Cal State San Marcos welcomed more than 400 participants to campus on April 12 for the 48th Annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference.  This conference, planned by CSUSM biology professors Jane Kim, Sergio Nigenda-Morales and Carlos Luna-Lopez, is one of the oldest events for undergraduates to present their research.  Some of the conference talk sessions included subjects such as microbiology, neurobiology and physiology. Svasti Haricharan, who started her independent lab focused on non-canonical roles of DNA repair proteins in promoting treatment responsiveness at Sanford Burnham Prebys, La Jolla in 2018, was the event's keynote speaker. Haricharan recently moved to San Diego State as associate professor of biology to continue her research. She is also a full member of the Moores Cancer Center at UCSD. The goal of the conference is to provide a forum for undergraduate researchers to present original data they have generated in the fields of biology, biochemistry, biophysics and related fields and to foster intercollegiate interactions among students and faculty who share a commitment to undergraduate research in the biological sciences. “CSUSM, President Ellen Neufeldt, CSTEM Dean Jackie Trischman and the Office of the Provost supported this conference from the beginning, allowing the planning team to have the time to prepare for the conference,” Luna-Lopez said. “This further demonstrates CSUSM’s commitment to undergraduate research and to form a supportive scientific community.”  Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications, recognizing CSUSM as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success.  The “Opportunity Colleges and Universities” designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published this month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area. In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification. The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.  More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here. In February, CSUSM was named one of 12 schools in the California State University system to receive a new designation known as “Research Colleges and Universities” (RCU). The RCU category recognizes institutions that typically do not offer many or any doctoral degrees and spend at least $2.5 million on research on average in a single year. The Carnegie Classifications are the nation’s leading framework for categorizing and describing colleges and universities in the United States. 

Miyah Walker has had a passion for listening and offering a hand to hold since she was just 13. 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 and 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 just 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 young individuals were facing. 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 Walker thrive, leading her to believe that you always end up where you need to be. After graduating 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 Los Angeles 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 plans 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 the BIPOC communities. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The Native-themed children’s show that a Cal State San Marcos professor served as a Native production consultant for has been nominated for a Peabody Award. The Peabody Awards recognize excellence in storytelling across television, radio and digital media, celebrating narratives that illuminate, inspire and empower audiences. Their prestigious standing within the media industry stems from their academic foundation and reputation for discerning exceptional content. Joely Proudfit, chair of CSUSM’s American Indian studies department, was the Native production consultant for the Netflix animated series “Spirit Rangers,” which ran for 39 episodes across three seasons from 2022-24. On Thursday, “Spirit Rangers” was nominated for a Peabody Award in the category of “children’s/youth.” “Spirit Rangers” is a fantasy-adventure preschool show that “celebrates community, nature and the rich heritage of Native American storytelling.” It was created by Karissa Valencia, a member of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the first California Native American showrunner. The show featured an all-Native writers’ room and Natives in every aspect of production. More than 100 Indigenous people worked on the series. “This recognition fills me with immense pride,” Proudfit said. “The lasting cultural impact this show is creating and will continue to create for generations to come makes me forever proud. “This nomination honors not just my work, but the entire team’s commitment to authentic Indigenous storytelling.” Proudfit worked alongside Valencia to help guide all production elements while collaborating closely with Indigenous communities worldwide to authenticate cultural representations, art, music and language. Her meticulous oversight extended to every aspect of the series, from script dialogue to visual artistry and musical sounds. Proudfit, who’s also the director of the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center at CSUSM, consulted on “Spirit Rangers” through her company. Native Media Strategies provides resources that help foster more authentic representation of Native and Indigenous peoples in Hollywood. Among other projects, Proudfit previously