When asked why he wants to be a doctor, Cristian Alvizo would often answer, “Because I like science and I love to help people.” But there was always so much more hidden behind that answer; a diagnosis that changed Alvizo’s entire outlook on life. It wasn’t until he met one of his colleagues and mentors in a lab at Cal State San Marcos that he realized he needed to change his answer to that question. Alvizo was diagnosed with testicular cancer the day before his high school graduation. He attended a physical required for his high school golf team that didn’t thoroughly examine for testicular cancer. After his appointment he felt the need to self-screen, and that’s when he noticed something was off. He requested another appointment, disguising it as an HPV vaccination so his parents wouldn’t worry, where he was advised to receive an ultrasound and meet with a urologist. After a month and a half of anxiously waiting, Alvizo met with Dr. Jeffrey Zeitung, a urologist at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, who delivered devastating news: Alvizo had testicular cancer and needed an orchiectomy, which is the removal of one or both testicles. Shocked by the news, Alvizo said, “I'm 18, I graduate tomorrow, my mom is in the waiting room, I was just told I have testicular cancer and now I have to get an orchiectomy next week. This is a lot at once.” But Zeitung made Alvizo feel comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation, assuring him they would get through this diagnosis together. He guided Alvizo through the process, teaching him about the disease and comforting him with the knowledge that 99% of testicular cancer patients end up fine. “Seeing how my urologist comforted me during this time made me want the privilege to be in that same position for other patients as well,” Alvizo said. “It inspired me to move down the path of becoming a physician.” Since his diagnosis, Alvizo, a biology student minoring in Spanish at Cal State San Marcos, has involved himself in numerous opportunities to further his education and spread awareness for cancer patients. His biggest contribution has been the creation of a nonprofit organization called “Bricks for Change.” Started by Alvizo and a few friends, “Bricks for Change” aims to spread awareness for all types of cancer. “You usually hear about breast cancer awareness month, which is in October, and outside of that, maybe childhood cancer awareness month in September. But you don't often hear about the other ones, so our goal is to spread awareness for the cancers of every month,” Alvizo said. The nonprofit raises money to donate LEGO sets to kids in the hospital with cancer. Since the organization launched in October 2024, they have donated 550 LEGO sets ($9,000 worth) between Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego and MemorialCare Miller Children's & Women's Hospital in Long Beach. Included in every child’s LEGO set is a card that allows patients to share a photo of themself with the set they built, which gets posted to the “Bricks for Change” Instagram and website with clearance from the hospital. Alvizo plans to continue this organization for the rest of his life and is working toward making it a 501(c)(3) nonprofit this upcoming year to help get the involvement of larger companies and more funding. In addition, he hopes to build connections with more hospitals as he begins medical school. This isn’t the only advocating Alvizo has done for cancer awareness. He is also heavily involved with the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation and ran his first marathon to raise money for testicular cancer awareness. Since then, Alvizo has found a passion for running and has run seven marathons and 19 half-marathons for various charities. Alvizo has been asked to speak at the American Urological Association on behalf of the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation. Alvizo is finishing his last semester at CSUSM where he has been a member of professor Julie Jameson’s biology lab since he was a senior in high school. After reaching out to her via email while in high school, Alvizo was invited to join her lab where they studied inflammation in the skin relating to various diseases like psoriasis and obesity. Alvizo co-published two scientific papers during his time in the lab and traveled with his lab colleagues to conferences to present their findings. Alvizo is also involved with the CSUSM STEM Ambassadors for the Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education (CRESE). Every week CRESE STEM Ambassadors visit different middle and elementary schools to teach after-school programs and STEM-based projects getting kids interested in science. They also staff a booth at Super STEM Saturday every March, which is where Alvizo first found his passion for science as a middle schooler many years ago. Clinical experience is required to apply for medical school, so Alvizo has been interning at Palomar Hospital for the last two years doing weekly hospice volunteering. He has worked on both the ICU floor and in the Emergency Department checking in on how patients are doing and providing them comfort. Alvizo is also in the process of obtaining his EMT license so he can transition into a paid clinical position while in his gap year before medical school applications open in June 2026. Recently, Alvizo has had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Aditya Bagrodia, a urologist researching testicular cancer tumor markers in the blood at University of California San Diego, as well as urologist Dr. Ramdev Konijeti, who works closely with Alvizo’s urologist at the Scripps Clinic. “It's been a privilege to have a full-circle moment where I'm at the same cancer center, in the exact same room I was diagnosed, but now I get to see it from the other way around. It's really surreal,” Alvizo said. So now, when asked why he wants to be a doctor, Alvizo isn’t hesitant to tell his story. He is reminded of words from his former lab colleague Alex Gonzalez, who is also a cancer survivor: “Every cancer patient has their own story. Just even hearing a diagnosis of cancer is a big deal. But you have a way of advocating that a lot of other people don't because you are young and healthy. Your interest in becoming a doctor will go a long way for spreading the word about cancer awareness.” Which is exactly what Alvizo plans to do. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

