|  | | 9/19/2023 1:29 PM |  Ruble, Alisia | 9/19/2023 | 9/19/2023 8:00 AM | Reflecting on the significant contributions Dr. Jolene Koester has made to the CSU. | Chancellor | Story | During her four decades of service to the California State University, Dr. Jolene Koester has made a long-lasting impact as a professor, administrator, university president and, since May 2022, interim chancellor. To honor her dedication to the university, the CSU Board of Trustees conferred the title of Chancellor Emerita upon Dr. Koester at its September 2023 meeting.
“Serving as interim chancellor has been my life's greatest professional honor, and it has truly been a labor of love," Dr. Koester said as she accepted the conferral. “Above and beyond the enormous responsibility, it's been a tremendous gift—one that has enabled me to reconnect with the incredible sense of purpose that the CSU provided for me throughout much of my professional life by allowing me to play a small role in elevating thousands of lives through the transformative power of a CSU degree." As the university prepares to say, “Happy retirement!" to Dr. Koester and welcome its 11th chancellor, Dr. Mildred García, we take a moment to reflect on some of Dr. Koester's many contributions to the CSU.
Early Career
Throughout her career, Dr. Koester has developed a well-earned reputation as an ethical and purpose-driven leader, a champion of student success and inclusive excellence, and an unwavering supporter of innovation in teaching and learning.
 CSU has been my professional home since 1983. It has been a thrill to return to the university system i love.
Dr. Koester's relationship with the CSU began four decades ago when she accepted a position as an assistant professor of communication studies at Sacramento State. She quickly became involved in administrative roles and rose to department chair in just three years, eventually serving as assistant vice president, associate vice president and vice president for Sacramento State's Division of Academic Affairs. Dr. Koester was appointed president of California State University, Northridge in 2000 and held the position through 2011, during which time she successfully led CSUN through a period of unprecedented growth. The student population increased by more than 25% during her tenure—from 29,000 to nearly 37,000 students—and the university saw dramatic improvements in student success, including significant gains in both graduation and retention rates. During her administration, the campus also solidified its position as the intellectual and cultural hub of Greater Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley. Known nationally for her expertise and innovation in higher education leadership, Dr. Koester also served as a member and past chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)—in addition to her roles with a variety of other higher education organizations. An 'Accidental Chancellor'
Though Dr. Koester had retired from the CSU, she was asked to return as interim chancellor in May 2022 at a transformational time in the university's history. Koester jokes that she is an "accidental chancellor" because she never aspired to reach this level of leadership, although the role ultimately proved to be perfectly suited to her.
Dr. Koester came to the position with clearly defined goals and priorities—and with a collaborative spirit. During her tenure, the university launched several programs and initiatives to further support student success, restore trust in the university by improving structures and processes and build a glidepath for the next regularly appointed chancellor. To pave a smoother path to a four-year degree for transfer students, the university launched the CSU Transfer Planner—a digital portal that simplifies the transfer process and connects new California Community College students to their future CSU campus of choice early in their educational journey. The university also introduced the Transfer Success Pathway, which guarantees future CSU admission to high school graduates who are entering a California community college and who commit to transferring within three years.
The CSU announced a plan to both elevate Black excellence and address the continuing decline in Black student enrollment, retention and graduation rates across all 23 universities in the CSU system. The comprehensive report, “Advancing Black Student Success and Elevating Black Excellence in the CSU: A Call to Action," is the product of a workgroup called for by Dr. Koester after the system's inaugural Juneteenth Symposium in June 2022. Following the release of a nearly year-long assessment—the largest and most comprehensive review of its kind—the CSU committed to improving its Title IX and other non-discrimination programs prohibiting discrimination, harassment and retaliation based on protected categories and, in doing so, strengthen its culture of care and compliance across the system. Finally, the university celebrated continued progress to improve student achievement through its Graduation Initiative 2025, which has been successful in nearly doubling the four-year graduation rate for first-year students since its launch in 2015. “Earning a degree from the CSU transforms lives," Dr. Koester said in a press release. “I have witnessed it firsthand, and seeing our talented and diverse students achieve their academic goals is a great joy and my highest professional honor."
National Recognition
Dr. Koester's significant contributions to higher education have not gone unnoticed. In April 2023, she received the Tosney Award for Career Service in Higher Education Leadership from the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA) in recognition for her outstanding, long-term experience as an administrator. Named for one of its pioneer members, Elieen Tosney, this award is considered to be AAUA's highest individual honor. And, in August 2023, Dr. Koester was recognized by California Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, Assemblymember Mike Fong and California Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins on the Assembly and Senate floors for her exceptional leadership and service as interim chancellor. “Dr. Jolene Koester stepped in during a difficult time for the CSU system and has been a champion for student success and inclusion, and an unwavering supporter of innovation in teaching and learning," Atkins wrote. “Thank you, Dr. Koester, for your leadership!"
