On March 19, Cal State San Marcos hosted a powerful and memorable event to celebrate an initiative titled “Veterans History Project: An Unveiling of the Journey.” The event, which drew more than 350 registered attendees, was a blend of heartfelt veteran stories, emotional video presentation and community-wide recognition for the dedicated individuals behind the project. Led by Jason Beyer, the director and interviewer for the project and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and Marilyn Huerta, project art director and a CSUSM communications specialist, the project aimed to capture the personal stories of veterans in the hopes of preserving their legacies for future generations. The Journey of the Veterans History Project The CSUSM version of the Veterans History Project began as a passionate initiative to honor the experiences of military veterans, ensuring that their stories are archived and shared with the broader community. Beyer learned about the Veterans History Project through the Library of Congress after attending a Student Veterans of America conference, and he wanted to focus on preserving these stories for the nation's history. He played a pivotal role in connecting with veterans and the Library of Congress for the archival process. Huerta collaborated with Beyer, providing invaluable contributions to the interview and video production process. From meeting the veterans to filming their stories, Huerta was instrumental in capturing the essence of these men and women who served our country. She also helped organize the event at CSUSM, which included a resource fair and reception for military-affiliated guests and students. She is not only a veteran spouse but also the daughter of Vietnam War veteran Lawrence C. Finley, Sr., who died just a few days after she met the veterans in this project. A Day of Recognition, Reflection and Connection The event featured a series of poignant moments, from the resource fair and reception to the keynote speech by veteran Amy Forsythe. Forsythe, who also served as the event’s emcee, shared her experiences and reflections as a military veteran. She is the author of the book “Heroes Live Here,” which chronicles the stories of veterans and their families at Camp Pendleton, shedding light on the sacrifices made by those who serve. Her speech, with a call to action to “share your story,” resonated deeply with the audience. Two CSUSM representatives – Josh Loop, interim director of Veterans Services, and Ryan Stevenson, a psychologist from Student Health & Counseling Services – were guest speakers at the event, further emphasizing the university's commitment to supporting its veteran community. Another highlight of the event was Jim Desmond, representing the 5th District of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, virtually delivering remarks about the county's ongoing support for veterans. As a veteran himself, Desmond shared stories from his time in the Navy and presented a proclamation from San Diego County to Beyer and Huerta for their work on the Veterans History Project.   California Legislature Honors Veterans, Project Leaders The event’s significance was further underscored when Darshana Patel, assemblymember for California’s 76th District (which includes CSUSM), provided certificates of recognition for Beyer, Huerta, Forsythe and each of the six veterans who participated in the project. The certificates not only acknowledged the veterans' service but also celebrated their willingness to share their personal stories with the public. Those stories will soon be available to the public at both the Library of Congress and CSUSM’s Kellogg Library as part of the Voices of North County archive. Jennifer Ho, communities and cultures archivist from CSUSM’s library, provided insight into the archival process, detailing how these veteran interviews would be transcribed and preserved for posterity. The raw interviews, slated for transcription later this spring, will be accessible for generations to come, ensuring that these veterans' legacies remain alive in the hearts of future citizens.   Veteran Stories Captured for Posterity The veterans whose stories were featured at the event came from diverse backgrounds and service experiences, but all shared a common thread – an unwavering commitment to our country. The veterans interviewed for the project are: Jan Michael Letigio Lacea (CSUSM alumnus) – U.S. Navy: 2011-18, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (E-6) Albert F. Toro – U.S. Army: 1967-69, Sergeant (E-5) Thomas Galyean – U.S. Army: 1968-72, Captain (O-3) Elmer Royce Williams – Minnesota National Guard: 1942-43, U.S. Navy: 1943-80, Captain, Ret. (O-6) Dora Ann Beacham (CSUSM alumnus) – U.S. Marine Corps: 1992-2014, Master Sergeant, Ret. (E-8) James Robert Forster II – U.S. Air Force: 1967-71, Staff Sergeant (E-5) “When my friend Jason Beyer from CSUSM asked me to be a part of this, I thought it was a small school project, but it turned out to be part of a larger, critical mission of preserving veteran stories,” Lacea said. “Especially for the Greatest Generation, our World War II veterans, some of their stories may be soon lost forever. I am truly honored for Jason, Marilyn Huerta and the rest of CSUSM for inviting me to be part of this project, especially as an alumnus. I’m happy to share my story, particularly for those that I served with and for those that are no longer with us.” These veterans, along with their families, were honored at the event, receiving recognition not only for their military service but for their participation in the Veterans History Project. Four of the six veterans were present at the event to receive their certificates.   