program in 2016. He served as a 68 – an Army licensed vocational nurse – and always knew he wanted to build a career in health care. “I saw that the Army would become my foothold and way to get not only a glimpse but actual experience in the field,” Sapinoso said. While exploring nursing schools across California, Sapinoso found CSUSM’s VBSN program somewhat serendipitously. “I started my search from the Bay Area, where I’m originally from, and branched out. After being rejected from several programs, I was elated when I got the acceptance letter from San Marcos,” he said. “The shorter timeline to licensure and graduation also made CSUSM’s program stand out.” Purpose-Driven Support Designed with veterans in mind, the VBSN program offers tailored advising, peer support and a clinical curriculum that values the lived experience of those who have served. Students complete rigorous hands-on training at hospitals and health care facilities throughout the region, preparing them to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. “Veterans possess qualities that make them exceptional nurses: leadership under pressure, teamwork and a deep understanding of trauma-informed care,” said Wendy Hansbrough, director of the School of Nursing. “The VBSN program honors their service and supports their transition into one of the most critical professions in our health care system.” Jones says the support from faculty and peers has been key to her success. “The transition from a corpsman to a student nurse is not always easy,” she said. “But this program was built for us. They know where we’re coming from and what we bring to the table.” Sapinoso agrees. Now in his second semester, he admits that he felt some initial hesitation. “I was unaware initially that most of my cohort already had a bachelor’s degree in another field, and I didn’t,” he said. “I felt some slight imposter syndrome, but that quickly disappeared once we started clinicals and skill tests. That’s where my military experience kicked in, and my confidence showed up.” He credits the Army for shaping his holistic approach to patient care and cultural competency. “Being in the Army was both a fun and hectic time where, despite everyone’s different backgrounds, we came together to make the best of any situation,” Sapinoso said. “That spirit of teamwork and care carries into everything I do now.” Faculty like Matt Mincey, who teaches Fundamentals of Nursing, see the difference that veterans carry into the classroom and clinical rotations. “Tara and her fellow veteran students bring a depth of life experience. The ability to remain calm under pressure is incredibly valuable in clinical settings,” Mincey said. “Our role as faculty is to honor that experience while challenging them to grow as professional nurses.”   A University Committed to Veterans The VBSN program reflects CSUSM’s long-standing commitment to military-connected students. “At CSUSM, we believe in the transformative power of education, especially when it supports students who have already given so much in service to others,” said Jennifer Ostergren, dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services. “The VBSN program is a powerful example of what happens when we create purpose-driven pathways that honor lived experience and open doors to meaningful careers.” Jones hopes to specialize in critical care nursing and eventually work in a VA or military-affiliated hospital. Sapinoso, too, remains open to the possibilities. “Whether in the Army or as a nurse, I’ve always wanted to be of service to others,” he said.   Looking Ahead With an ever-growing demand for nurses, particularly those with crisis leadership and cultural competency, CSUSM’s VBSN program addresses workforce needs while cultivating the next generation of health care leaders. Interest in the program continues to grow through veteran word-of-mouth and university outreach. The School of Nursing is actively recruiting future cohorts and remains committed to expanding access to this unique and impactful academic pathway. For students like Jones and Sapinoso, it’s more than just a degree – it’s a calling fulfilled.   To learn more about CSUSM’s Veterans BSN program, visit www.csusm.edu/nursing or email cehhs-ss@csusm.edu. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos surfer and business student Tanner Vodraska captured his second consecutive national title at the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Interscholastic Championships, held June 13-15 at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point.  Vodraska became the first CSUSM surfer to win back‑to‑back individual national titles and only the second college men’s shortboard competitor to do so in the past two decades. He is also the first repeat champion in the division since 2017.  “Winning the NSSA national championship two years in a row feels like a massive accomplishment,” Vodraska said. “I’m super proud to see all the hard work and time I put into surfing really pay off when it matters the most.”  After winning the 2024 title, the first in program history, Vodraska posted a strong 2024-25 regular season, reaching multiple finals and recording two runner‑up finishes.  Vodraska advanced through the early rounds at Salt Creek with consistent performances. In the final, he faced the top three ranked surfers from the regular season: Jordy Collins from Western University, Hudson Sanders from Point Loma Nazarene University and David O’Keefe also from Point Loma.  