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CSUSM to Host Hispanic Heritage Month Events

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Cal State San Marcos’ Latinx Center is partnering with campus organizations to present an exciting lineup of events. The month, which runs Sept. 15-Oct. 15, is an opportunity to celebrate the rich culture and diverse backgrounds of Hispanic-identifying people. Everyone is invited to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month events. Chingona Fest Tuesday, Sept. 9 This two-part event celebrated and uplifted CSUSM's Latina-identifying students and their experiences. This year’s theme was Chingona Sin Frontiers, facing barriers in pursuit of education. Cafecito con Pan Monday, Sept. 15, noon, USU 3200 Kicking off the month, this series is hosted monthly in the Latinx Center, connecting students with professionals across campus and offering opportunities for conversations over coffee and pan dulce. Latinx Center’s 10th Birthday Party Wednesday, Sept. 17, noon, USU 3200 To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the center, a birthday party will be hosted with games, cake and community. Raices de Barro: Talavera Workshop Tuesday, Sept. 23, noon, USU 3200 The Latinx Center will explore the roots of Mexican Talavera artwork and ceramics, with opportunities for students to create their own vase. Shared Roots: Tattoos in our Cultures with APIDA Thursday, Sept. 25, USU 3200 An ongoing series in collaboration with the APIDA Student Center explores the cultural significance of tattoos in both APIDA and Latine communities. Chisme Club: Sin Fronteras Thursday, Oct. 2, noon, USU 3200 Students are invited to reflect on the impact of current events on our communities, with a self-care activity to end the session. Latine Heritage Month Celebration Thursday, Oct. 9, 5 p.m., USU Ballroom Join us as we close out Latine Heritage Month with music, food and games at a celebration open to all. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

New Common Read Theme Focuses on Empathy, Lived Experiences

After three years of focusing on banned books, Cal State San Marcos’ Common Read will highlight stories that broaden perspectives and build empathy, according to CSUSM Academic Transitions Librarian Allison Carr. The theme for 2025-26, “Stories as Mirrors, Windows & Sliding Doors,” uses fiction and nonfiction books to provide insight into different lived experiences and encourages compassion and understanding. Students can pick up a free copy of a Common Read book from noon to 1 p.m. on the following dates: Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Nov. 13 and Dec. 4, in front of Kellogg Library. “We loved the banned books theme and we heard from a lot of students that they loved it, too. But after three years, we wanted to move on to a broader theme that reflected the current climate,” Carr said. “Given what we’ve seen in the news lately about a decline in reading, along with what we know about how reading encourages empathy and compassion, it was important that students gain a deeper understanding of people from all backgrounds.” Carr explained that Common Read considers the diversity of authors and genres as well as the interests of topics to undergraduate students when selecting the books. “While I’m excited about all of our books, this is the first year we’ve offered a collection of poems, ‘Song I Sing’ by Bao Phi. His poems, which are about immigration, race and class, feel a lot more accessible because of his slam poetry background,” Carr said. The library’s Student Advisory Board selected “Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas as one of the books to be included. The story features a trans boy proving himself to his Latinx family, while also featuring elements of a love story and a paranormal investigation. The complete list of books selected for this year’s campaign is: “Bird Songs Don't Lie,” Gordon Lee Johnson “Daytripper,” Fabio Moon “The Remember Balloons,” Jessie Oliveros “Song I Sing,” Bao Phi “The Cemetery Boys,” Aiden Thomas (students' choice) “The View From Down Here: Life as a Young Disabled Woman,” Lucy Webster “Stories can break stereotypes, increase awareness of systemic issues and encourage respectful interactions with people from different backgrounds,” Carr said. “At a time when empathy and compassion are seen as weaknesses, reading can help us build and sustain a community that's inclusive and addresses the inequities marginalized communities currently face.” Common Read is also offering a zine-making workshop in collaboration with the Context Exhibit Series, “Zine Dreams” from 1-2 p.m. on Oct. 9 at The Makery. At the event, students can create a page in a collective zine that highlights their identities and stories. An RSVP is required. “My hope for this year is that students gain a deeper understanding of people who are different from them, but also a great understanding of themselves,” Carr said. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Photo Highlights From Student Org Fair

Cal State San Marcos welcomed hundreds of students to the University Student Ballroom on Sept. 4 for the annual Student Organization Fair. The event provides students an opportunity to learn about the many ways to get involved on campus. With more than 100 recognized student organizations in a variety of categories, there is something for everyone. Relive some of the event highlights in the Student Org Fair photo slideshow. To learn more about available student organizations, visit the student organization directory. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Project R.I.S.E. to Broaden Future Educator Pipeline

