Newsroom
- Summit at CSUSM Elevates Voices of Young StudentsAs a student affairs professional, Erik Ramirez has attended many meetings in which the primary topic is concerns about enrollment in higher education. What if the best way to address such worries isn’t to brainstorm solutions among administrators in a conference room, but rather to go out and ask the targets of any enrollment push: high school students? That’s the concept behind a national organization called REP4 (of which Cal State San Marcos is a founding partner), and it was main thrust of a REP4 regional summit hosted by CSUSM on June 11-12. “I don’t think it happens often that young people are asked to share their ideas or to tell us what it is that we’re doing wrong or what it is that we could be doing better to serve them,” said Ramirez, director of initiatives and partnerships for CSUSM’s Division of Student Affairs, and the organizer of the summit. REP stands for “Rapid Education Prototyping,” and it aims to engage young students to solve problems in higher education. Earlier this month, for the first time, CSUSM held a two-day summit that brought together 37 high school students along with eight CSUSM student mentors, three CSUSM professors and some staff members. The high school students were 10th through 12th graders from Los Angeles County who have migrant and seasonal farmworker backgrounds. They were already on campus as participants in the second annual Migrant Scholars Summer Institute, a 10-day program through which students live at CSUSM and get a head start on experiencing what college is like. The summit took place in the Innovation Hub and the University Library Reading Room. The students were split into seven groups, and each group started with a team-building activity that involved building a tower out of raw spaghetti. With a CSUSM undergraduate mentor embedded in each team, the students then were introduced to the notion of design thinking by the trio of CSUSM faculty: sociology professor Matthew Atherton, social work professor Jimmy Young and Sajith Jayasinghe, chair of the chemistry and biochemistry department. The faculty teach different disciplines in different colleges, but all are experts in design thinking, a framework for grappling with real-world problems by trying to empathize with the community that the problem affects. It’s an iterative process with multiple stages: understanding the problem, devising various possible solutions, creating a prototype of the solution you decide on, then testing and evaluating it. Once they had settled into their teams, the high school students were presented with a prompt: How do we make college more attractive, inclusive and accessible? Guided by the professors and using the principles of design thinking, the teams went through a series of activities to determine how to tackle the prompt. Some focused on the difficulty of picking a college, others on the financial aspect or a sense of belonging. “Then based on what particular issue they wanted to address or they identified, they proposed a solution,” Ramirez said. The proposals were made in the manner of a business-style quick-pitch competition – think the TV show “Shark Tank” – and, in the end, two top pitches were selected. The first was for a peer mentor program called Adopt a Buddy that would pair new students with upperclassmen who would serve as their mentor during their first year at a university. Participation would be incentivized by things like academic credit for the mentors and free swag for the mentees. The second pitch was for a phone app titled Uni-verse through which college students would create youth-oriented content to help high school students learn about universities in California and ameliorate the issue that many feel of overwhelming choices. The app could be scaled to include virtual reality tours of individual campuses. “The most rewarding part was seeing their confidence build throughout the process,” Atherton said. “As the students were able to start creating and refining their innovations, you could see them getting excited about their proposals. Seeing the students gain confidence each time they presented their idea to a new audience during the final event shows the power of active, experiential learning opportunities.” Each member of the winning teams received a $200 credit for the CSUSM bookstore. More significantly, from a university perspective, the two winning pitches will be submitted this fall to the REP4 national conference, where the best two pitches from all the regional summits across the country will be chosen to receive funding as a prototype. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306
- CSUSM Hosts Second Record-Breaking Blue & Silver Fundraising DinnerThe second annual CSUSM Blue & Silver Fundraising Dinner marked another historical night on June 15, raising a record-breaking $1,070,100 for social mobility and student success initiatives. A one-to-one match made possible by the Epstein family doubled the impact of every dollar raised during the evening. The event, co-hosted by President Ellen Neufeldt and the CSUSM Foundation Board, welcomed nearly 300 dedicated alumni, community leaders, campus partners, tribal leaders and elected officials. University Advancement Vice President Jessica Berger opened the event as a celebration of Cal State San Marcos, taking a moment to recognize the sponsors and partners who made it possible. "This evening is truly a celebration of the power of Cal State San Marcos, driven by the individual power of all of you – our strongest friends, advocates and supporters," Berger said during her opening remarks. Such support extended to the evening's entertainment with a Steinway & Sons Spirio |r provided courtesy of Steinway Piano Gallery San Diego. The grand piano was featured in student performances by Daniel Cruz as well as the CSUSM Jazz Ensemble’s Troy Amos, Andrew Kelly, Andrew Marin and Michael