A Memorable Event for All The event’s setting, an intimate video viewing experience, allowed guests to reflect on the stories of these veterans. The videos were emotional and engaging, mixing humor with heartache as each veteran shared their unique journey. “What I wasn't expecting was how emotional I became,” said Shad Thielman, a lecturer in CSUSM’s history department. “It made me think of my father, grandfathers and those we have lost. In a sense, it humanized things again, which is one of the most important aspects of such history.” Beyer and Huerta expressed a strong desire to continue this important work, ensuring that future veterans’ stories are preserved in a similar fashion. For those who were unable to attend the event or wish to revisit the powerful video that was previewed during the ceremony, the video is now available for viewing online. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos celebrated the completion of the structural phase of its University Village Housing and Dining (UVHD) project with a topping-out ceremony on Thursday, March 20.   A topping-out ceremony typically marks the placement of the last or highest steel beam.   Construction on the 2.5-acre site began in January 2024 and is expected to be complete in fall 2026. The 137,000-square-foot UVHD 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, two-story dining facility – will have 555 beds, providing affordable housing for underserved, low-income students.  “We are breaking down barriers to higher education and making it possible for more students to stay focused on their studies and thrive,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said at the event. “From pod-style communities that foster belonging to all-gender restrooms, study and social spaces, and secure, modern designs, this is more than just a place to live – it’s a place to grow, connect and succeed.”  Leon Wyden, CSUSM’s vice president for Finance and Administrative Services and chief financial officer, served as the event emcee and welcomed San Marcos councilmembers Danielle LeBlang and Ed Musgrove, who presented a certificate of recognition from the City of San Marcos.   The UVHD project is being funded in part by $91 million received from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature.   “Today, as we celebrate reaching the highest point of construction, we pause to recognize the incredible teamwork and dedication that got us here,” Wyden said.   Partners on the project include McCarthy Building Companies and Gensler. Wyden also thanked the trades teams and contractors, including Nevell Group Inc. (framing), Critchfield Mechanical Inc. (mechanical), Bergelectric Corp. (electrical), A.O. Reed & Co. (plumbing), Kimble and Company (fire protection) and Sunset Glazing (glazing systems).  Wyden also credited university partners, including Planning, Design and Construction, Student Affairs, Housing and CSUSM Corporation.  “Today’s topping-out ceremony isn’t just about celebrating a structure that has reached its highest point,” Neufeldt said. “It’s about the heights we are helping our students reach because of this project.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The fastest NCAA Division II women's 400-meter runner in the country is home after sailing to victory at the national indoor track and field championships in Indianapolis on Saturday.  Cal State San Marcos student-athlete Rasha Badrani won in a time of 52.92 seconds, a 0.28-second edge against her closest competitor, Peace Nwaelehia of West Texas A&M.  Badrani said she has been running track since junior high school, but the championship was the culmination of years of hard work.   “I just went out there telling myself that I was the strongest one out there and I know I can finish,” Badrani said.   It’s this mindset that her coach said makes her a winner.  “She has an intrinsic motivation that I’ve never seen before," said Anthony Heredia, assistant coach of sprints and hurdles. “Rasha is always one who will do the things no matter who is watching. She has an insanely strong will, and I think that’s what carries in her races. When she wants something, she is going to take it. And she’s not going to let anyone else dictate that.”  Badrani, a 2022 graduate of San Pasqual High School in Escondido, is a junior at CSUSM majoring in business administration management.   Badrani’s win is the first NCAA national championship for CSUSM's track and field program. She is also the second athlete from CSUSM to win an NCAA national title. The first was Jaime Jacob, who won the 2019 women's golf individual championship.  Badrani said next she wants to win the same race in the outdoor championships at the end of May.  Media Contact Jerry McCormick, Director of Strategic Comms jmccormick@csusm.edu