Vodraska posted the highest single wave score with an 8.33 (out of 10) and backed it up with a 6.0 for a winning total of 14.33. Collins followed with 13.26, Sanders with 11.93 and O’Keefe with 5.70.  “I knew he was both motivated and capable, but the college men’s field is deep,” said Amber Puha, the faculty adviser of the surf club and the chair of CSUSM’s math department. “Everyone on our team knew Tanner would have to bring his ‘A’ game, too — and he did!”  Now entering his final year at CSUSM, Vodraska also serves as president of the surf team.  “I want to motivate this team and push them to do better and better in their everyday lives,” Vodraska said. “I also hope to bring the school a surf team that won’t be forgotten.”  Vodraska said the CSUSM surf program has played a major role in his college experience.  “Being part of the CSUSM surf team has brought me support that I’ve never felt before from my teammates,” Vodraska said. “This team has given me memories and good times in college that I’ll always carry with me.”  Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Deborah Feairheller and Justin Morris first met as part of the same new faculty training cohort when they arrived at Cal State San Marcos in 2022. Though part of different colleges – Feairheller a kinesiology professor in the College of Education, Health and Human Services and Morris a computer engineering professor in the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – they reconnected as members of the second cohort of Faculty Innovation Fellows in CSUSM’s Innovation Hub. The program fosters innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities for students, faculty, and community and industry partners. While Feairheller and Morris were working on separate projects during the fellowship, their connection led to a new collaboration that has earned federal funding to advance their research. The project, “AI-Driven Models for Disease Detection in Cardiovascular Health,”  was awarded a grant through the National Institutes of Health’s AIM-AHEAD Program for Artificial Intelligence Readiness (PAIR), which supports multidisciplinary teams focused on building capacity for AI/ML health equity research. Joining Feairheller and Morris on the project are computer science professors Ali Ahmadinia and Sreedevi Gutta. “By getting the award from AIM-AHEAD, we now have data available to us that we previously didn't have,” Morris said. “That can be another resource for us to improve our models and better understand what additional data we’ll need when we do go to collect new information with Deb.” Feairheller credited the innovation fellowship for providing the space to initiate those early discussions, which grew into a broader collaboration. “I'm really excited that we have access to this extra data,” Feairheller said. “Through this grant program, they're going to help us in creating a project proposal that will build on the idea that they have and also help enable future research in cardiovascular health and women.” Before joining CSUSM, Feairheller was at the University of New Hampshire where she focused on understudied populations affected by cardiovascular disease. Coming to CSUSM, she recognized the need for specific research in women. She is eager to use the AI modeling that Morris and his team will be doing to improve screening tools that could be used in her clinic to potentially enable more patients to be engaged in learning about their cardiovascular health. Feairheller noted the importance of recognizing the difference in the hearts of men and women. She said there is limited published research on how a female heart responds to stressors, exercise and other activity. “The clinical guidelines and the paradigms that physicians use to treat patients are following protocols that were derived on studies that were done primarily in men, so I really love that we're going to create these AI models,” she said. “And I really do hope that we can do something that is specific for females as well as for males because it might create ways that we can do screening that's very sex specific and could potentially save lives.” The “AI-Driven Models for Disease Detection in Cardiovascular Health” project got jumpstarted with initial data that had already been collected by Feairheller in her previous research working with women, which Morris said allowed them to improve their grant proposal by creating models based on that data. Both Feairheller and Morris emphasized the role the Faculty Innovation Fellows program played in bringing their collaboration to fruition, and they encourage other faculty to give the program a try. “The fellowship really helped us learn about each other's research,” Morris said, “and it facilitated impactful conversations.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