Kuszajewski. CSUSM Foundation Board Chair Emilie Hersh and Vice Chair Simon Kuo set the tone for the evening with their remarks. “All of these students are committed to succeeding and bringing about change in the community," Hersh said. "This is one of the many reasons I have been inspired and honored to be part of the CSUSM community.” The mission of social mobility at CSUSM is dedicated to creating pathways to success for every student. More than 50% of CSUSM students are the first in their families to attend college, and a large number of these students work part-time or full-time jobs in order to fund their education. By fostering partnerships with local industries, nonprofit organizations and community leaders, CSUSM builds a powerful network of support that propels student success. “Over the years, I’ve heard from numerous students about how their education at CSUSM has transformed their lives and moved them up the economic ladder,” Kuo said. “This is a place that helps students overcome barriers and forge a better future.” President Neufeldt took to the stage with a compelling speech highlighting CSUSM’s transformative impact in higher education. “Together, we will continue to rise, to thrive, to be that beacon of where the future of higher ed is going,” Neufeldt said. She reaffirmed CSUSM’s commitment to expanding access and education for all as a national leader in social mobility. Through philanthropic support, student success programs and resources make their impact across campus to a diverse cohort of students each year. During the dinner, five members of the Class of 2024 were invited to the stage to be recognized as champions of social mobility: Noah Bills, an electrical engineering student who transferred to CSUSM with a focus and determination to earn a bachelor’s degree and was a recipient of the inaugural Harvey and Anne Neufeldt Scholarship (established by Neufeldt as a tribute to her parents). Jasmin Casas, who holds a bachelor’s in literature and writing studies with a minor in political studies. She served as a student representative for the Foundation Board and is working toward a career as a criminal prosecution lawyer at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. Dakota Freaner, a member of ACE Scholars Services, a program that supports CSUSM’s former foster youth. This year, he received the 2024 Tom & Kim Zarro Family award and graduated with a bachelor’s in social sciences. He will pursue a master’s in social work at CSUSM this fall. Siaje Gideon, a student highlighted during Neufeldt’s remarks, received her bachelor’s in biological sciences and founded the Black in STEM club. She will begin her doctoral studies in immunology at UC Irvine this fall. Lawrence Morris, is a sociological practice masters graduate and support recipient for Project Rebound, a program for formerly incarcerated individuals seeking to pursue a degree. Morris, who also earned his bachelor's from CSUSM in 2022, has been embedded within CSUSM’s Project Rebound office since its inception. Casas, Freaner and Morris were highlighted in the video “I Am Social Mobility,” which premiered during the event. The 2024 Blue & Silver Fundraising Dinner concluded the highest annual fundraising total in CSUSM’s 35-year history. The impact of the evening, as well as the two historic commitments from the Epstein Family and Price Philanthropies Foundation made in the spring, contributed to over $26 million raised for the university in fiscal year 2023-24. With the momentum of success showing no signs of slowing down, the upcoming year holds promise for CSUSM and its ongoing mission in student success.
Student Announcements
- Seeking Participants for Cardiac Screening StudyKinesiology department faculty are seeking adult female participants for a cardiac screening study. They are scheduling summer and fall appointments. This would include a one-hour visit during which heart health is measured non-invasively. Contact Deborah Feairheller at dfeairheller@csusm.edu to schedule.
- COVID-19 Resources and GuidelinesAs we transition between semesters, we wanted to provide reminders regarding the campus’s COVID-19 protocols to help you keep safe and healthy. COVID-19 Campus Protocols Isolation guidance for those testing positive: Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving. If you do not have symptoms, you should follow the recommendations below to reduce exposure to others. Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days after you become sick or test positive (if no symptoms). You may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date. Avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days. CSUSM strongly encourages those who test positive for COVID-19 to submit a COVID-19 self-reporting form. Close contacts (exposed individuals) should follow the suggested protocols. The university provides notifications of close contacts and possible exposures to keep our campus community informed and to comply with applicable state regulations. Learn about how CSUSM is keeping our campus community safe. Keep up to date with our CSUSM on-campus worksite exposure dashboard. Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Standards. General Health and Safety Reminders COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are not required. However, the campus strongly recommends following the recommendations adopted by the CDC and the California Department of Public Health. COVID-19 vaccinations Masking is not required on campus, except as required by the isolation and return protocol. Rapid antigen (at-home) tests are free and available to U.S. households from COVID.gov. CSUSM has new wellness vending machines with tests available for purchase. Additional COVID-19 information is available at the COVID-19 resources and guidelines website. Please continue to reduce your risk of illness and review general safety protocols to help you and others stay safe and healthy.