When Grant Muāgututiʻa was a boy growing up in Oceanside, his love of the Samoan language took him to the homes of community elders who would regale him with stories that had been passed down through the generations. When he was a student at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels, linguistics took him to some of the cradles of Polynesian culture: Samoa, Hawaii, New Zealand and back to Hawaii. And when he was seeking his first tenure-track job in the field, linguistics took him to Cal State San Marcos as an assistant professor in the liberal studies department five years ago. Muāgututiʻa, though, never could have dreamed that linguistics would take him here – on the shores of Oʻahu, the waves lapping at the sugary sand, as he walked the blue carpet (yes, blue) and rubbed elbows with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and other stars of the Disney glitterati before the world premiere of the animated film “Moana 2” last November. “It wasn’t even in the realm of my imagination,” Muāgututiʻa said. “But it was an awesome experience.” You don’t think of linguistics, simply defined as the scientific study of language, as intersecting neatly with a visual medium like cinema. And indeed, Muāgututiʻa was more than a little caught off guard when the filmmaking team behind the sequel to the wildly popular movie “Moana” from 2016 contacted him out of the blue two years ago. They were seeking a linguist to lend an air of authenticity to character names and other language used in “Moana 2,” which picks up the story of a young heroine from ancient Oceania who’s called by the ocean to go on an epic wayfinding journey. Muāgututiʻa might not have been expecting the directors’ call, but he certainly was a qualified candidate. “As far as I know,” he said, “I’m the only Samoan with a Ph.D. in linguistics in the entire world.” Muāgututiʻa was invited to join the Oceanic Cultural Trust, a collective established for the original “Moana” nine years ago to ensure that the film was not only authentic but also respectful of the cultures and histories of Polynesia. Besides Muāgututiʻa as the linguist, the other 12 members of the trust include an archaeologist, a botanist, a choreographer, a historian and additional cultural experts. The Oceanic Cultural Trust is headed by Kalikolehua Hurley, who was born and raised on Oʻahu. Hurley, who affectionately calls Muāgututiʻa “Dr. Grant,” came to CSUSM last fall as part of a panel discussion about the work of the trust, following a screening of “Moana 2.” “We aim for the stories we create at Disney Animation to reflect the peoples, cultures and places we’re inspired by in their creation,” Hurley said. “ ‘Moana,’ which finds inspiration in Pacific peoples, cultures and islands, would not feel truthful without the inclusion of all the things that make the Pacific what it is, including, of course, language.” Muāgututiʻa was excited by the opportunity to contribute his expertise to “Moana 2,” which debuted on Disney+ on March 12. He recalls being a doctoral student in Hawaii when the original was released and taking his wife and (at the time) two young children to see it in the theater. “I was very moved and inspired by it,” Muāgututiʻa said. “It was amazing to see representations of our culture on the big screen like that." Over the course of many months starting in 2023, Muāgututiʻa and the other members of the trust participated in a series of screening cycles – essentially viewing the film in various stages of completion – and afterward met with the filmmakers to discuss their thoughts as a group. In addition to providing general cultural feedback, as the resident linguist, Muāgututiʻa was relied upon to suggest language for the film – from character and location names to more granular things like dialogue, dialect, pronunciation and spelling – both for the movie itself and for marketing materials leading up to the release. And he couldn’t just fall back on his deep knowledge of the Samoan language; rather, he had to tap into words and phrases common to all of the Pacific Islands, an umbrella term that also covers lands such as Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti and Tonga. Muāgututiʻa’s most valuable contribution was the name of the villain, Nalo, which means “lost” in a variety of different Polynesian languages. Nalo is the god of storms who is jealous of the bonds that humans form between each other and uses his power to curse the island of Motufetū and cut off the voyaging between islands. Muāgututiʻa also gave the movie the character of a fruit bat named Peka, the sidekick of a secondary antagonist, Matangi, who’s an eccentric demigoddess and Nalo’s enforcer. Fruit bats are plentiful in Samoa, and the word “peka” can be traced back to the original Polynesian language thousands of years ago. “I helped shape the names in the movie,” Muāgututiʻa said, “although they all might not have come directly from my brain.” One of the words that didn’t come from Muāgututiʻa’s brain but that pleased him greatly is “tautai,” which means “wayfinder” (or “navigator” or “seafarer”) and is the title that Moana receives during a special ceremony. “Tautai” also happens to be the name of Muāgututiʻa’s second son (he has four children total, the most recent a son born in January). “Watching the film, when he hears his name, his face just lights up,” Muāgututiʻa said. “For my kids, Moana has always been there, so they’ve always seen themselves on the big screen. That’s huge for me, both as a father and a scholar.” As the son of two parents of Samoan descent who was raised in one of the most populous Samoan communities in California, Muāgututiʻa marinated in all things Polynesia