Four people with Cal State San Marcos connections have been selected to screen their films at the inaugural Hidden City Film Festival (HCFF) in Escondido. A part of the programming at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, the festival has partnered with CSUSM's College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences (CHABSS) to provide opportunities for students to participate in the wider arts community.  “Through the partnership with CHABSS, Hidden City Film Festival has provided students with the opportunity to share their work on a large scale to the greater North County community, gain professional experience and make valuable connections within the art and film communities in San Diego County,” said Leslie Foster, a CSUSM art, media, design faculty member who has been involved in the planning of HCFF. “We're so grateful for the work of art, media and design alumnus Kelly Dexter, who played a significant role in forging this relationship; and we are excited to see the festival feature work by several students and former students. We're also delighted that alumni like Joshua Kim, who now works at the Institute of Contemporary Art, San Diego, were able to serve as members of the film festival's jury. We look forward to growing this relationship, especially in connection with the annual Festival of Arts, hosted by the university's Art, Media, and Design Department each May.”  Through volunteer opportunities and festival events, students can connect with industry professionals to expand the opportunities already provided on campus. HCFF runs Sept. 26-28 at the Regal Cinema in Escondido where CSUSM alumni Kate Clark, Adriana Carmen Alfaro and Paul Bacaj and current student Amara Abaquin-Brown will be screening their films. The festival's mission is to unite the community through the power of film by giving both local and global filmmakers the chance to highlight their creative talent. “We have a great selection of films to kick off the inaugural year, including lots of local and international selections,” said Nicole Mendez, department coordinator and filmmaker who is serving on the jury for the festival.  Carmen Alfaro said her intention directing her film “Behind the Scenes” was “to tell the kinds of stories that often go untold; the real, everyday experiences of people whose voices aren’t always heard.” The festival will include curated short film showcases, feature film spotlights and include live Q&As as well as a closing awards ceremony. This is a monumental moment for both CSUSM and the selected students as they will get to see their work displayed on the big screen alongside filmmakers from across the globe. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos has received the 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award from Insight Into Academia magazine.   As a recipient of the annual HEED Award – a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to academic excellence, belonging and community-building across all levels of campus life – CSUSM will be featured along with 61 other recipients in the October issue of Insight Into Academia magazine.   This marks the 12th consecutive year that CSUSM has received the HEED Award, placing the university among those with the longest-running streaks of recognition nationwide. “I am deeply honored that Cal State San Marcos has received the HEED Award for the 12th consecutive year,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “This recognition affirms our steadfast commitment to inclusive excellence – where access to a high-quality education and opportunity for talented students from all backgrounds are central to our mission.” CSUSM is one of just four CSU schools to win the HEED Award this year.  "CSUSM is proud to be recognized as a leader in inclusive higher education,” said Aswad Allen, CSUSM’s chief diversity officer. “I want to congratulate our faculty, front-line staff, our deans, directors and department heads. Their dedication is what makes this award of excellence and distinction possible.” For more information about the 2025 HEED Award, visit insightintoacademia.com. For more information about diversity and inclusion at CSUSM, visit the Office of Inclusive Excellence at www.csusm.edu/equity or email diversity@csusm.edu. 

The Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Cal State San Marcos is expanding its reach beyond the classroom thanks to a new partnership with Interfaith Community Services, made possible by an incentive grant for engaged scholarship. The initiative – led by Laura Coca, director of clinical education – is designed to give students hands-on experience while providing much-needed speech-language pathology (SLP) services to the local community. “This project is a win-win,” Coca said. “Our students get to apply what they’re learning in a real-world setting, and Interfaith gains access to services that support families and caregivers in meaningful ways.” Through the partnership, students will collaborate with community members and allied health professionals, offering screenings, support and educational resources. The goal is to strengthen student learning while promoting community well-being. Alison Scheer-Cohen, chair of the SLP department, said the initiative reflects the department’s commitment to community-engaged scholarship. “We’re proud to be part of a university that values service and connection,” Scheer-Cohen said. “This partnership bridges academic knowledge with practical service, and it’s a great example of how our students are making a difference even before they graduate.” The collaboration with Interfaith is expected to enhance access to care for underserved populations while giving students a deeper understanding of the social and cultural factors that shape health outcomes. “This is about more than clinical skills,” Coca said. “It’s about empathy, communication and building trust with the people we serve.” The department plans to share outcomes from the project with the campus community, highlighting how engaged scholarship can create lasting impact. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos professor and award-winning pianist Ching-Ming Cheng will take the stage on campus as part of her fall concert series. The concert will be held at noon on Oct. 23 in Arts 111. Cheng will perform with cellist Paul Tseng, music director of the San Diego Music Society. The performance unites two internationally acclaimed musicians and will feature pieces from Mendelssohn and Schumann. “These are the two representative romantic composers,” Cheng said. “I would like to point out that, especially in the Mendelssohn piece, even though it's called ‘Cello Sonata,’ the piano part has maybe 50 times more notes than the cello. It's very lively and fun yet challenging.” Cheng joined CSUSM as an assistant professor of music in 2011; she is now the chair of the Music Department. Her work at CSUSM has helped her achieve the Top Music Teacher Award from Steinway & Sons every year since 2016. In 2021, she received the CSUSM President’s Outstanding Faculty Award in Service and Leadership. In 2023, Cheng was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. The concert is a preview of Cheng’s upcoming concert at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, on Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. “It’s a chamber concert with piano, cello and harp. The theme of the concert is ‘248 Strings,’ the total number of strings of the three instruments combined,” Cheng said. The full list of Cheng’s performances includes: 1 p.m., Oct. 9: Palomar College, Howard Brubeck Theatre Noon, Oct. 23: Cal State San Marcos, Arts 111 2 p.m., Oct. 28: Grossmont College, Performing and Visual Arts Center 4 p.m., Nov. 2: California Center for the Arts, Escondido 2 p.m., Nov. 9: Point Loma Community Center Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos’ Master of Social Work program is celebrating a milestone year, with students benefiting from unprecedented financial support and expanded opportunities to serve the community. For the 2025-26 academic year, the MSW program has secured or is finalizing six major grants totaling more than $3.5 million. The funding will provide 125 full tuition and fee scholarships or training stipends, covering 60% of the program’s 210 students. Many recipients will receive additional financial support for living expenses, making graduate education more accessible than ever. “This support is about more than just lowering financial barriers – it’s about assisting students to graduate without the heavy burden of debt, so they can build their lives and careers in the very communities they’re dedicated to serving,” said Blake Beecher, chair of the social work department. In addition to the grant-funded scholarships and stipends, the MSW program also entered a new partnership with the San Diego Pay It Forward Loan Program this fall. This program offers zero-interest, no-fee loans to CSUSM MSW students, with loan forgiveness after five years of service in public behavioral health settings. Graduates who remain in these roles also earn retention-based loan credits, further incentivizing long-term community impact. Another area in which the MSW program is supporting students is through employment-based internships. Due to a change in the most recent social work accreditation standards, the MSW program has developed a process in which select students can complete their required internships in qualifying employment settings. This year, 33 MSW students have been approved to participate in the employment-based internship program. "This is a game-changer for social mobility," said Jennifer Ostergren, dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services. "Our MSW students are not only gaining access to graduate education, but they’re also being positioned to thrive in the workforce and make lasting contributions to the health and well-being of our region." The MSW program also continues to deepen its community engagement. Students complete 16 to 20 hours per week in field internships across San Diego and Riverside counties, with expansion underway in Orange, San Bernardino and Imperial counties. These placements allow students to work with diverse populations and provide essential services in real-world settings. During the 2024-25 academic year, MSW students contributed more than 70,000 hours of pro bono social work services to local organizations and agencies serving at-risk populations. "Our students are embedded in the community in meaningful ways," Beecher said. "They’re not just learning - they’re leading, advocating, and making a difference in people’s lives." Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Lola Ferguson was a regular at the hospital as a child. She was used to taking 50 pills a day, undergoing hours of treatments and numerous doctors’ appointments. It was just part of her normal daily life. “I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis before I was even born,” Ferguson said. Also known as CF, cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects the body's mucus-producing glands, causing damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs. Ferguson still takes medication and has treatments, but medical advances allow her to live a relatively normal life as a college student in her second year at Cal State San Marcos. In fact, Ferguson is doing so well that she is among the candidates for the AbbVie CF Scholarship, which honors students who are thriving with cystic fibrosis. Public voting accounts for about 30% of the evaluation. Supporters can vote online for Ferguson or by texting "VOTE23" to 35309 through Sept. 18. Winners will be announced Oct. 23. Other evaluation factors are based on academic record and extracurricular activities, an essay and a creative presentation. Ferguson received a $3,000 AbbVie scholarship last year and is hoping this year to win the top award, a $22,000 “Thriving Student Scholarship.” “AbbVie is a pharmaceutical company, and I have taken their meds in the past, so it was just sort of a household name for me,” Ferguson said. “To have a scholarship like that and be involved with a company like that is really nice.” In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the predicted survival age for people with cystic fibrosis was about 28 years old. Ferguson represents a new generation of young adults with CF who, thanks to medical advances, are living significantly longer. Life expectancy has improved to about 68, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Ferguson has seen firsthand the improvements. The more than four dozen daily pills she took as a child is down to 20. She said CF primarily affects her lungs and digestive system, and she also has a mild case of diabetes related to it. In addition to the medication, she does an hour of daily treatment and closely watches her diet. “I don’t even drink caffeine,” she said. “I can’t miss out on my health because it’ll plummet really fast.” Ferguson has found a supportive environment at CSUSM. Disability Student Services ensured that she received a single room in campus housing, which was vital because of the daily treatment she requires. A literature and writing studies major, Ferguson was thrilled to land an on-campus job in Kellogg Library during her first year and she also started writing this fall for CSUSM’s student newspaper, “The Cougar Chronicle.” “I’ve learned to manage things and understand what I can and can’t do,” Ferguson said. “And I haven’t really had a problem in a long time because of all my treatments and medications.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314