News Release
- Seven Alumni Selected for Prestigious Doctoral ProgramSeven Cal State San Marcos alumni were selected for the CSU Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program, also known as CDIP, for the incoming 2024-25 cohort. CSUSM has the second most CDIP fellows among the 23 CSUs. The CSUSM fellows are: Daniela Adriana Carreon, who is studying sociology at Arizona State and is sponsored by communication professor Michelle Holling. Yvette Conde, who is studying education at UC Riverside and is sponsored by sociology professor Marisol Clark-Ibañez Matthew Logan Cope-Arugello, who is studying plant pathology at UC Davis and is sponsored by biology professor Elinne Becket. Diana Gamez, who is studying anthropology at UC Irvine and is sponsored by sociology professor Marisa Salinas. Rachel Ann Nortz, who is studying education at Pacific University and is sponsored by speech-language pathology professor Suzanne Moineau. Ciara Sanders, who is studying molecular biology at Princeton University and is sponsored by Becket. Emmanuel Solis, who is studying medical and molecular genetics at Indiana University and is sponsored by biology professor Carlos Luna Lopez. CDIP aims to increase the number of faculty with the qualifications and skills needed to teach the diverse students of the CSU. The largest program of its kind in the United States, CDIP has supported nearly 2,500 fellows pursuing doctoral degrees since 1987. CDIP also prepares promising doctoral students for CSU faculty positions by providing financial support, mentorship from CSU faculty and professional development with grant resources. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314
- Summit at CSUSM Elevates Voices of Young StudentsAs a student affairs professional, Erik Ramirez has attended many meetings in which the primary topic is concerns about enrollment in higher education. What if the best way to address such worries isn’t to brainstorm solutions among administrators in a conference room, but rather to go out and ask the targets of any enrollment push: high school students? That’s the concept behind a national organization called REP4 (of which Cal State San Marcos is a founding partner), and it was main thrust of a REP4 regional summit hosted by CSUSM on June 11-12. “I don’t think it happens often that young people are asked to share their ideas or to tell us what it is that we’re doing wrong or what it is that we could be doing better to serve them,” said Ramirez, director of initiatives and partnerships for CSUSM’s Division of Student Affairs, and the organizer of the summit. REP stands for “Rapid Education Prototyping,” and it aims to engage young students to solve problems in higher education. Earlier this month, for the first time, CSUSM held a two-day summit that brought together 37 high school students along with eight CSUSM student mentors, three CSUSM professors and some staff members. The high school students were 10th through 12th graders from Los Angeles County who have migrant and seasonal farmworker backgrounds. They were already on campus as participants in the second annual Migrant Scholars Summer Institute, a 10-day program through which students live at CSUSM and get a head start on experiencing what college is like. The summit took place in the Innovation Hub and the University Library Reading Room. The students were split into seven groups, and each group started with a team-building activity that involved building a tower out of raw spaghetti. With a CSUSM undergraduate mentor embedded in each team, the students then were introduced to the notion of design thinking by the trio of CSUSM faculty: sociology professor Matthew Atherton, social work professor Jimmy Young and Sajith Jayasinghe, chair of the chemistry and biochemistry department. The faculty teach different disciplines in different colleges, but all are experts in design thinking, a framework for grappling with real-world problems by trying to empathize with the community that the problem affects. It’s an iterative process with multiple stages: understanding the problem, devising various possible solutions, creating a prototype of the solution you decide on, then testing and evaluating it. Once they had settled into their teams, the high school students were presented with a prompt: How do we make college more attractive, inclusive and accessible? Guided by the professors and using the principles of design thinking, the teams went through a series of activities to determine how to tackle the prompt. Some focused on the difficulty of picking a college, others on the financial aspect or a sense of belonging. “Then based on what particular issue they wanted to address or they identified, they proposed a solution,” Ramirez said. The proposals were made in the manner of a business-style quick-pitch competition – think the TV show “Shark Tank” – and, in the end, two top pitches were selected. The first was for a peer mentor program called Adopt a Buddy that would pair new students with upperclassmen who would serve as their mentor during their first year at a university. Participation would be incentivized by things like academic credit for the mentors and free swag for the mentees. The second pitch was for a phone app titled Uni-verse through which college students would create youth-oriented content to help high school students learn about