as a child – even as he assimilated quickly into the American way of life. His twin passions were language and the performing arts, which makes sense given that they are so intertwined in Polynesian culture that they might as well be synonymous. Polynesia had no written language until only a couple of centuries ago, so music and dance were employed to convey stories across the ages. Muāgututiʻa, in fact, felt torn between studying linguistics and ethnomusicology in college. He chose linguistics, of course, and attended the University of Hawaii at Mānoa (the first university in the nation to offer Samoan language courses) for his bachelor’s degree and doctorate, with a stop in between for his master’s at the University of Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand. Auckland, not coincidentally, is the largest Polynesian city in the world. “I was able to piece together this curriculum that I was super interested in,” he said, “learning and filling gaps of the facets of history that weren't available to me in Southern California.” During and between the time that he pursued his two advanced degrees, Muāgututiʻa worked in Polynesian outreach for the Oceanside Unified School District and as the director of performing arts for the Le Fetūao Samoan Language Center in Hawaii (for the latter, he received an award in the shape of a fish hook, a traditional Polynesian symbol, that’s displayed in his office at CSUSM.) Muāgututiʻa is a linguist professionally, but his love of music still burns brightly. For the last three years, he has been in a band called FAIVA (Samoan for “craft”) with two other Samoan musicians. FAIVA has played at CSUSM a few times, and one of their most cherished gigs is performing songs from “Moana” and other Polynesian favorites at Disneyland for hundreds of wide-eyed children and their families. A big part of Muāgututiʻa’s work as a scholar is the melding of language and performing arts, and using the latter as a vehicle for the maintenance and even revitalization of Polynesian languages, many of which face endangerment. At CSUSM, he’s part of a group of faculty and staff behind the Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi American (APIDA) Success Initiative; one of the thrusts of that collective is utilizing grant money to support language curriculum development for Pacific Island studies. Last year, CSUSM launched its first Samoan language and performing arts program, a five-week course in partnership with MiraCosta College that brought 30 kids from K-8 and 30 adults to campus. The program culminated in a performance at the Oceanside Samoan Cultural Celebration last July. “There's such a strong interest and a thirst to learn our culture, learn our language,” Muāgututiʻa said. “Not only has that enabled outreach to the community, but it also has helped me with the opportunity to develop and test curricular materials. None of this would have been possible without the support of CSUSM and the awesome team of faculty and staff that we have here.” The runaway success of movie franchises like “Moana” – the two films have grossed a total of almost $2 billion worldwide – can only aid in the linguistic and cultural preservation that is the foundation of Muāgututiʻa’s career. And he’s not done with “Moana,” either. He also is a member of the cultural trust for the live-action version of “Moana” that’s set to premiere in summer 2026. He frequently was on location for that film, the production of which wrapped last fall. “In a lot of ways, I was just in the right place at the right time,” Muāgututiʻa said of his work on both versions of “Moana.” “It's a lot of pressure, but also a huge privilege that comes with the responsibility to be able to speak for me personally, for my family, for my people on a platform that millions and millions of people will see for a long time. We haven't always been welcome in these spaces, and to have that opportunity now, I don't take it lightly.”   Watch more videos, of Muāgututiʻa singing a song from “Moana” and sharing the connection of music to Polynesian culture.  Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Almost a decade ago, at another university on another coast, Ellen Neufeldt set out to organize a symposium on social mobility. As she called around to invite participants as an administrator at Old Dominion University in Virginia, she received the same answer again and again: “I will come, but first you must tell me what social mobility is.” Neufeldt related that story on Thursday under a very different set of circumstances. She’s now in her sixth year as president of Cal State San Marcos. Social mobility has increasingly gained prominence in the world of higher education. And, most significantly, Neufeldt was speaking to an audience of more than 400 people packed into the University Student Union ballroom for the now-annual National Social Mobility Symposium. A cross-section of education, government and other leaders from across the country congregated over a day-and-a-half to delve into the once-foreign concept and the many ways that social mobility is interconnected with the vital work of educating students. “The national and higher education conversation has changed in many ways,” Neufeldt said in remarks kicking off the symposium. “Right here at CSUSM and in the CSU in general, social mobility has been part of the core mission of who we are. In