An event showcasing the oral histories of military veterans highlights the spring lineup of the longstanding Arts & Lectures series at Cal State San Marcos.   This season boasts a diverse selection of eight events as the university hosts renowned guest speakers and performances.   Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website now.     All-Out Turf & Popping Hip-Hop Cypher and Battle Feb. 5, 1-10 p.m., USU Ballroom A day-long cypher and battle led by two notable hip-hop artists, Johnny Lopez (Johnny 5) and Quentin Robinson (SpecialFX). Born in Oakland, Johnny5 is a Latino professional turf dancer and the founder of TURFinc, a Bay Area company that instills positive changes in the community through dance. SpecialFX is a father of two, a Marine Corps veteran and the founder of Movements 4 Movements. At CSUSM, they will share hip-hop dance and culture during an event that includes guest lectures, dance workshops and a cypher featuring authentic hip-hop dancers, performances, competitions and classes. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   Songs of the Wayfarer Feb. 15, 7 p.m., Arts 111 “Songs of the Wayfarer” is based on select poems of Rabindranath Tagore, India’s Nobel laureate. Translations from Bengali to English were created by Jayanta Acharya, original music was composed by Mtafiti Imara and dances were choreographed by Anusree Bonnerjee and Cherie Hill. Each step in this collaborative process involved reflections on the central theme: one who goes on a spiritual journey. It’s both an ancient and modern theme found in many disciplines, including literature, religion and mythology. These songs ask questions of what defines us as individuals and as connected humans. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   From Fungi to the Planet: Complex Systems in Science and Art Feb. 17, noon, USU Ballroom Join a panel of scientific and artistic thinkers for a deep look at the roles of fungi on the planet and microscopic elements within complex systems. Scientists from the Treseder Lab at UC Irvine will examine fungi’s layered relationship to planetary life and discuss how fungi mediate and connect distant ecosystems. David Familian, also from UC Irvine, will introduce life webs and AI as complex systems, a topic that comes to focus in the art exhibition “Future Tense: Art, Complexity and Uncertainty.” Moving across perspectives in art and science, the panelists will reframe how we picture the planet. The lecture will be preceded by a workshop from 10:30-11:30 a.m. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: Free Community: $5   ‘Bad Child’: Film Screening and Interdisciplinary Panel on Sexual Assault March 4, noon, Arts 111 “Bad Child” is a short documentary about the more intimate, less visible outcomes of enduring repeated childhood sexual abuse. The film focuses on one survivor's reflections while expert interviews place emphasis on the importance of parental and caregiver support. Director Nicole Mendez will discuss the film’s format and its contents, then host an interdisciplinary panel examining impacts of sexual assault, artistic expressions of trauma and resources available to survivors.  Panelists include CSUSM faculty and staff from Student Health & Counseling Services, the Department of Psychology, the School of Arts and more. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: Free Community: $5   Veterans History Project: An Unveiling of the Journey March 19, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom This event showcasing the oral histories of military veterans offers an intimate look into the personal experiences, challenges and triumphs of veterans from diverse backgrounds. The stories shared will be archived at the Library of Congress and in CSUSM’s Kellogg Library, preserving their legacies for future generations. The keynote speaker is Amy Forsythe, a Marines Corps veteran, Navy reservist and CSUSM alumna. The formal program will be preceded by a veteran/military resource fair and reception at 5 p.m. CSUSM students: Free Military-affiliated community and resource fair guests: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   Jason Magabo Perez April 7, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom Through poetry, performance and video, Jason Magabo Perez – the most recent poet laureate for the City of San Diego – will explore the poetics of memory as an act of anticolonial future-making. Perez is a poet, essayist, performer and author of the book of poetry and prose titled “This is for the mostless” (2017) and the forthcoming book-length poem "I ask about what falls away." An associate professor and director of ethnic studies at CSUSM, Perez will be joined by DJ, music producer, performer and longtime collaborator Shammy Dee.   CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: Free Community: $5   Xtreme Wellness: Keep It Moving April 14, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom In "Xtreme Wellness," featuring the Oside Steppers and guest instructors, you can experience modernized step aerobics set to hip-hop music, offering a fun, intense workout that burns calories, boosts cardiovascular health and relieves stress. The event includes showcases, instructional sessions and practice for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. In a bonus panel discussion, get to know your instructors and discover how they use movement to enhance their well-being. The panel will be moderated by Daja Marks, a CSUSM alumna, artist/activist and experimental documentarian CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $7   Educational Equality Now: The Legacy of the Lemon Grove Incident in the Mexican Southwest and the Challenge to Desegregation in the United States April 23, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom The 1931 landmark case Roberto Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District was the first successful school desegregation court decision in U.S. history. This lecture by Dr. Robert R. Alvarez Jr., a professor emeritus of ethnic studies at UC San Diego and the son of the lead plaintiff in the case, will review the specific struggle by the Mexican families of Lemon Grove in the greater context of the Mexican challenge to U.S. school desegregation. The case established the rights of children of Mexican immigrants to equal education, despite local, regional and national sentiment that favored not only segregation, but the actual deportation of the Mexican population in the United States. Current educational equity issues for Mexican immigrant and Latino communities will be contextualized through regional data compiled by the National Latino Research Center at CSUSM. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10 Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

As the end of the year approaches, many are already looking ahead to 2025. But before putting the finishing touches on your list of New Year’s resolutions, let’s take a look back at some of the most-talked-about stories of 2024.   CSUSM Receives Two Gifts Totaling $20 Million, Largest in 35-Year History In a historic moment, Cal State San Marcos received two philanthropic donations totaling $20 million – the largest gifts in its 35-year history. $10 million from Price Philanthropies Foundation will create a first-of-its-kind, three-year accelerated bachelor's degree and workforce pipeline for behavioral and mental health. The other $10 million came from Daniel J. Epstein – a director of the CSUSM Foundation Board – and his wife, Phyllis. Their contribution will serve as a unique dollar-for-dollar matching gift opportunity for all CSUSM donors to double their impact across campus.   Balancing Act: Master's Grad Perseveres Through Challenges A master’s of biological sciences student, Jocelyne Dates was selected last spring as the recipient of the 2024 President's Outstanding Graduate Award, the highest honor a graduating student can receive. She also received the Dean’s Award for Graduate Studies, which recognizes the accomplishments of one master’s student. Jocelyne is continuing her education by pursuing her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt.   'I Just Want to Make Him Proud and My Life to Count' Last spring, at 76 years old, Kathryn Cook walked across the graduation stage as the oldest graduate of Cal State San Marcos' class of 2024. Her path to this accomplishment was not one of a traditional four-year-and-done experience. In fact, it was 50 years in the making, with monumental life transitions and rocky hardships in between. The passing of Cook’s husband in 2019 led her to continue her education at CSUSM and graduate with a sociology degree.   From the Baseball Diamond to 'The Bachelorette' Austin Ott had never watched an episode of “The Bachelorette” when he received a DM on Instagram from the show encouraging him to apply. While nervous, his communication and media studies degree from Cal State San Marcos gave him a foundation to build on. Ott’s first speech in COMM 100 gave him an idea of what being in the public eye might look like. “My time at Cal State San Marcos was probably the best years of my life,” said Ott, who graduated in 2019. “There’s nothing better than playing the game you love and being around your best friends.”   American Indian Student Follows Passion for Animals, Environment Aiden Valverde, an American Indian Studies major from the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, has made significant contributions through his engagement with the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center. As an intern for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Valverde was able to connect more with his culture, and his passion for animals and the environment. “Aiden exemplifies everything we strive to achieve in American Indian Studies and at the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center,” said Joely Proudfit, the department chair of American Indian Studies.   Computers a Lifelong Passion for Trustees' Award Winner In 2009, Minh Tran’s family moved to Escondido from Vietnam, the only home that he, his parents and his two older siblings had ever known. Now, the fourth-year student who’s on track to graduate in May, was honored as CSUSM’s recipient of the 2024 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, the California State University’s highest recognition of student accomplishment. Students are selected based on academic achievements, financial need, excellence in community service and personal hardship. Awardees have all demonstrated inspirational resolve along the path to college success, and many are the first in their families to attend college.   