Newsroom
- Business Student Thrives as Fledgling EntrepreneurHow can one turn popular candies such as gummy bears, gummy worms and peach rings into a side business? Ask Cal State San Marcos marketing student Mo Carrasco. Carrasco has been surrounded by entrepreneurs for multiple years, as her mother and aunt have a business in which they create and sell rim dip, a paste usually created with tamarind and chamoy that are then used to cover the rims of beers and other beverages. Carrasaco’s mom and aunt developed their own recipe for these rim dips in 2020. While Carrasco wasn't involved in the process, she used it as inspiration for her own business, Hot Summer Gummies (@hotsummergummies on Instagram). “Where I live, tamarindo gummies are very popular,” said Carrasco, who is from Imperial Valley. “Personally, I don’t really like those ones, but my mom’s recipe was really good, so I pitched ideas.” Carrasco’s mom was on board with the new idea. Together they picked up different kinds of candy, developed logos and packaging, and then Carrasco started selling the new gummies at her community college sporting events while attending Imperial Valley College. “A lot of people really liked them, and I was selling out every time I went to the games,” Carrasco said. “I pitched the gummies to the owners of the stores that had rim dip in them. They loved the idea and gave me space to put them in their stores.” Carrasco said her goal going forward is to expand her business into San Diego, or even sell the gummies on campus. Carrasco is on the right track to help her business progress. Last fall, she was the winner of the Innovation Hub’s Quick Pitch competition, which closely resembles the hit TV show “Shark Tank” in which competitors pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges. Carrasco received $1,000 for her winning pitch. “I was in shock,” Carrasco said. “I had a big smile on my face, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, no way.’ ” Carrasco put the prize money into her savings, with plans to utilize it for her business. Not only did winning the Quick Pitch provide funds to help grow the business, but it also equipped her with lifelong lessons. “I remember sitting down at the competition and I almost walked out because I was so nervous,” Carrasco said. “But I said, ‘We’re just going to do it.’ “It really showed me what I was capable of and helped me step out of my comfort zone – and it made me feel that what I'm doing is good. I got really good feedback. I brought gummies with me and went home empty-handed at the end of the night because I sold them all. It just gave me a lot of confidence.” Carrasco is using this newfound confidence while working toward her degree at CSUSM. She will graduate in May 2025 with a bachelor's degree in marketing. While she has thoughts of continuing with the business, her dream is to be a social media coordinator for the Los Angeles Lakers. “I’m very open-minded,” Carrasco said. “I’ll just see what happens.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314
- New Library Makerspace Invites Campus to Get Hands DirtyA new space has opened in the Cal State San Marcos library that promotes and celebrates the old-fashioned idea of using your creativity and your hands to make stuff. The makerspace, called The Makery, is located on the second floor of the library, just inside the doors leading to the main traffic circle, in an area that used to house the media library. It was unveiled to the campus community on Feb. 29 as part of a soft opening, and the grand opening celebration will take place on April 23, with a ribbon-cutting attended by President Ellen Neufeldt and other campus leaders at noon followed by a open house until 6 p.m. And of course, as befits the name, The Makery’s first official week from April 22-26 will feature a host of maker activities, inviting guests to gather, create, invent, tinker, explore and discover while using a vast assortment of tools and materials. “I don’t want people to be afraid to come in, or afraid of failing or afraid of what they don’t know,” said Kodie Gerritsen, a CSUSM alumna who’s now the makerspace specialist. “They can just come in here and mess up a bunch and still have a finished product at the end of it. I use the term ‘get your hands dirty’ a lot because that’s the point. The point is to come in here and get messy and make things.” The Makery is a project that’s five years in the, er, making. Having noticed that more than half of the 23 California State University campuses boast makerspaces in their libraries, CSUSM’s library dean, Jennifer Fabbi, took the idea to a group of administrators and faculty in 2019. They began to develop the concept, surveyed professors about how they would use it and even visited some existing makerspaces around the state. Then the pandemic struck, shelving the project for more than two years. It was revived in fall 2022 with the hiring of Gerritsen. She had graduated the previous year with a degree in arts and technology/applied physics, and was working as a STEAM ambassador for Center ARTES, an on-campus arts organization founded by CSUSM music professor Merryl Goldberg. Lucy HG Solomon, another School of Arts professor and Gerritsen’s main faculty