Shannon Swanson, a Cal State San Marcos assistant professor of environmental studies, is involved in a statewide research project that seeks to understand how Californians value the Pacific coastline and the barriers they face in accessing it. Swanson, who’s in her fourth year as a faculty member at CSUSM, is serving as a research associate for the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a Monterey-based nonprofit that champions science-based solutions to protect ecosystems and strengthen community resilience. She was enlisted last summer to lead the project’s efforts in San Diego County, primarily through the circulation of a survey about ocean access. She also helps with interviews and focus groups in the area, as well as data analysis and dissemination. The multiphase project is being funded by the California Ocean Protection Council. “They want to understand how to more effectively allocate their funds to improve coastal access for all Californians who would like to spend time on our coastline,” Swanson said. “Not just improve access, but improve the experience in these beach/coastal/ocean spaces.” Swanson said preliminary results from the nearly 5,000 people statewide (about 500 in the county) who have taken the survey show a desire for better-maintained public restroom facilities and training resources that can familiarize people with environmental concerns, including how to interact safely with wildlife. In addition to affecting policy and budget allocation, the results will inform managers of the state’s marine protected areas (MPAs) about Californians’ baseline understanding of MPAs and marine sanctuaries. “There are numerous other applications,” Swanson said. “We are amassing a truly large data set and are still in the process of analyzing and writing up deliverables as we continue collecting data across the state.” The survey will be open until the end of February. People who fill it out will be entered into a drawing for ocean-related prizes, such as whale watching tours. The survey can be found at the California Ocean Access website. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos is No. 1 in the “Family Nurse Practitioner Program” rankings in California for 2026 by the Registered Nursing Organization. Schools listed in this ranking offer experienced faculty, strong clinical training and great student support. The Registered Nursing Organization uses databases from nursing programs of all degree levels and specializations across the U.S. to create its rankings. Rankings follow criteria from both graduate and undergraduate programs, including the number and variety of nursing programs offered by the institution as well as the ratio of total nursing program completions to total program completions awarded by the institution. These rankings provide students with the information needed to make the right choice when applying for nursing school. CSUSM prioritizes creating an environment for all nursing students to grow so they feel prepared when stepping into future healthcare jobs. The Registered Nursing Organization aims to promote excellence in nursing by enabling future and current nurses with the education and employment resources needed to succeed. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The Arts & Lectures series returns to Cal State San Marcos this spring with concerts, performances and talks aimed at sharing music, dance, science and history. Events will take place across campus from January through April. All events are free for CSUSM students.   Ching-Ming and Friends Chamber Concert Jan. 27, noon-1 p.m., Arts 111 Joined by CSUSM music professor Ching-Ming Cheng, the 11th annual Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Festival will take place on campus to bring music composed entirely by Latin American composers. The program aims to celebrate Latin American chamber music across Southern California. CSUSM students: Free  Faculty/staff/alumni: $5  Community: $10 Sponsored by the Funes Fund   Gila Goldstein Piano March 10, noon-1 p.m., Arts 111 Internationally acclaimed pianist Gila Goldstein will perform a lunch-time recital on campus. The performance will include works by Vivaldi, Bach, Mendelssohn, Guastavino, Villa-Lobos, Lecuona, Ronn Yedidia and Gershwin. Before the event, there will be a piano master class on March 9 at noon in Academic Hall 104. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10 Sponsored by the Funes Fund    Stories From Home March 13, 6:30-8 p.m., Arts 111 “Stories From Home” is a series of dances embodying the oral traditions of Nuevomexicano, Chicano and Mexican American communities in the American Southwest. Choreographer Yvonne Montoya and a diverse cast of dancers draw upon personal histories as well as ancestral knowledge. The performance is a vessel for personal and specific tales, while also offering a broader look at various cultural traditions throughout the Southwest.  An artist meet-and-greet will take place March 10 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Cross-Cultural Center. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   A Marriage of Art and Science: Entwined Research in a Nuclear Family March 23, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., USU Ballroom  Art and science intersect with elin O’Hara slavick’s art, which maps radioactive residuum, and David Richardson’s epidemiological studies of radiation’s human impact. Slavick, who wrote “Bomb After Bomb: A Violent Cartography and After Hiroshima,” is an internationally exhibiting artist who captures the lingering effects of radiation with audiographs and creates contact prints of tree rubbings and architecture exposed to atomic bombings of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Fukushima. Richardson, an epidemiologist who’s conducted studies of cancer among U.S. federal nuclear workers and Japanese survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is the lead writer on the United Nations Committee of Epidemiological Studies of Radiation and Cancer (UNSCEAR). CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10 Co-sponsors: Center ARTES STEAM ambassadors   Peter Sprague Group Featuring Allison Adams Tucker March 24, 7-8:30 p.m., Arts 111 Masterclass 2:30-3:45 p.m. in Arts 111, open to the public Guitarist Peter Sprague loves jazz, but he also dips deep into musical history and unearths some sonic gems from the Beatles, Jimmy Webb and Antonio Carlos Jobim. For this concert, he connects with vocalist Allison Adams