Sigma Xi installed its newest chapter at Cal State San Marcos on March 25.  Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, is the world’s largest multidisciplinary honor society with an international community of scientists and engineers dedicated to research excellence, promoting public engagement with science, and cultivating the next generations of researchers. Maya Qaddourah, a graduating biochemistry major, helped start the CSUSM chapter. She first brought the idea up to the Committee of Undergraduate Research (CUGR) in November 2023. She helped create a student organization through the Student Leadership and Involvement Center. It was a complex effort that involved bringing together groups across departments, colleges and divisions. As an informal honor, Qaddourah’s was the first student nomination accepted in a brief ceremony on May 6. Robert Iafe, associate professor and chair of chemistry and biochemistry, is the president of the new chapter. He will lead a group of founding members through the early years of chapter development. The chapter’s other founding members include David Barsky, Charles De Leone, Erika Díaz Almeyda, Kang Du, Sajith Jayasinghe, Julie Jameson, Jane Kim, Dennis Kolosov, Afra Panahi, Betsy Read and Deanna Schmidt. At CSUSM, Sigma Xi will provide a platform to celebrate STEM students while opening new avenues of support for grants, networking and presentation at professional STEM conferences. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation will present a transformative $3 million endowment to California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) during the American Indian Studies and American Indian Graduate Honoring Ceremony on May 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Building courtyard. Tribal leadership will join CSUSM leadership to celebrate this landmark investment while honoring graduating Native students. This momentous gift from the tribe to the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC) strengthens a vital partnership dedicated to cultivating tomorrow's leaders, advancing transformative research, honoring tribal sovereignty and cultural heritage, and creating new educational opportunities for generations to come. The partnership between Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and CSUSM began more than a decade ago when the tribe contributed nearly $1 million to help launch the university’s CICSC. Since then, the CICSC has become a nationally recognized hub for Native student success, research and community engagement – serving as a vital resource for California tribal communities and a model for indigenous-led initiatives in higher education. By adding to the original endowment, the newly named California Indigenous Futures Fund will continue to grow, providing long-term sustainability for the CICSC and ensuring that the center’s work serves as a lasting cornerstone for tribal sovereignty and education. All media are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Jerry McCormick at JMcCormick@csusm.edu or 619-549-9438.   About Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation   Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. The Tribe, formerly known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, proudly reclaims their ancestral name – Yuhaaviatam (pronounced "Yu-HAA-vee-ah-tahm") – honoring the deep-rooted heritage and enduring legacy of their people. Exercising their inherent sovereign right to self-governance, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is committed to providing essential services to their citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services and promoting social, economic and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Yuhaaviatam have called this region home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit sanmanuel-nsn.gov  About the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC) The California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center at California State University San Marcos fosters collaborative research and community service relationships between the university's faculty, staff and students and tribal communities. The Center's mission focuses on developing and conducting research projects that support the maintenance of sovereignty and culture within those communities. Founded on principles of respect and reciprocity, the CICSC serves as a vital bridge between academia and Native American communities in the state, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge and priorities are centered in all collaborative work. The Center's distinctive programs simultaneously strengthen tribal sovereignty and drive student success by creating unique opportunities for hands-on research experience through meaningful engagement with California's tribal nations. For more information: www.csusm.edu/cicsc