mentor, heard about the makerspace opportunity and thought Gerritsen would be a good fit. “And it turns out I was,” Gerritsen said. Gerritsen set about designing the 2,280-square-foot space with Char Booth, the library’s associate dean; the Office of Planning, Design and Construction; and an internal library group. Funding came from a Kellogg Library building endowment that is specifically to be used for library renovations. The Makery was chosen through a campus naming contest. It was the overwhelming winner over the other two finalists: “Sandbox” and “Buildbox.” “A makerspace in the library allows for a centralized space that is accessible and open to everyone in the campus community,” Fabbi said. “The Makery is a space where students, staff and faculty can use information to create new knowledge, which is what the library is all about.” The creative flair and sense of whimsy that Gerritsen brought to the design of The Makery is evident even before you step into the room. A large neon sign hanging above the door displays the name of the makerspace in blue, green and orange letters. To the immediate right past the entrance is a collection of 27 high-density foam cubes that can be used for sitting in a large group collaboration or for alternate purposes like building a wall or other structures. On either side of a desk where a student assistant is stationed to welcome visitors are two enclosed rooms. One of them, called The Pantry, features a few desktop computers for people to work on digital projects in a quiet atmosphere. The other is named Gina’s Game Corner in tribute to Georgina “Gina” Lopez, a longtime library employee who passed away last year. It has a game table and shelves that are stocked with games, puzzles and other forms of entertainment. “I wanted to have a place where people can relax and have fun, unload a little bit,” Gerritsen said. “We ultimately settled on a game room, in part because Gina enjoyed those types of things, and also because we have a lot of games in the library and many people don’t know about them.” The rest of The Makery is a large open area with half a dozen square tables topped with butcher blocks and surrounded by bright, colorful chairs. All are on wheels so that the furniture can be moved into any configuration. On an afternoon last month, two of the tables had been pushed together to display a paper welcome banner that visitors could draw and color on, and a third table held a container of purple kinetic sand. The star attraction of The Makery, however, is the back wall. There you can find the primary making equipment, such as sewing machines, embroidery machines, a cameo cutter machine, button makers, a craft printer, a paper cutter and a power drill. There also are bins upon bins of arts and crafts supplies like paint, beads, string, ribbons, clips, rubber bands, markers and dozens more miscellaneous items. The opposite wall is lined with shelves that showcase some of the creations that students already have made during the limited time that The Makery has been open. “It's been cool seeing them make things on their own without direction,” said Ryan Dorsett, a 2015 CSUSM alumnus who in January shifted from a different job in the library to run the makerspace with Gerritsen. “It's like, ‘Wow, you made that here.’ We really wanted people to be excited about the space, and there's been a lot of excitement that students have expressed. They've been very clear in their joy.” Gerritsen said her goal for the rest of this semester is to work out any operational kinks that crop up while gathering data on user numbers and behavior. Starting next school year, she plans to incorporate more programming and foster more partnerships with the campus community, which could include student orientations and campus tours stopping by The Makery or holding academic classes in the space. “We’ll see how much of that can happen by the fall,” Gerritsen said, “but it’s going to grow as time goes on.” The Makery is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The coordinators are seeking donations of craft supplies, office supplies or “anything that you can use to make stuff with,” as Gerritsen put it. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306
Student Announcements
- Seeking Cannabis Users for Research StudyResearchers at Cal State San Marcos are seeking cannabis users for a study assessing the heart rate and blood pressure responses to smoking legal-market cannabis in free-living humans. You will wear an activity monitor and blood pressure monitor for 24 hours while you smoke cannabis. You will not be provided cannabis for this study. You’ll report to our lab twice to be outfitted for the study and to drop the devices off when the study is over; the total time commitment in the lab will be about 1 hour. If you are between 21-45 years of age and have used cannabis at least twice a week for the last year, you are eligible to participate. If you have high blood pressure, use tobacco, or take certain medications that impact blood pressure, you are not eligible to participate in this study. If you are unsure, please contact the study team. For more information, please contact Dr. Matt Schubert, associate professor of Kinesiology, at mschubert@csusm.edu.