Tucker, pianist Danny Green, drummer Duncan Moore and bassist Mack Leighton for an evening of good sounds, good vibes and good times. The group recently released three albums: “All You Need Is Love” (Beatles), “Christmas Time Is Here” and “Peter Sprague Plays Jobim.” CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   Veterans History Project II: The Journey Continues April 8, 5-8 p.m., USU Ballroom This event, which showcases recorded oral histories of military veterans, offers an intimate look into the personal experiences, challenges and triumphs of veterans from diverse backgrounds. Stories shared will be archived at CSUSM’s Kellogg Library and the U.S. Library of Congress, preserving their legacies for future generations. The keynote speaker will be Jim Gruny, a retired colonel in the Marine Corps. The formal program begins at 6 p.m., preceded by a reception and veteran resources and career fair. CSUM students/military-affiliated guests: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   For more information, including ticket information, visit the Arts & Lectures series website. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos alumnus Maxwell Paulin recently was honored as the top first-year salesperson by Southwestern Advantage, the oldest entrepreneurial program in the United States for university students. Paulin won the award from a pool of nearly 1,000 current or former college students. He was recognized at the 27th annual J. Fred Landers Awards Banquet held in Nashville, Tenn. Paulin is a native of Christchurch City, New Zealand who graduated from CSUSM last May with a degree in global business. He received the award for his work running a business selling educational resources to Wisconsin families. Through the Southwestern Advantage sales and leadership program, he met with about 2,000 families, and his business produced over $115,000 in revenue. Nashville-based Southwestern Advantage has operated a sales and leadership program for college and university students from around the world since 1868. The entrepreneurial program offers students the opportunity to learn how to run a business, gain valuable soft skills and help offset their educational expenses. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Illeana Carmona Chavez arrived at Cal State San Marcos certain she was headed for law school. But after she graduates with her bachelor’s in criminology and justice studies this spring, she will embark on a far different course, one that has taken her from student government to the governor’s office. The change in focus was shaped by her deep involvement in Associated Students, Inc., where she serves as the chair and chief of staff of CSUSM’s student government. Through ASI, Chavez joined Lobby Corps, an advocacy-focused volunteer group, and later traveled to Sacramento for the California Higher Education Student Summit, where she met with state legislators alongside students from across the CSU system. But the final realization of where her career was headed came from an internship opportunity. It was through ASI that Chavez met Zach Bunshaft, CSUSM’s director of government relations at the time. “Interning with Zach and seeing how higher education policies at the state level affected our campus was so impactful,” Chavez said. “These opportunities, being part of ASI and interning with Zach, changed the trajectory of my life and what I want to do.” CSUSM’s emphasis on internships proved transformational for Chavez. It not only prepared her for the professional world, it helped her discover the type of work that she’s truly passionate about. During her time as a government relations intern last spring, Chavez researched legislative officials to strengthen CSUSM’s advocacy efforts, engaged with policymakers at key events and explored ways to enhance student support across the region. As the internship was nearing its end, Bunshaft met with Chavez to review the experience. When Bunshaft asked about Chavez’s future goals, she told him how much she enjoyed the internship and how the experiences she had were the types of spaces she wanted to be in. The timing was perfect. Bunshaft had just learned about another internship opportunity with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. Bunshaft mentored Chavez throughout the hiring process, and she was hired as an external affairs intern for Newsom’s San Diego regional office. Her responsibilities included everything from supporting outreach efforts to drafting briefs and assisting with newsletters. “Illeana is a thoughtful, driven and reliable leader with an incredibly bright future,” said Bunshaft, who left CSUSM in December to become Newsom’s Southern California regional director of external affairs. “She has the innate ability to see the big picture and work together with others to inspire and achieve common goals. “I’ve had the pleasure of watching her confidence and skills grow with each new opportunity she enthusiastically embraces. I’m excited to see all that she will continue to accomplish in her academics, career and public service journey.” Chavez completed the internship with Newsom’s office in December. As she begins her final semester at CSUSM, she’s already looking ahead to the fall. She’s in the process of applying for graduate school to pursue a master’s in public policy or public administration (Cal State Fullerton, Sacramento State and San Diego State are her top choices). She’ll take the lessons she learned in her internships with her to grad school and beyond. She knows the internship process can be intimidating for students, but she has seen firsthand how it pays off. “The connections that we make in these internships, you never know where they're going to lead you,” she said. “I never imagined that doing an unpaid internship with Zach was going to lead me to the governor's office. “Whether it's paid or unpaid, there are so many opportunities. No matter what, even if it seems like you are the most unqualified person in the room to do that job, just go for it. You never know what can come of that opportunity.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Healthy adults ages 18 - 60 years old are needed to take part in a 12 week exercise training study taking place on main campus at CSUSM. Exercise training consists of two 10 minute sessions per week for 12 weeks. Study completion provides an incentive equal to $250. For more information, contact Dr. Todd A. Astorino, Professor, Department of Kinesiology at astorino@csusm.edu.