For Lorin Keehr, Cal State San Marcos is more than the university where she earned her master's degree in speech-language pathology. It's a community where she continues to find support nearly a decade later.  Keehr, who graduated in 2016, now works as a speech-language pathologist in the San Marcos Unified School District (SMUSD). She has remained closely connected to CSUSM, regularly supervising SLP graduate students working as interns in the district.  In somewhat of a full circle moment for Keehr, she now sends her daughter to the CSUSM SLP clinic where she once trained as a graduate student.  Keehr’s daughter Lyra was born with Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects how a child grows and develops. It can cause learning difficulties, seizures, delayed speech, and unique physical features like coarse facial features or small hands and feet.  Though Lyra will turn 3 years old in September, she weighs just 15 pounds and is still learning to walk independently. When Lyra's physical therapist recommended a walking device to improve her mobility, the SLP clinic was there to help. Lyra’s tiny frame meant a standard walking device wouldn’t work, and a custom-made one came with an exorbitant price tag.  One of Keehr’s SMUSD coworkers suggested she talk to CSUSM about the possibility of developing something.  Laura Coca, CSUSM’s director of clinical education for the SLP department and one of Keehr’s mentors while she was a student, reached out to engineering professor Reza Kamali, who is the faculty adviser for the university’s chapter of Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM), an assistive technology organization that matches students with people living with neglected disabilities.   “It was such a wonderful opportunity for students to collaborate,” Coca said. “I cannot thank Reza and TOM enough. They were just so fast and so comprehensive.”  Kamali and the TOM team had several meetings with Keehr and Lyra’s physical therapist. Less than four months later, they had created a lightweight walking device tailored for Lyra.  “These experiences offered a unique opportunity for students to engage in community-based projects where they could see firsthand how their knowledge and skills could be applied to create meaningful change,” Kamali said. “Watching their product go from an idea to a tangible device used by a child in need was an emotional and inspiring moment for everyone involved.”  Keehr said the additional support has helped Lyra in many ways, including socially, with play skills that she’s learning from the SLP clinic and in her general mobility.  “I didn’t know what to expect, and that’s why I was pleasantly surprised,” Keehr said.“Since getting the trainer, she has been able to stand by herself for a few seconds. It’s definitely been helping with her development.  "I'm just very grateful for both of those programs and what they're doing for the community. Trying to navigate the insurance world and all the paperwork and everything that comes with it, it's programs like the SLP clinic and TOM that make it just a little bit easier for families like ours. They’re people who have good hearts and just want to help their community. So I'm very grateful for making those connections and also being able to promote them to other families that I work with so that they can benefit from these services.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

More than 4,000 Cal State San Marcos students walked across the commencement stage during six ceremonies over two days at Mangrum Track and Field on campus. Relive some of the highlights from the two days in the commencement photo slideshow. College of Business Administration College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences 1 College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences 2 College of Education, Health and Human Services 1 College of Education, Health and Human Services 2 College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos’ new University Village Housing and Dining Project, which is expected to be ready in time for the fall 2026 semester, has been formally named Black Oak Hall and Kwilla Dining. The names were determined following thoughtful input from a campus naming committee and student representatives. Kwilla is the Luiseño word for “acorn” and was chosen to honor the local tribal heritage and the land on which CSUSM resides. The naming committee included Travis Douglas, executive director of Housing & Residential Education; Deanne Ellison, executive director/associate vice president of business development for CSUSM Corporation; Mejaumi Franco-Rosales, tribal liaison; Elaine Pollard, president of Associated Students, Inc.; Kaira Schafer, student building assistant for CSUSM Corporation; Jason Schreiber, dean of students; and Rayanne Weber, director of Planning, Design and Construction. The committee also consulted with Noah Lozano on proper Luiseño pronunciation and spelling. The committee sought names that reflected CSUSM’s natural surroundings, honored its history and, if appropriate, incorporated Luiseño language. The committee consulted with ASI, the Residence Hall Council and the resident community to survey their top choices. After gathering input, the committee presented the top two naming choices to the President’s Administrative Team before Black Oak Hall and Kwilla Dining were selected. Construction on the 2.5-acre site began in January 2024. The 137,000-square-foot project is being built on what was formerly Parking Lot O. It features a three-wing configuration to create gathering spaces and student life areas.   The seven-story residence hall – which includes a 10,000-square-foot dining facility – will have 555 beds, providing affordable housing for underserved, low-income students.  The project is being funded in part by $91 million received from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature. Once completed, the project will expand access to affordable, on-campus housing while reflecting the university’s ongoing commitment to student success. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314