Graduate Crafting Career on Helping Children A child and adolescent development major at Cal State San Marcos, Tania Arceo spent the last year and a half working with Voices for Children, a nonprofit organization where volunteers are trained to become court-appointed special advocates. Volunteers like Arceo represent juvenile dependency cases in San Diego County. Since graduating last spring with her bachelor’s, Arceo has started her Master of Social Work program at CSUSM this fall.    Alumnus Seeks Better Mental Health Through Better Cuts John Edwards was only 12 years old when he taught himself how to cut his own hair. By the time Edwards enrolled at Cal State San Marcos as a transfer student returning to higher education in 2021, he was close to completing barber school. Now a licensed barber and a recent CSUSM graduate, he operates a small studio in San Diego, rotating about 25 clients through his single chair. Edwards studied psychology at CSUSM, and it was at the university that he dreamed up the idea of melding his longtime practice of barbering with his fledgling research on mental health treatment.    CSUSM Earns Prestigious Seal for Serving Latinx Students Cal State San Marcos has earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia, a national certification for institutions that strive to go beyond enrollment and more intentionally serve Latinx students. CSUSM is one of only 17 colleges and universities to earn the Seal of Excelencia in 2024. In 2018, Excelencia introduced the seal to certify colleges and universities for their efforts to become learning environments where Latinx, and all, students thrive. This year marks the organization’s 20th year of service to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education.   Surfer Makes School History With National Title Tanner Vodraska, a Cal State San Marcos business student, became the first surfer in university history to win an individual national title. The junior competed in the college men’s division of the 2024 National Scholastic Surfing Association interscholastic national championships at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point. Vodraska dominated the field. He posted a two-wave score of 17.5 points in the final, far outdistancing his closest competitor. “I feel really proud of myself because I set a goal to win the national title before I graduate, and I accomplished it,” Vodraska said.   Incredible Mulk: Class Project Becomes Thriving Business Melissa Finestone remembers the assignment in her business marketing class that started it all. Each student was required to develop a business plan based on a product they conceived. Finestone decided to curate a product that combined her passion for cooking with a childhood love of chocolate milk. But Finestone wanted to develop a healthy alternative to other chocolate milks on the market. When Finestone couldn’t find a product on the market that met her requirements, she chose to make her own. Using her Vitamix blender to grind almonds in her kitchen at home, Finestone crafted samples of chocolate- and strawberry-flavored, plant-based almond milk. She served it to each student in the class while presenting her product. The overwhelming support from her peers inspired Finestone to launch The Mulk Co. in June 2018, only one year after she graduated from Cal State San Marcos with a bachelor’s degree in global business management.  Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Did you know there are three ways to check the working status of CSUSM’s 40 elevators and five wheelchair lifts? 1. Facilities Development and Management tracks the working status of our elevators with this interactive map.  https://workrequest.csusm.edu/elevator/status.php 2. You can also sign up for email notifications that automatically alert you when our elevators are taken out of service or returned to service here. https://m.csusm.edu/default/kurogo_message_center/channels?feed=messages_channel_eac8ab41-0a30-45fd-aa4b-e1bca1ec9644 3. You can also receive automatic notifications on your phone through the CSUSM App. To sign up do the following steps: • Sign in to the CSUSM App • Go to “Maps” • Click on “Elevator Status” • Click on the “Opt In” button

An event showcasing the oral histories of military veterans highlights the spring lineup of the longstanding Arts & Lectures series at Cal State San Marcos.   This season boasts a diverse selection of eight events as the university hosts renowned guest speakers and performances.   Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website now.     All-Out Turf & Popping Hip-Hop Cypher and Battle Feb. 5, 1-10 p.m., USU Ballroom A day-long cypher and battle led by two notable hip-hop artists, Johnny Lopez (Johnny 5) and Quentin Robinson (SpecialFX). Born in Oakland, Johnny5 is a Latino professional turf dancer and the founder of TURFinc, a Bay Area company that instills positive changes in the community through dance. SpecialFX is a father of two, a Marine Corps veteran and the founder of Movements 4 Movements. At CSUSM, they will share hip-hop dance and culture during an event that includes guest lectures, dance workshops and a cypher featuring authentic hip-hop dancers, performances, competitions and classes. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   Songs of the Wayfarer Feb. 15, 7 p.m., Arts 111 “Songs of the Wayfarer” is based on select poems of Rabindranath Tagore, India’s Nobel laureate. Translations from Bengali to English were created by Jayanta Acharya, original music was composed by Mtafiti Imara and dances were choreographed by Anusree Bonnerjee and Cherie Hill. Each step in this collaborative process involved reflections on the central theme: one who goes on a spiritual journey. It’s both an ancient and modern theme found in many disciplines, including literature, religion and mythology. These songs ask questions of what defines us as individuals and as connected humans. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   From Fungi to the Planet: Complex Systems in Science and Art Feb. 17, noon, USU Ballroom Join a panel of scientific and artistic thinkers for a deep look at the roles of fungi on the planet and microscopic elements within complex systems. Scientists from the Treseder Lab at UC Irvine will examine fungi’s layered relationship to planetary life and discuss how fungi mediate and connect distant ecosystems. David Familian, also from UC Irvine, will introduce life webs and AI as complex systems, a topic that comes to focus in the art exhibition “Future Tense: Art, Complexity and Uncertainty.” Moving across perspectives in art and science, the panelists will reframe how we picture the planet. The lecture will be preceded by a workshop from 10:30-11:30 a.m. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: Free Community: $5   ‘Bad Child’: Film Screening and Interdisciplinary Panel on Sexual Assault March 4, noon, Arts 111 “Bad Child” is a short documentary about the more intimate, less visible outcomes of enduring repeated childhood sexual abuse. The film focuses on one survivor's reflections while expert interviews place emphasis on the importance of parental and caregiver support. Director Nicole Mendez will discuss the film’s format and its contents, then host an interdisciplinary panel examining impacts of sexual assault, artistic expressions of trauma and resources available to survivors.  Panelists include CSUSM faculty and staff from Student Health & Counseling Services, the Department of Psychology, the School of Arts and more. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: Free Community: $5   Veterans History Project: An Unveiling of the Journey March 19, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom This event showcasing the oral histories of military veterans offers an intimate look into the personal experiences, challenges and triumphs of veterans from diverse backgrounds. The stories shared will be archived at the Library of Congress and in CSUSM’s Kellogg Library, preserving their legacies for future generations. The keynote speaker is Amy Forsythe, a Marines Corps veteran, Navy reservist and CSUSM alumna. The formal program will be preceded by a veteran/military resource fair and reception at 5 p.m. CSUSM students: Free Military-affiliated community and resource fair guests: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10   Jason Magabo Perez April 7, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom Through poetry, performance and video, Jason Magabo Perez – the most recent poet laureate for the City of San Diego – will explore the poetics of memory as an act of anticolonial future-making. Perez is a poet, essayist, performer and author of the book of poetry and prose titled “This is for the mostless” (2017) and the forthcoming book-length poem "I ask about what falls away." An associate professor and director of ethnic studies at CSUSM, Perez will be joined by DJ, music producer, performer and longtime collaborator Shammy Dee.   CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: Free Community: $5   Xtreme Wellness: Keep It Moving April 14, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom In "Xtreme Wellness," featuring the Oside Steppers and guest instructors, you can experience modernized step aerobics set to hip-hop music, offering a fun, intense workout that burns calories, boosts cardiovascular health and relieves stress. The event includes showcases, instructional sessions and practice for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. In a bonus panel discussion, get to know your instructors and discover how they use movement to enhance their well-being. The panel will be moderated by Daja Marks, a CSUSM alumna, artist/activist and experimental documentarian CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $7   Educational Equality Now: The Legacy of the Lemon Grove Incident in the Mexican Southwest and the Challenge to Desegregation in the United States April 23, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom The 1931 landmark case Roberto Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District was the first successful school desegregation court decision in U.S. history. This lecture by Dr. Robert R. Alvarez Jr., a professor emeritus of ethnic studies at UC San Diego and the son of the lead plaintiff in the case, will review the specific struggle by the Mexican families of Lemon Grove in the greater context of the Mexican challenge to U.S. school desegregation. The case established the rights of children of Mexican immigrants to equal education, despite local, regional and national sentiment that favored not only segregation, but the actual deportation of the Mexican population in the United States. Current educational equity issues for Mexican immigrant and Latino communities will be contextualized through regional data compiled by the National Latino Research Center at CSUSM. CSUSM students: Free Faculty/staff/alumni: $5 Community: $10 Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306