- Active Men and Women Needed to Participate in a Study on Fat BurningActive men and women are needed to participate in a study in the Department of Kinesiology, with the goal to assess potential sex differences in fat burning between men and women. You are eligible if you are 18 to 50 years old, active, weight stable and healthy. Women must have a normal menstrual cycle or be taking oral contraceptives. Please contact Dr. Todd A. Astorino at astorino@csusm.edu for more information.
News Release
- Periodic Review of Vice President for University Advancement Jessica BergerDear CSUSM Community, As many of you know, our Vice President for University Advancement, Jessica Berger, joined CSUSM in July of 2021. Given that our campus policy requires that I conduct a periodic review of our Vice President in the third year of their initial appointment (and at intervals no greater than five years thereafter), I write to inform you that this process has begun and invite your participation and feedback. Not only is it California State University policy to inform our university community of this review and to allow members to submit comments that respond to the specific criteria, but your participation is also important to me. Your feedback will support CSUSM’s forward progress, particularly as it relates to the leadership of University Advancement. The Periodic Review of the Provost and Vice Presidents policy provides details of the process and criteria. Your feedback and letters are invited on Vice President Berger’s approach to: Leadership and Management Strategic Planning University and Community Partnerships & Functional Oversight and Management Please note that I am unable to accept petitions and unsigned letters. Please submit an email or letter no later than Tuesday, May 7 addressed as follows: Email: Periodicreview@csusm.edu Dr. Ellen Neufeldt, President California State University San Marcos Administration Building 5302 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road San Marcos, CA 92096-0001 Following the deadline, the written responses will be summarized into a report that will be discussed with Vice President Berger. None of the commentators will be identified by name, and responses will be treated in confidence to the extent permitted by the law. Please keep in mind that this is intended to be a constructive process that should benefit both our Vice President and University. Thank you again for your participation in this important review process. Sincerely, Ellen J. Neufeldt, Ed.D. President
- Alumni Association Wins Inclusive Excellence AwardThe Cal State San Marcos Alumni Association has received the 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The award honors alumni associations’ pioneering programs, culture and initiatives that encourage and support diversity, inclusion and a sense of belonging for all alumni, irrespective of racial or ethnic background, sexual or gender identity, religion, socio-economic status, world view and beyond. CSUSM will be featured, along with 31 other recipients, in the June 2024 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. "Today, we celebrate not only the remarkable achievements of our Alumni Association and our team, but also the vibrant mosaic of experiences, backgrounds and dreams that define our alumni community,” said Lori Brockett, associate vice president of alumni engagement and university events. “Over 57% of our graduates last year were first in their families to earn a degree, and each one of our alumni brings a unique narrative of resilience, making it imperative that our association board reflects the diversity of our student body.” INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected the CSUSM Alumni Association because of its commitment to diversity initiatives, including a focused goal of recruitment and representation on the Alumni Council Board to reflect that of the diverse student body at CSUSM. The CSUSM Alumni Association also was noted for creating and building affinity group alumni networks over the past few years. “We know that alumni associations are not always recognized for their dedication to diversity, inclusion and belonging,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We are proud to honor these college and university alumni associations as role models for other institutions of higher education.” This marks a special recognition for the CSUSM Alumni Association and coincides with the recent accolade won by the CSUSM library for access and diversity. CSUSM proudly upholds its commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable campus community and also celebrates a decade of consecutive honors as the recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. For more information about the 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.
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