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Interim CSU Chancellor Jolene Koester was recognized on the California Assembly and Senate floors in August 2023 for her exceptional leadership and service to the university and to the state. (Pictured here with, from left, chair of the CSU Board of Trustees Wenda Fong, husband Dr. Ron Lustig and California Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins.)
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From left: Cal State Fullerton President Emeritus Framroze Virjee, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Interim CSU Chancellor Jolene Koester and CSU Dominguez Hills President Thomas Parham at the Raise the B.A.R. Summit in August 2022.
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Interim CSU Chancellor Jolene Koester delivered a call to action to better serve Black students in the CSU at the university's inaugural Juneteenth Symposium in June 2022.
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Interim CSU Chancellor Jolene Koester (right) met with Korea University President Jin Taek Chung in October 2022 to sign a new student exchange agreement and discuss further points of collaboration.
Dr. Jolene Koester (center) and CSU Chancellor Emeritus Charles B. Reed (left) during Dr. Koester's investiture as the fourth president of California State University, Northridge in April 2001. (Photo courtesy of CSUN/CSUN University Library Digital Collections)
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Dr. Jolene Koester (right) during an honorary degree ceremony for United Farm Workers Co-Founder Dolores Huerta (center) in June 2002 during Dr. Koester's tenure as CSUN president. (Photo courtesy of CSUN/CSUN University Library Digital Collections)
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| | | Honoring Chancellor Koester's 40-Year Legacy | | | | 9/19/2023 2:13 PM | Ruble, Alisia | 9/18/2023 | 9/18/2023 10:45 AM | The CSU is committed to being a leader in elevating the education and lives of students within the Latinx community. | Diversity | Story | Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the cultures, legacies and contributions of Latinx Americans. As Latinx individuals make up almost half of the California State University's student body—more than 47 percent—it is integral for the CSU to effectively educate and elevate students within this community. As the CSU's first Latina leader, Chancellor-select Mildred García is committed to continuing the university's efforts and championing success for Latinx students—and all students of color. “I stand on the shoulders of those who sacrificed so much and who came before us, with the responsibility I owe them to provide all that enter our doors, regardless of who they love, regardless of their background, regardless of their income, to a high-quality education that prepares graduates to uplift their families and be the leaders for our state and our nation," she said during her initial address to
the CSU Board of Trustees at its July 2023 meeting.
Supporting Latinx StudentsWith 21 out of its 23 universities designated
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), the CSU has demonstrated its value in educating Latinx students through providing the guidance and resources necessary to promote their academic success. The HSI distinction allows institutions across the U.S. to compete for federal funding to build institutional capacity that expands and enhances educational opportunities for their students, particularly those of Hispanic descent. To further support Latinx students, the CSU launched the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub in 2021 to equip Latinx and other historically underserved students with the skills needed for high-demand careers in STEM. This hub, housed at
California State University, Northridge, will work in collaboration with other CSU campuses and HSIs across the nation to accelerate educational equity while ensuring students have the experience to enter the workforce once they've earned their degrees. Campus programs also allow the CSU to provide Latinx students with the tools and resources to succeed academically and personally.
Excelencia in Education named three CSU campus programs as finalists for its
2023 Examples of
Excelencia initiative, which recognizes programs promoting Latinx student success: -
CSUN's Bridge to the Future Scholars Program supports up to 25 Canoga Park High School graduating seniors with a four-year, tuition-free CSUN education. Bridge to the Future students receive the necessary guidance and resources to successfully complete a bachelor's degree.
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CSUF's Ánimo Latinx Counseling Emphasis program provides counseling graduate students high-quality bilingual and bicultural clinical training that prepares them to work with Latinx and Spanish-speaking clients. Offered in both English and Spanish, the program teaches aspiring mental health professionals how to effectively approach a variety of clinical issues, including those related to the Latinx community, such as intergenerational family conflict, ethnic identity, immigration and intersectionality.
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Chico State's Graduate Equity Fellowship Program seeks to increase the diversity of students completing graduate degree programs at the university, encourages exploration of doctoral degree opportunities and promotes consideration of university faculty careers. It provides financial support in the form of paid research assistantships and stipends for students from historically underrepresented groups.
