CSUSM students volunteered their day off of school to honor the life and legacy of civil rights activist César Chávez with a special all-campus community service day on March 31, 2017. More than 300 students spent a collective 1,000 hours serving North County nonprofits by painting play structures, gardening, beautifying local trails, picking fruit, and organizing a community theater.

Kids of all ages and their families were delighted by over 100 interactive demos and hands-on activities at the annual science festival at CSUSM. Rocket launches, build-a-robot stations, a magic show and animal encounters were just a few of the attractions that engaged 10,000 attendees on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Super STEM Saturday, held at CSUSM in partnership with The Classical Academies.

With gestational diabetes on the rise in America, researchers at CSUSM partnered with dietitians at Vista Community Clinic to improve the health of mothers and their newborns.The project is part of a grant initiative through CSUSM's Office of Community Engagement, which connects faculty with community experts to find solutions that advance the public good. To learn more, visit: csusm.edu/community

For one actor, the script is not a script – it is his real life. Raw and real, CSUSM’s newest original play puts homelessness in the spotlight in “Home” and features the true stories of three homeless individuals, collected from Cal State San Marcos theatre arts student who conducted interviews at a local homeless shelter.See the play before it’s too late. Final three performances: 3/10 at 7pm, 3/12 at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are $10, bit.ly/CSUSMplay. Proceeds benefit Interfaith Community Services.

As 2016 comes to an end, we are reminded of the busy and meaningful year we've had, and the many memorable celebrations that brought so much joy to our campus. No matter how you celebrate, we wish you happy holidays from California State University San Marcos.

Relive the excitement and energy as CSUSM Cougars packed the house in spirit blue for the inaugural Homecoming Game in the new Sports Center, Dec. 3 2016.