For Jon Spenard, the start of this school year was hectic beyond the typical reasons – and beyond his wildest imagination. Spenard, you see, is an archaeology professor at Cal State San Marcos, and it was in about late August that archaeologists from around the world suddenly found themselves being bombarded with attention. As Spenard can attest, that’s not the normal reality for a scholar in his field. The reason for the surprising interest in archaeology? In August, the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League Challenge – an international competition for elementary and middle school students that attracts almost 700,000 kids – released its annual theme: “Unearthed.” As the website states: “Every artifact we uncover holds a story. Each tool, each innovation, each work of art connects us to the people and ideas that came before us. Using STEM skills and teamwork, today we can dig deeper into discoveries than ever before.” Almost overnight, Spenard was on speed dial. “No one was expecting this,” Spenard said. “Every archaeologist and museum I know was suddenly flooded with calls and messages requesting meetings.” So it was that on the afternoon of Nov. 24, Spenard met with a FIRST Lego League team named Bikini Bottom Brick Builders – three middle school girls from Temecula and their parents – in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Building. The team was trying to build a LiDAR scanner – an acronym for “Light Detection and Ranging,” LiDAR is a remote sensing method for creating 3D models of the real world – and Spenard talked to them about how the technology works, how it relates to archaeology and how they could use their newfound knowledge to make better scans. That consulting session was the latest of about a dozen that Spenard has conducted this semester – some on campus, some by email, some at a public archaeology event that he attended in October (Arch in the Park in San Diego). “The groups and their parents do deep research,” he said. “I think many found me through our departmental website.” Each year, the FIRST Lego League introduces schoolkids to a scientific and real-world challenge that will be the focus of their research. The competition involves designing and programming robot prototypes with Legos to complete tasks, and working out a solution to a problem related to the theme. The students meet for regional, national and international tournaments to compete, compare ideas and display their robots. Spenard’s assistance to teams in the region has run the gamut, from conveying the general nature of archaeology – hint: as he says, “it’s not dinosaurs!” – to listening to presentations to providing feedback on early design prototypes. Though wholly out of the blue, the experience has been a rewarding one for him. “My hope, more than anything, is that these kids have walked away with a much better understanding of what archaeology is and how it is done,” Spenard said. “My impression is that, collectively, these kids are doing amazing engineering work that will revolutionize the field of archaeology and many others someday.” Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos has received a $450,000 grant from the County of San Diego to continue its work in helping to develop the health and human services workforce in the region. The funding is half of a $900,000 grant that the county was awarded from Health Career Connection (HCC), a national nonprofit working to expand opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and inspire a new generation of health leaders. The grant is designed to facilitate collaboration between the county’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and partner organizations including CSUSM and San Diego State, which received the other $450,000. The new HCC grant funds will support the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership, a county academic-practice partnership with SDSU and its expansion to include CSUSM. It also complements existing HHSA initiatives to drive meaningful progress in workforce development across the region.  CSUSM and the College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS) will utilize the money to achieve three primary outcomes: the creation of the CSUSM Center for Health Workforce Solutions; under that center, the creation of a Live Well San Diego/CSUSM Academic Health Department; continued collaborations in North County around the behavioral and mental health workforce, including an annual symposium and associated strategic action groups. “This grant will be transformative for our students and the region in addressing behavioral and mental health workforce shortages,” said Jennifer Ostergren, dean of CEHHS. “It reflects our ongoing commitment to collaborate with community partners to support the needs of the region.” The grant-funded initiative will work in tandem with CSUSM’s new Scholars in Wellness and Innovation Fast-Track (SWIFT) Health Programs, an accelerated, three-year bachelor’s program for students interested in preparing for mental and behavioral health professional opportunities. SWIFT was created from a historic $10 million grant to CSUSM from Price Philanthropies Foundation last year. San Diego County faces a worsening health and human services workforce shortage due to workers getting older and retiring or leaving for other jobs. According to a 2022 San Diego Workforce Partnership report, the region needs to double its behavioral health workforce by 2027. Beyond behavioral health, there is a persistent demand for other licensed professionals, including nurses, therapists and social workers.  A national model in academic-practice partnership, the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership was the first of its kind in California when it launched in 2022.  