universities in California and ameliorate the issue that many feel of overwhelming choices. The app could be scaled to include virtual reality tours of individual campuses. “The most rewarding part was seeing their confidence build throughout the process,” Atherton said. “As the students were able to start creating and refining their innovations, you could see them getting excited about their proposals. Seeing the students gain confidence each time they presented their idea to a new audience during the final event shows the power of active, experiential learning opportunities.” Each member of the winning teams received a $200 credit for the CSUSM bookstore. More significantly, from a university perspective, the two winning pitches will be submitted this fall to the REP4 national conference, where the best two pitches from all the regional summits across the country will be chosen to receive funding as a prototype. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306
Steps Magazine
- Appreciating an Untraditional Path to DegreeI’m proud to be of American Indian, Guamanian and Mexican heritage. But I’m not going to lie – being from a multicultural background comes with more than its share of challenges. There are many days when you feel like you're never good enough, never enough for the population that you’re around that particular day. Some days, I'm not Native enough because I'm not fully Native or because I don't speak my Native language. Other days, I’m not as Mexican as others if I’m not speaking Spanish consistently. Or it could be my lack of a certain tattoo to represent my Pacific Islander heritage. I’ve learned over time to switch between those identities – usually without even thinking about it – depending on the circle of people I’m with in that moment. It’s like a light switch that I can turn on and off as needed. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Emphasizing one of my identities over the others can also bring about self-doubt and sadness because I’m doing it to be accepted by the person or group I’m with in that moment. I’m grateful that my time at Cal State San Marcos has helped me navigate those challenges. My journey in higher education been a windy road, from starting at the University of Hawaii-Manoa as a marine biology major to earning three associate degrees at Grossmont College to now finishing my bachelor’s in psychological science this spring at CSUSM. It’s certainly not a traditional path, and there were many days that I worried about not living up to some imaginary timeline of how long it was supposed to take me to get my degree. Today, I can appreciate an untraditional journey that has taken six years to complete. And I’m especially thankful that this path led me to CSUSM. It’s here that I reconnected with my American Indian heritage while also having the opportunity to fully appreciate and explore my Guamanian and Mexican identities. I am a descendant of Navajo Nation, and my clan spans the four corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Most of my family lives in Arizona, including half on the reservation. I spent much of my childhood growing up in Arizona near my Native family. But I lost touch with much of that part of my identity as a teenager when we moved to San Diego. Even though Southern California is home to a significant Native population, it’s always different when you’re coming from a different place and not used to the customs or practices. While different tribes have many shared experiences, I'm also cognizant of being a guest here because this is not my traditional homeland. There’s a responsibility to show respect for where you are, respect for the land and knowing that this isn't mine personally or my ancestors’. It's about finding the proper balance. That’s something I’ve strived to do at CSUSM. When I came here, I didn’t even know the university offered an American Indian studies major. My first American Indian studies course came when I saw it being offered to fulfill an upper division general education requirement. I was fortunate that my professor, Lara Aase, encouraged me to visit the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center on campus. That led me to meeting Joely Proudfit, the center’s director and the department chair of American Indian studies, and learning about the American Indian Student Alliance (AISA). I’ve had the privilege over the past year of serving as president of AISA, which was honored by CSUSM’s Student Leadership & Involvement Center as the Student Organization of the Year for 2021-22. I also joined Associated Students, Inc., as the representative for diversity and inclusion. In this role, I’ve worked to ease racial tensions and create a space where dialogue and conversation can occur. It has been rewarding to see so many different organizations, both cultural and religious, come together. We know that we won’t resolve every issue or problem, but acknowledging that we see one another and recognize one another is a step in the right direction. We try to focus on how we can help and uplift each other. My multiculturalism has been a tremendous asset in this work. It’s allowed me to be an ally for so many groups on campus. As AISA president, I’ve encouraged members of our organization to embrace and learn about other cultural and religious groups on campus. And doing so doesn’t invalidate our identity, it’s