fact, through CSUSM’s strategic planning, we established our vision to be a national leader in social mobility. “While social mobility includes upward economic mobility, it also encompasses broader access to opportunities and resources, education, and overall quality of life.” In a fortuitous stroke of timing, the symposium began on the same day that the College Futures Foundation – an Oakland-based nonprofit – released its inaugural California Mobility Index. The CMI ranks four-year institutions in the state based not on how exclusive they are, but rather on the rate of low- and medium-income students they enroll and the return on investment they provide. California State University campuses account for 13 of the top 15 spots (including CSUSM) in the CMI, the debut of which drew coverage from such media outlets as the Los Angeles Times and EdSource.   CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia was one of four keynote speakers at the symposium, calling it one of the system’s “signature events.” “At the CSU and at our peer institutions represented here today, social mobility is our greatest strength, our immense source of pride, and it’s our reason for being,” Garcia said.  Neufeldt discussed, and other speakers at the symposium explored, the concept of a four-legged stool – the systemic barriers that predominate in higher education and prevent the thriving of social mobility. The four legs consist of: the college rankings that historically have focused on, but are gradually evolving away from, exclusion over inclusion; the media that has long skewed its coverage toward Ivy League and flagship institutions; state governments that tie funding formulas to outdated ranking models; and industries and employers that still tend to recruit primarily from elite institutions. “We must be intentional about dismantling barriers, changing practices and expanding opportunities,” Neufeldt said. “We must view every decision by asking ourselves: Who is being left out? What structures are we upholding that need to be reimagined? “This is not just about education. It is about our economy, our workforce and the future leaders of our regions and nations.” Joining Garcia as keynote speakers at the symposium were Nate Hilger, an economist and data scientist and author of the book “The Parent Trap: How to Stop Overloading Parents and Fix Our Inequality Crisis”; Charles Welch, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities; and Alejandra Campoverdi, founder of the First Gen Fund and a former White House aide to President Barack Obama. On Friday, two current or former elected officials spoke to the assembled crowd: Toni Atkins, the former leader of the California State Senate; and Scott Peters, the U.S. representative of the congressional district (50^th) that includes San Marcos. Atkins talked about the tie between her own story of social mobility as a first-generation college graduate who grew up poor in Appalachia and her political work in the state as a fierce advocate of education, affordable housing and LGBTQ rights. “Social mobility allowed me, the daughter of a seamstress from Appalachia, to become the first woman to be president pro tempore of the California State Senate,” Atkins said. “It allowed me to live a life far beyond my dreams. I want to make sure current and future students get a chance to live that life as well.” Peters appeared at the symposium for the third year in a row. He also hosted Neufeldt and other leaders from CSUSM in Washington last summer. “This is the right place for the symposium,” Peters said. “Cal State San Marcos is a model that I talk about all the time in my work.” The symposium emcee, also for the third straight year, was Wenda Fong, former chair and current trustee of the CSU Board of Trustees. “It is our highest mission to afford students of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, abilities, identities and orientations the opportunity to earn the lifelong benefits of a high-quality college degree,” Fong said. “This mission and these values have never been more essential. Our world, and the changes coming in the future, require higher education to prepare students for a society of rapid change in technology, increasing interconnectedness and new forms of employment.” Other highlights from the symposium included: a look at how technology is shaping the future of higher education, emphasizing the role of innovation in creating equitable opportunities. quick pitches on impactful programs, and dozens of best practices, showing clear examples of how institutions can foster social mobility in creative ways. panels showcasing how different organizations measure social mobility through rankings and how university leaders reinforce the importance of adapting to student needs. the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) on how institutions and economic leaders work together to drive regional change and bolster the workforce and economy. a discussion on best practices throughout the educational pipeline, emphasizing strong partnerships between K-12, community colleges and universities to create seamless pathways to higher education. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

If you sit down with Nicole Mendez, you may question her decision to major in chemistry and math in her first college experience. 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