 Cal State San Marcos celebrated another record-breaking Giving Day this year, raising $828,397 from 2,444 gifts in just 24 hours. The total raised on Dec. 2 was $80,000 more than the previous record set last year. Giving Day is part of Giving Tuesday, an international day focused on philanthropy. The Giving Day highlights included: A number of matches were met, including $200,000 from the Epstein family, $10,000 from SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, $5,000 from North City and more than $100,000 in individual area frontline matches, benefiting 132 campus programs. 56 ambassadors brought in 329 gifts. Students made 318 gifts. Nearly one in five gifts came from alumni, who supported 119 programs, departments, colleges or scholarships. Every gift counts toward the university’s “Blueprint for the Future” fundraising campaign, the largest in CSUSM’s history. The campaign’s theme reflects both the physical growth on campus and the forward momentum building at CSUSM as one of the CSU system’s fastest-growing campuses. Founded in 1989, CSUSM serves 17,000 students and is proud to be ranked No. 1 in the nation for advancing social mobility. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

For education professor Rebecca Brooks, receiving $2.5 million in grants to expand the Aspiring Scholars program is a dream come true.   “It’s incredibly meaningful to give students with intellectual disabilities an inclusive college experience,” Brooks said. “My greatest hope was to obtain funding to expand our cohort size and ensure the long-term sustainability of this program. These grants make that vision a reality.”  Funding at this level is highly competitive nationwide, yet faculty and staff at CSUSM like Brooks continue to stand out, securing awards that support innovative projects and create transformational experiences for students.  “Our faculty and staff are pursuing some of the most-sought-after grants in the nation, alongside leading institutions,” said Charles De Leone, dean of graduate studies and research. “It’s exciting to see their ideas recognized and to watch how their work enriches our students’ experiences, strengthens our campus and serves our broader community.”  Examples of projects funded this academic year include:  Supporting chemistry and biochemistry students: A $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation will fund student scholarships in chemistry and biochemistry as well as a Vertical Mentoring Learning Community (VMLC). Led by Robert Iafe, Afra Panahi and Aswad Allen, the program blends mentoring, research opportunities and priority enrollment for up to 30 students each year, with eight first-year students eligible for renewable $15,000 scholarships. Making exercise more accessible: Kinesiology professor Todd Astorino received a $442,590 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore how reduced exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) – two short 20-second sprints within a 10-minute workout – can improve health and make exercise more attainable for inactive adults. Expanding mobile making in local schools: Funded by the National Science Foundation, this project led by Edward Price, April Nelson and Sinem Siyahhan of the Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education (CRESE) expands the university’s Mobile Making program. Through after-school “making” clubs across North County, undergraduate STEM ambassadors bring hands-on activities and equipment to schools, libraries and community centers. Helping students with intellectual disabilities experience college: Brooks and psychology professor Allison Jobin received $2.5 million in grants to expand Aspiring Scholars with full-time staff, a dedicated campus space and additional peer mentors. Adding water refill stations: A grant from CalRecycle will enable CSUSM to reach its goal to have a water refill station on every floor of every building. Led by Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, director of sustainability and climate justice, in partnership with Facilities Development & Management, this grant will fund 10 new water refill stations and replace five older stations across campus. The project’s progress will be measured through station usage, recycling volumes and waste audits.  “Each of these projects reflect the spirit of innovation and collaboration at CSUSM,” De Leone said. “They also give students meaningful opportunities to engage in hands-on research that prepares them for their future careers.”  Research funding is an integral part of CSUSM’s “Blueprint for the Future” campaign, helping advance the university’s $200 million goal through both philanthropy and grants. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Students from Cal State San Marcos had the chance to connect with students from Ohio University during a collaborative class session that highlighted shared experience, leadership and cross-campus engagement. The Center for Leadership Innovation and Mentorship Building (CLIMB) hosted the students from Ohio as part of its signature In the Executive’s Chair (ITEC) series. Rajnandini “Raj” Pillai, director of CLIMB and a professor of management, explained that the course brings students into direct conversation with influential leaders and creates meaningful opportunities for interaction with peers worldwide. “CLIMB always believes in collaborating with other entities on campus as well as other universities, both domestic and international, especially when it pertains to our speaker series for the community or our signature In the Executive’s Chair class,” Pillai said. The Nov. 4 visit included a joint class session featuring Jordan Marks, San Diego County assessor, as well as an informal conversation and lunch on campus. The Ohio University students spent the afternoon exchanging insights with CSUSM students about academics, career plans and student life. CLIMB was established in 2004 by CSUSM’s College of Business Administration, with the mission of fostering the development of effective leaders at the individual, team, organizational and community levels. The center focuses on promoting innovative leadership and research through educational programs and mentoring opportunities. The ITEC series brings high-level leaders from diverse industries to speak with students about topics such as communication, decision-making, ethics and professional development. Previous cohorts have included international participants, such as master’s students from Sweden who joined ITEC via Zoom. Ohio University students also visited CLIMB over the summer. During this visit, the Raymond A. Lancaster Executive Leadership Fellow, Dan Squiller, said the experience exceeded expectations. “The feedback from our students was uniformly positive,” Squiller said. “This first engagement and eating lunch on a sun-soaked CSUSM campus was the perfect way to kick off their week of sessions in San Diego. So, thank you for orchestrating our inclusion, handling the logistics and making us feel so welcome.” Pillai said she hopes to continue the partnership and host the leadership fellows annually, noting that opportunities like these enrich the classroom experience and strengthen CLIMB’s commitment to developing leaders through connection, conversation and community. CSUSM students also reflected on the value of the exchange. “Talking with the Ohio University students during class was a really interesting experience because it showed me how, even though we go to different schools, we share a lot of the same goals and challenges,” Lysandra Lyman said. “The main difference I noticed was in the size and culture of their school, which gave them different kinds of opportunities. But overall, it made me realize how much we all relate to each other when it comes to learning, growing and preparing for the future.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314