simply making space for others to also be recognized and seen, something that so many groups are fighting for on campus. One of the biggest opportunities we have is to continue fostering an environment where all groups have space to grow and be recognized. It’s something that’s a big part of where I am at now, too, as a person. I’ve learned through my higher education journey the importance of communicating your thoughts because, ultimately, we’re all trying to advocate for ourselves. And that’s an important lesson for everyone, because if you don't advocate for yourself, no one else is going to do it for you. Self-advocacy is a skill that takes practice, to be sure. But once learned, it allows you to better express your concerns, helps people hear you in a non-adversarial way and makes them more inclined to listen. And that's what will bring about that change that we all want to see. Media Contact Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314
- Alumna Paves Way as Palomar's First Latina PresidentIt’s been more than three decades, but Mary Gonzales still remembers the Friday meetings with Star Rivera-Lacey at an IHOP in Oceanside. Gonzales referred to these regular meetups as her “counseling sessions” because Rivera-Lacey always shared sound advice. The two friends would chat over a cup of coffee and, if they were lucky and had enough money, share a piece of pie. When Gonzales was struggling, Rivera-Lacey would ask, “On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being world poverty, where does this problem fall?” Gonzales would typically respond with a low number on the scale, but the exercise helped her see her problems from a different perspective. “It taught me to stop sweating the small stuff,” said Gonzales, who is now retired from the San Diego County Office of Education. “That was one of her biggest powers, because now I share it with my own kids and I've shared it with other students. And I've heard people give it back and tell me the same thing. She always had that optimism of looking ahead.” That optimism continues to this day as Rivera-Lacey has grown from poverty in childhood to earning a Ph.D. and today serving as the first Latina superintendent/president of Palomar College. It was that ability to remain optimistic during challenging times that helped her become the first in her family to graduate from college when she received a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies at Cal State San Marcos. It seems Rivera-Lacey’s parents knew she had a bright future from the moment they named her. "My mom really wanted me to have aspirations and picked the highest thing in the sky,” Rivera-Lacey said. “That's why she named me Star.” Money was always tight for Rivera-Lacey as a child growing up in Oceanside. Her parents immigrated from El Salvador before she was born, and they always stressed the importance of a college degree to allow her to have a promising career and future. With her parents’ encouragement, Rivera-Lacey cultivated a passion for learning from a young age. She saw how they worked to improve their English by taking ESL classes at Palomar. Sometimes they even took Rivera-Lacey with them. Little could they have imagined that, almost four decades later, she would return to lead that very college. But Rivera-Lacey’s path to becoming a higher education professional wasn’t an easy one. Just as she was about to graduate from El Camino High School, she learned she was one class short. Her counselor recommended taking a physical education class at MiraCosta College to get the extra credits she needed to graduate on time. Rivera-Lacey signed up for a hip-hop dance course, but getting to class was always a challenge. She was constantly searching for a ride or scavenging for gas money to make it to MiraCosta. But once there, Rivera-Lacey was introduced to Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, or EOPS, which provides access to financial assistance and support services for low-income students. The program counselors reassured Rivera-Lacey that she could have a future pursuing a college education after she graduated from high school. Rivera-Lacey gathered a strong support system at MiraCosta. When she wasn’t sure how to navigate the complex college system, the counselors helped her every step of the way. She also had the endless encouragement of her parents. And when she met Gonzales, they formed a quick bond because they understood each other's struggles as first-generation college students. “I had a family, and she was single. But for some reason, when we met, we clicked really well,” Gonzales said. “We were both struggling financially. She had a car that she named Herman, and I had a truck. Sometimes Herman worked, and sometimes my truck worked. But my car had a hole at the bottom, and Star was always afraid that she would fall through when it was my turn to drive.” Car troubles weren’t the only obstacle. Rivera-Lacey was juggling her academic pursuits while working full-time to make ends meet. Sometimes that meant a second job. But Rivera-Lacey remembers the relief she felt when EOPS helped ease the expenses of her classes, including a grant to help pay for books. While trying to balance work and school, Rivera-Lacey needed five years to obtain enough credits to transfer to a four-year university. But MiraCosta’s EOPS counselors never wavered in