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Professor Blends Art, Science on Summer Trip to Arctic
For Judit Hersko, a two-week voyage to the Arctic Circle last summer was more than a bucket-list adventure. It was the continuation of a two-decade career turn toward venturing to – both physically and emotionally – some of the coldest, most remote places on Earth and exploring the fascinating ways that art and science intersect. Hersko, a longtime Cal State San Marcos professor who’s chair of the art, media and design (AMD) department, is back on campus this semester as she digests the discoveries she made on her summer sojourn to Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole. How far-flung is it? After traveling the 5,400 miles from San Diego to Oslo, you’re still about 1,300 miles from your destination. In Svalbard, Hersko boarded a sailing ship called the Rembrandt van Rijn (named for the famous Dutch painter) that was chartered by The Arctic Circle, an annual expeditionary residency program for artists and scientists from around the world. With 29 other people – a mix of visual artists, writers, composers and science communicators – Hersko sailed down the west coast of Svalbard before the ship left the land behind and pointed northwest into the thick ice of the Arctic Ocean. “That was really exciting because it was a real North Pole feeling,” Hersko said. “The captain discovered this really large chunk of ice that was 20 kilometers. We moored to it, and it was sort of like mooring to land, except it moved.” During her time at sea and on the ice, Hersko gathered material that she will use for her unique brand of artwork that she calls performance lectures. These are tightly timed presentations of narratives grounded in historical and scientific research that are accompanied by visual images, including the artworks that she creates – her specialties are sculpture and installation that also incorporate photography and collage. “I build complex narratives that are basically true to life, except that I weave in a fictitious character who helps hold the story together,” she said. It’s an approach to art that was born of Hersko’s early years at CSUSM, and a life-changing trip to the globe’s opposite pole. In 2003, when she was hired at CSUSM, she sent a letter to colleagues on the science faculty telling them that she was interested in collaborating on projects. One of the most enthusiastic responses came from Victoria Fabry, a biological sciences professor whose scholarly work explored the effects of ocean acidification. Hersko and Fabry teamed up on an exhibit titled “Shifting Baselines” that translated the scientist’s research into visual art (it proved so impactful that it has been exhibited multiple times nationally, most recently last year in the San Diego Central Library). In 2006, Fabry went on a scientific trip to Antarctica and she came back raving about it, urging Hersko to apply for a program that brought artists there. Hersko did just that two years later. On a completely funded expedition as part of the extremely competitive National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers grant program, she spent six weeks in Antarctica, where she watched penguins hatching at her feet, studied planktonic snails and assembled the research material that guided her work for many years, exhibitions, presentations and book chapters to come. Specifically, she crafted narratives that centered around a fictitious, unknown female explorer, Anna Schwartz, who travels to Antarctica disguised as a man on the 1939 expedition led by American naval officer Richard E. Byrd. Though her protagonist is invented, Hersko said, “my work builds on meticulous research, and I place her in real historical events. These layered stories present the complex history of science highlighting the absence of women from the narratives of exploration as well as science.” Hersko isn’t the only School of Arts faculty member who has been to the frigid poles on a research excursion. In 2023, AMD professor Lucy HG Solomon received a prestigious Fulbright scholarship and did part of her research on Svalbard, where she furthered her ongoing studies of microorganisms and how they connect to the world. Solomon’s experience in the Arctic, in turn, led to a rare opportunity for one of her students. Last year, she connected AMD student Leobardo Moreno Villanueva with an ecologist at a Svalbard university, and Villanueva worked with the scientist on a graphic design project in which he helped make technical signage describing the scientific equipment used for research in the Arctic. Villanueva, a former foster youth from Mexico for whom English is his third language, graduated from CSUSM last spring. “Designing for the far north was an unforgettable challenge that expanded my perspective on how art and science meet in unexpected places," Villanueva said. As for Hersko, she knows several people in the small circle of polar researchers who have traveled with The Arctic Circle program, but she could never find the right time until this year. On July 4, she landed in Longyearbyen, a small town known for coal mining (though the last mine closed a few days before her arrival) and its views of the Northern Lights. After a few days to acclimate, she boarded the Rembrandt van Rijn to begin the two-week voyage. Among the highlights of her time at sea was up-close viewings of two polar bears, the tragic sight (and thunderous sound) of ice falling from stunning glaciers, and the discovery of tiny flowers and lichens that she thinks she will incorporate into her next output of art that results from this latest trip of a lifetime. “When I get fascinated by something, often it turns out that things come together in a weird, magical way where it has relevance,” Hersko said. “It’s all still percolating, and I think it’s probably a story that I will develop in the next year.” Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306
Cougar Care Network Marks 10 Years as a Campus Hub for Connection
Built on listening first and guiding without judgment, the Cougar Care Network enters its second decade as a trusted stop for students seeking practical help, community and a path forward. The Cougar Care Network (CCN) launched in fall 2015 as part of Cal State San Marcos’ Early Support Initiative within the Student Outreach and Referral (SOAR) program. Patty Diaz worked in Student Affairs and was the SOAR coordinator. Today, Diaz is the coordinator of CCN. “It’s an incredible feeling to witness something you’ve helped build flourish,” Diaz said. “I’m proud of what Cougar Care Network has become and the positive reputation it has gained among students, faculty and the entire campus community. Together we are making a real difference in the lives of students.” SOAR was the primary referral source for faculty teaching first-year and underserved students. It operated like a concierge: students visited the office, where they were routed to other campus support systems, such as counseling or academic services. In fall 2016, SOAR rebranded as part of CCN. Today, CCN is a trusted place for students to build community while at CSUSM. “It’s fantastic,” said Donna Davis, CCN director. “It’s wonderful that the university has embraced us so much. And students know enough about us to walk right in with anything on their minds, knowing they can get some help. So we are honored by that every day.” Davis joined CCN in 2022 and became the program's director in 2023. “This team, they care so deeply,” Davis said. “We have a very dedicated group of