Cal State San Marcos’ School of Education has received a $40,000 grant from SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union to launch Project R.I.S.E. (Recruiting Inclusive, Supportive Educators), an initiative aimed at strengthening and broadening Southern California’s educator pipeline. Project R.I.S.E. will focus on multiple priorities, from building pathways into teaching through future educator summits to hosting workshops that will connect high school, community college and university students interested in education. The project also will support the Emerging Leaders Academy, which will prepare teachers for equity-based leadership roles in partnership with local districts and remove financial barriers by expanding a fund that helps credential candidates cover essential costs like testing and certification fees. Cassiopeia Guthrie, a member of the Distinguished Teachers in Residence program in the School of Education, is leading the project activities as the Project R.I.S.E. faculty fellow. She will coordinate programming and planning, helping to create sustained outreach and support across partner districts. That role also will lay the groundwork for a future Project R.I.S.E. center, envisioned as a hub to strengthen regional recruitment and pipeline development for aspiring educators. Moses Ochanji, director of the School of Education, said the initiative is rooted in opportunity and equity. “By opening doors early, supporting students along the way and removing financial barriers, we are ensuring that students in as early as high school grades see teaching as a viable and welcoming profession and also that our schools will be led by educators who reflect and understand the communities they serve,” Ochanji said. “The School of Education is grateful for the partnership with SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union in working to remove barriers before they become roadblocks.” Jennifer Ostergren, dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services, called the partnership with SchoolsFirst a timely investment. “This is more than a grant,” Ostergren said. “It is a commitment to building pathways for the next generation of teachers and leaders.” The announcement comes at a critical time as California continues to face teacher shortages, particularly in high-need communities. With Project R.I.S.E., CSUSM is positioning itself at the forefront of solutions by engaging students early, supporting them through credentialing and preparing them for impactful careers in education. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Grant Will Help Students Live Healthier Lifestyles

Cal State San Marcos has been awarded a $10,000 grant by the grocery chain Sprouts to support and enhance “Cougars Cooking for Wellness,” a program offered through Student Health & Counseling Services (SHCS) to provide students with the proper skills and knowledge to live healthier lifestyles through nutrition education, cooking and community connection. 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

Higher Ed Proves Transformational for Award Recipient

Oscar Loyola Torres never wanted to become a doctor until he saw a sheep's brain. Growing up, Loyola Torres was interested in filmmaking and acting. But he found himself gravitating toward the medical field after taking anatomy and a biomedical elective course at San Marcos High School (it was in the latter class that he saw the sheep’s brain). Loyola Torres, a molecular and cellular biology major at Cal State San Marcos, is the first person in his family to attend college. Elementary school teachers told him that there would be a spot for him at CSUSM when the time came, thanks to CSUSM's K-12 Alliance, which motivated him to work hard from an early age. Loyola Torres’ efforts paid off, as he was honored recently as CSUSM’s recipient of the 2025 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, California State University’s highest recognition of student accomplishment. The CSU recognizes 23 students every year – one from each campus – with the Trustees’ Award. Students are selected based on academic achievements, financial need, excellence in community service and personal hardship. Awardees have all demonstrated inspirational resolve along the path to college success, and many are the first in their families to attend college. “It's almost like imposter syndrome,” Loyola Torres said. “It was just an honor to receive the nomination.” Loyola Torres’ decision to attend CSUSM over other universities, including UC Riverside, was based on community and affordability. It was a place where he could be close to home while affording school, and his parents supported his decision. “My parents weren’t able to pursue higher education, so that motivated me,” Loyola Torres said. “I have the privilege of pursuing it, so I have always planned on it.” As a Pathmaker intern at Palomar Medical Center Escondido, Loyola Torres saw the language barriers that Spanish-speaking patients often experience in health care. “I have the privilege of speaking both English and Spanish,” he said. “A lot of the patients struggle with understanding what the doctors are saying. I'm going to be able to almost close that gap in the language barrier.” Loyola Torres also serves in CSUSM's COMPASS research internship, which recruits local high school students and trains them in stem cell science. Expanding hands-on learning opportunities through internships like this is one of the goals of CSUSM’s recently launched “Blueprint for the Future” fundraising campaign. Research and industry partnerships are a key part of how the university prepares students such as Loyola Torres to thrive in the workforce. Loyola Torres works in biology professor Carlos Luna Lopez’s lab, studying breast cancer cells. Along with a master’s student, Loyola Torres investigates cell culture and how breast cancer cells grow. This fall, Loyola Torres will serve as president of the campus’ MedLife club, which aims to combat health care shortages and help increase essential health care services to low-income communities in Latin America and Africa. He calls it one of his biggest accomplishments. Reflecting on his journey, Loyola Torres is proud of his growth. From entering his first year as a quiet student to working internships, serving as a club president and being nominated for an award, he is thankful for these opportunities. “My GEL professor freshman year told me I have to be comfortable with the uncomfortable,” Loyola Torres said. “I'm proud of myself, because I don't know what I would have been doing right now if I didn't open up or didn't receive that advice." Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

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Biology Student Chosen to Receive Prestigious CSU Award

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