their support. If she needed to take a semester off to focus on work, they would welcome her back every time with open arms. “There was no judgment,” Rivera-Lacey said. “They offered me complete acceptance, which made all the difference in the world. I never had to feel embarrassed, and that's so special.” Rivera-Lacey continued to receive that type of support when she transferred to CSUSM. She was also grateful to land an on-campus job. After working in retail throughout her time at MiraCosta and constantly battling to get the work schedule she needed to attend classes, it was a relief to be working on a college campus. “I have had a million careers,” Rivera-Lacey said. “But one of the best things that happened when I was at CSUSM is that I worked in a department that used to be called Student Affirmative Action and Outreach.” This job was nothing like the ones Rivera-Lacey had before. She would visit students from local elementary and high schools and get them excited about a future in higher education. Elementary school kids also visited CSUSM. Rivera-Lacey remembers the paper cutouts of graduation caps for kids to try on and fake checks to take to the bookstore to simulate the financial aid process. “CSUSM was so forward-thinking by doing that kind of community outreach,” Rivera-Lacey said. “I'm not surprised at all to see the success that Cal State has now. They've been investing in the community for so many years.” While Rivera-Lacey was helping other students get enthused about the possibility of attending college, she came to a realization as she watched people from similar backgrounds succeed in their jobs at CSUSM – she needed to continue her higher education journey and pursue a career in the field. Rivera-Lacey worked alongside her friend Sabrina Sanders in the Student Affirmative Action and Outreach program. Sanders, who received a bachelor’s and master’s from CSUSM, also decided to pursue a career in higher ed because she and Rivera-Lacey saw themselves in the students they were serving and the impact of reaching underserved communities. “The co-curricular experience as student assistants prepared and inspired us to our careers in higher education,” said Sanders, who also earned a doctorate from Alliant International University and is now the director of the Toro Reengagement Program at California State University Dominguez Hills. “As a first-generation Latina, Rivera-Lacey had an impact on the elementary, high school and community college students that was powerful. Her college journey, experiences and representation continue to inspire and exemplify the values and opportunities that education provides and her parents instilled in her. Promoting access, equity and student success is more than a job for President Rivera-Lacey – it’s a calling.” When Rivera-Lacey received her bachelor’s in liberal studies in 1995, it was a life-changing moment for her parents to watch the first person in their family graduate from college. “I think when you experience poverty and with every semester that I got under my belt, it was like one step closer to freedom,” Rivera-Lacey said. Rivera-Lacey saw how her financial situation started to improve after earning her bachelor’s, but there were still challenges. When she was pursuing a master’s in counseling at San Diego State University, Rivera-Lacey remembers driving to take her final knowing she wouldn’t have enough gas to get home nor the money to fill her tank. “I remember clearly walking on the freeway,” she said. “I do not recommend that anybody get on the freeway, but one of my friends came and rescued me. And to this day, it is one of the stories that we laugh about, right? “There are going to be obstacles in the way, doors that close, but there's always a window that's open. If you just put one foot forward, the road will rise to meet. There are so many people who are in education that love what they do and believe in students. You'll find the help.” Rivera-Lacey never let any of the obstacles she faced get in the way of her end goal. She received her master's in counseling at SDSU in 1997 and eventually returned to school to get her Ph.D. in education from Claremont Graduate University in 2016. Rivera-Lacey knew she wanted to center her career around what she loved: student success. And she stayed with her passion for higher education for 17 years, which led her to become the superintendent/president of Palomar College in 2021. Just as when she was a child, Rivera-Lacey still has the same passion for continuing to grow and learn – and she’s in a position to inspire others to do the same as she works to build on Palomar’s success. Rivera-Lacey knows firsthand the struggles that so many students face, and she serves as a shining example to those who may never have seen a Latina college president. “I'm very, very surprised at people's reaction,” Rivera-Lacey said. “I remember during commencement, a student wanted to hug me because they’ve never seen a Latina president. And another student thanked me because their parents were able to understand the ‘Superintendent/President’s Welcome’ because we did it both in English and Spanish, which shows that representation does matter. “I tell people all the time, ‘I might be the first Latina Palomar superintendent/president, but I won't be the last.’ ” Media Contact Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314