California State University San Marcos

Help us win the California State University Photo of the Year! 📸

Vote for CSUSM’s entry featuring our presentation of “Mestizaje: Interwoven Identities Between Mexico, Philippines and Spain”. The photo’s moment of movement and expression reflects the event’s exploration of the shared cultural heritage and enduring connections among Mexico, the Philippines and Spain.

📷 Photo by Brandon Pollard
🗓️ Voting closes Friday, Aug. 28

🔗 Vote here: https://bit.ly/4xaNL6W

On June 30, CSUSM hosted “The Power of Us” Southwest Riverside County Community Breakfast. The event brought together local business, government, education and community leaders to explore how partnerships are shaping the region’s educational and economic future.
Today, more than 20% of CSUSM’s nearly 17,000 students come from Riverside County. Students attend classes on the university’s main campus in San Marcos, at CSUSM’s Temecula locations, online or through a combination of locations.
Learn more: https://news.csusm.edu/csusmhighlights-deepening-ties-with-southwest-riverside-county/

Congratulations to our CSUSM Softball team on being recognized by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. After a historic season including a CCAA Championship, NCAA Division II West Super Regional title and the program's first-ever No.1 national ranking, the full Board proclaimed June 24 CSUSM Softball Team Championship Day throughout San Diego County! Go Cougars! 🐾

The Innovation Hub at Cal State San Marcos hosted a four-day summer Cybersecurity Academy for high school students June 15-18. Facilitated by Howard Chan, the program was created to connect students to emerging industries like cybersecurity, biotechnology and AI through hands-on learning and real-world engagement.
Learn more: https://news.csusm.edu/innovation-hub-hosts-summer-cybersecurity-academy/

Congratulations to Howard Chan for being recognized as one of the San Diego Business Journal's Asian American Pacific Islander Leaders of Influence for 2026.
Learn more: https://news.csusm.edu/innovation-hubs-learning-experience-designer-recognized/

Thank you to Microsoft for recognizing the innovative work underway on our campus. Through the strategic use of incorporating Dynamics 365 with our technology and data, we are improving response times and delivering more personalized proactive support. This work is helping us scale care, enhance the student experience and ensure students receive the right support at the right time.
Learn more: https://www.microsoft.com/en/customers/story/26714-california-state-university-san-marcos-dynamics-365-contact-center?ocid=cmm7elkb84f

With experience as a registered behavior technician, Aliyah Prelow saw furthering her education as the next step toward her goal of working for herself. So Prelow enrolled in CSUSM's fully online speech-language pathology program. She graduated in May and will begin the university's online master's program this fall.
Learn more: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/Online-Degree-Grads-Class-of-2026.aspx

One of the slowest creatures on Earth might be heading toward a scientific breakthrough at warp speed. Cal State San Marcos researchers and colleagues recently discovered a population of banana slugs at Palomar Mountain. Now they are trying to determine if they stumbled on a new species of the slug, or if it is an existing species far from its usual home.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4owwbqI

If you had a choice to climb the highest mountain in the lower United States or walk across a stage to get your college degree, which would you choose? For Cal State San Marcos alumnus Jaedon Spurlock, the decision was simple. During commencement weekend last month, he and his dad, Jared Spurlock, elected to skip the ceremony and instead climb Mount Whitney.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4vlFw7z

Colin Dobbins is used to fighting for wins as a star lacrosse player for Cal State San Marcos. But a few months ago, the 22-year-old offensive midfielder was fighting to recover after a serious injury to his collarbone. Dobbins was participating in a game near the end of the season when tragedy struck, in this case literally.
Despite the physicality and even after two injuries, Dobbins said he wasn’t ready to give up. After all, he has been playing the sport since he was about 4 or 5 years old. But the path back to the field wasn’t easy.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/3PJ4y0N