offered Native consulting services to “Stumptown,” an ABC crime drama that aired in 2019, and “Hostiles,” a 2017 Western film starring Academy Award-winning actor Christian Bale. She currently serves as a consulting producer for "NCIS: Origins" on CBS and also is co-directing an upcoming documentary project. The 68 Peabody Award nominees were chosen by a unanimous vote of 27 jurors from more than 1,000 entries across television, podcasts/radio and the web in entertainment, news, documentary, arts, children’s/youth, public service and interactive/immersive programming and media. Winners of the 85^th annual Peabody Awards will be announced on May 1, with a ceremony hosted by comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr. to be held on June 1 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Established in 1940 by the National Association of Broadcasters, the Peabody Award was created to honor excellence in radio broadcasting as the industry’s equivalent to the Pulitzer Prizes. It was later expanded to include television and then to new media including podcasts and streaming. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos recently hosted the 2025 STEM Teacher Celebration, which brought together a diverse group of future and current STEM educators and professors to foster community and collaboration. Hosted by Math and Science Teacher Initiative (MSTI) and the CSUSM Noyce Teacher Scholars Program, the event reinforced the shared commitment to preparing and empowering STEM educators. “The STEM Teacher Celebration had guest speakers who provided invaluable insights and teaching strategies that greatly benefited the teacher candidates,” student Sunny Naidu said. “The seasoned educators highlighted successful case studies and provided examples of how these strategies can be implemented in the classroom to foster collaboration, critical thinking and creativity among students. “The interactive nature of the small-group presentations allowed the teacher candidates to ask questions, share their experiences and participate in discussions, leading to a rich exchange of ideas. Many teacher candidates left the celebration feeling inspired and equipped with new strategies that they could immediately apply in their future classrooms.” Some 40 STEM teacher candidates, MSTI Cougar Mathematics and Science Teacher Scholarship Program recipients, Noyce Scholars, undergraduate Students of Promise, practicing STEM teachers, and faculty and administrators attended this year’s event at the McMahan House on campus. Through engaging roundtable discussions, participants explored practical strategies for implementing California mathematics and science curriculum frameworks. The event highlighted the importance of ongoing professional learning and support in advancing effective STEM teaching and learning. “As a teacher candidate, I appreciated the roundtable discussions at the STEM Teacher Celebration,” student Courtney Wilson said. “It was a unique opportunity to hear real teachers share innovative and practical approaches to teaching – and the food was great, too!” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos lecturer Rajee Ranpathi Samarasinghe has been named a Class of 2025 Guggenheim Fellow, one of the most selective and prestigious fellowships in the nation. From a pool of nearly 3,500 applicants, Samarasinghe is one of 198 individuals across 53 disciplines who were chosen for the fellowship for both prior career achievement and exceptional promise. This marks the 100^th class of Guggenheim Fellowships awarded by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to professionals who have demonstrated outstanding ability by publishing a significant body of work in the fields of natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and the creative arts. Samarasinghe was recognized under the discipline of “Film-Video.” A lecturer in CSUSM’s art, media and design department since 2021, he’s a Sri Lankan filmmaker and visual artist who left his native country during its civil war and is now based in Southern California. “This is an incredible honor that will enable me to continue pursuing my creative work, especially during such uncertain times,” Samarasinghe said. “I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout my career, and it’s a privilege to share this recognition with such an inspiring cohort of artists, scholars and innovators across so many disciplines.” Each Guggenheim Fellow receives a monetary stipend to pursue independent work at the highest level under the “freest possible conditions.” Samarasinghe said he plans to dedicate his time primarily to his second feature film, “The Moment,” a hybrid documentary filmed in China, as well as several other projects. His first feature, “Your Touch Makes Others Invisible,” is scheduled to be released next month. He also has directed multiple award-winning short films. Samarasinghe earned a bachelor’s degree in visual arts from UC San Diego and a master’s in film and video from the California Institute of the Arts. Many Guggenheim Fellows’ projects respond to timely themes and issues such as climate change, Indigenous studies, identity, democracy and politics, incarceration and the evolving purpose of community. Since its founding in 1925, the Guggenheim Foundation has awarded more than $400 million to more than 19,000 fellows. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306