professionals here that are creative, energized and excited to help students. I am so beyond honored to work with this group, and that is what’s kept me here through it all.” As CCN has grown over the past decade, so has the number of students it serves. During the 2024 academic year, it managed 4,620 student cases, a 58% increase from the previous year, according to CCN. There were an average of 20 new cases each day, and students expressed appreciation for the ease of being able to drop into the office to get immediate help with their concerns. While CCN does not offer long-term therapy, a majority of the cases involve mental health. The staff can provide advice and resources for issues like day-to-day anxiety, the stress after failing a test, or the emotional rollercoaster of going through a breakup. The team also helps students take their first step toward visiting counseling services on campus. “We spend a lot of time walking beside students until they are ready to take that step,” Davis said. Visiting CCN is easy and accessible. Students can email or submit a referral form to schedule a visit, or drop in to Administrative Building 1200, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Professors can refer students and an assigned staff member will reach out to the student to check in and invite them to visit. “Once we connect with them, we’re always going to make that person feel as comfortable as they can,” Davis said. One way CCN helps students feel comfortable during their visits is by offering a treasure chest in the office. Filled with items like facial masks, notebooks, fidget toys and mugs, the treasure chest began as a form of staff appreciation and evolved into a fun activity for students to engage with during their visits. The treasure chest also offers students the opportunity to visit the office and become familiar with the staff while they’re still deciding if they’re ready to talk to someone. Another entry point is the Cougar Care Network cart, introduced in the fall of 2023. The cart is operated by service-learning students as an informal, peer-to-peer way for students to learn more about the program and build connections at CSUSM, so they know support is available. “We are students ourselves. We’re not faculty or staff,” said Fernando Vasquez Rendon, a fourth-year psychology major and service-learning student with CCN. “Knowing that we’re also students adds a sense of trust and relatability.” Vasquez Rendon said he understands why some students may feel nervous about approaching the cart, and encourages them to interact with it and see what it has to offer. He said students often express gratitude for the cart, those who work it, and the free items and resources it carries. “Please, come up to the cart. We’re always happy to chit-chat,” he said. “I’m always open and I really want students to know that I and the team are here to really listen and support.” “One of the best parts is seeing a student for the first time and their interaction with the cart. Those interactions are what make this role beautiful, and I think those moments are really important.” CCN also uses the cart as a tool to help students connect with the University Student Union centers. For example, Davis explained that for students curious about the Pride Center but hesitant to walk alone, the card serves as a bridge, as students might walk into the center when the cart is there. “We know that there needs to be this kindness movement right now,” Davis said. “We know students are isolated and lonely. And regardless of how much social media they have — and the people they can connect with online — they’re still feeling alone on the inside. So the cart was started as a way to go over to students who are sitting alone and introduce them to the cart, because sometimes that’s the only person that student may talk to all day.” Lizet Palestina, another service-learning student with the CCN and a criminology major in her final semester, shared how she uses the cart to start conversations with students sitting alone. “I think it’s easier for students to talk to us, rather than a staff member,” Palestina said. Once the conversation is underway, Palestina and other service-learning students take the opportunity to inform students about campus resources, such as the CCN, Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS), the Cougar Pantry and workshops. “There are a lot of students who are by themselves, and sometimes they’ll be nervous. But once you get the conversation going, they’re a lot more open,” she said. “It’s as simple as asking if they want a little duck, and then you keep the conversation going.” The mini ducks are one of the main reasons students approach the cart. Vasquez Rendon said it's common to see students visiting the cart to add more ducks to their collection. The ducks serve as a small symbol to remind students that they’re not alone. “Put it in your pocket, keep it in your book bag. But take it out and physically hold onto it as a reminder that we believe in you and know that you got this,” Davis said. Along with the standard mini ducks, CCN also releases special edition ducks for campus events. During a Commuter Breakfast event, the cart featured ducks in cars. In a previous collaboration with SHCS, a duck in a fry basket was offered in reference to the F.R.I.E.S. program on consent. F.R.I.E.S. describes consent as something freely given, reversible, Informed, enthusiastic and specific. CCN also rotates the cart's theme and available items based on cultural events and student feedback. Vasquez Rendon shared that the team is working to update the cart's theme for Dia de los Muertos and to provide cultural information about the holiday. “The cart is always changing as the student population changes,” he said. “I want students to know that the conversations we have don’t fall on deaf ears. If they bring up questions, comments or concerns, I always relay it back to the team.” Alongside the service-learning students, CCN also has a staff of Master of Social Work (MSW) interns who provide support to students. Vasquez Rendon plans to apply to the MSW program for the fall 2026 cohort. Davis shared that community donations and grant funding are crucial to ensuring that CCN can provide students the support they need. CCN is a part of the university's Community of Care program, an intentionally connected network to support students that was made possible by a generous grant from the Conrad Prebys Foundation. CCN also received philanthropic funding from a San Diego Foundation mental and behavioral health-focused grant to be able to staff MSW interns. “We’ve been very blessed with the grants, and they allow our MSW interns to dedicate their full attention to the students," Davis said. Community donations often help stock the treasure chest at the Cougar Care Network office. Davis said they are always welcoming new or gently used physical donations and added that students donate items like candles, facial masks and other small gifts they no longer need. Ten years in, CCN remains focused on simple ideas that matter, starting with a warm welcome and practical help that arrives when students need it. The aim is to walk beside each person until the next step feels possible and the path forward is clear. “We’re here to walk beside you,” Davis said. “And if you’re not ready today, no worries. Maybe you’ll chat with somebody at the cart or follow us on Instagram. Just in case you need us, we’re here.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

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