Celebrating the Latinx Community
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, CSU campuses will host a variety of social gatherings and workshops to shed light on the history of the Latinx community, while also amplifying their lived experiences and accomplishments. Here are a few examples: -
Cal State LA had their EOP Latinx Heritage Month Celebration on September 16, providing the opportunity to connect, have fun and play traditional games, such as Loteria.
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Cal State Fullerton presented a virtual event on September 12 called “Latinx Professionals in Science and Math" where a panel of Latinx alumni professionals who work in the science and math industry share their experience and offer advice to students.
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CSU San Marcos hosted their Heritage Month Kickoff on September 15 to celebrate the Latinx community by listening to live music, playing games and eating cultural food. Students will have the opportunity to enter a giveaway.
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CSU Bakersfield is encouraging Latinx students to express themselves through poetry, music, dance and other art forms during the campus's Expression Nights set to take place Thursday evening on September 29.
- Finally, Cal State San Bernardino will host its annual
Latino Education and Advocacy Days (LEAD) Summit on September 29. The event, featuring guest speaker CSU Chancellor-select García, will focus on education and violence in schools, community safety and law enforcement. The free, public summit brings together a variety of professionals and community members who share a common interest and commitment to education issues that impact the Latinx community with the intention of building toward a brighter future.
The CSU partners with Latinx communities to increase the college preparation, enrollment and graduation rates of students across the state of California. Learn more about these efforts, and read past reflections from the CSU's Latinx university presidents. | | | Celebrating Latinx Culture and Academic Excellence | | | | 9/14/2023 12:35 PM | Kelly, Hazel | 9/13/2023 | 9/13/2023 3:25 PM | The California State University Board of Trustees has approved a multi-year tuition proposal that will increase tuition by six percent per year for five years, and help to bring stability to the University's budget. | Tuition | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees has approved a multi-year tuition proposal that will increase tuition by six percent per year for five years, and help to bring stability to the university's budget. Under the approved proposal, full-time undergraduate tuition will increase by $342 per student beginning in the 2024-25 academic year. The tuition proposal will sunset at the end of 2028-29.
About 60 percent of CSU undergraduate students whose tuition is fully covered through grants, scholarships, waivers and other non-loan aid, will not pay the increase. Another 18 percent will have the tuition increase partially paid for through non-load aid. The tuition increase will generate $148 million in revenue in the first year (2024-25) with $49 million going toward financial aid support for students. The five years of the tuition increase will generate a total of $860 million in revenue, with a commitment of $280 million of that revenue for financial aid. "The revenue from the tuition increase is essential to provide the CSU with the financial stability it needs to continue to serve students today and in the future," said Steve Relyea, CSU executive vice chancellor & chief financial officer. "Coupled with an expanded financial aid structure that will look more holistically at the total cost of attendance, the CSU is committed to keeping costs as low as possible and providing support for students with the greatest financial need."
Tuition has only been increased once by 5 percent (or $270) in the past 12 years, while inflation grew by 39 percent. The revenue generated by the increase will help to narrow the perennial funding gap between the CSU's revenue and its costs. Priorities for the increased tuition revenue include: Increased funding for the State University Grant (SUG) program
Academic and student services support
Basic needs and mental health services
Title IX implementation and ongoing costs
Infrastructure, including new facilities and ongoing maintenance
Compensation to attract and retain outstanding faculty and staff For more information, visit the CSU's Tuition Increase webpage and the CSU's Tuition & Fees webpage.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. More than 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 125,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | CSU Board of Trustees Approves Multi-Year Tuition Proposal | | | | 9/14/2023 10:03 AM | Beall, Alex | 9/13/2023 | 9/13/2023 1:25 PM | CSU representatives from all 23 universities meet with prospective students and prepare them for college admission. | Access | Story | The California State University will be hosting its annual 'College Night' college fairs throughout September and October. These free events provide opportunities for high school or community college students, returning students or adult learners and their family members to meet with all 23 CSU campuses in one location. College Night visitors will receive advice on applying for admission, selecting a major and choosing the CSU campus that best fits their needs. What to expect: - Meet and make connections with representatives from all 23 CSU campuses
- Learn how to best prepare for CSU first-year and transfer admissions
- Receive tips on completing your Cal State Apply application
- Discover available financial aid resources to help pay for college
- Take a picture with a CSU mascot or two!
Did you know students who apply to their local Cal State university are given priority admission? The CSU offers over 4,000 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, so we are confident there is a place for you to pursue your interests at one of our campuses. Beginning on October 1, the CSU will start accepting applications for admission to the fall 2024 term at all 23 universities. Prospective students interested in attending a CSU campus can apply online at Cal State Apply. Start your application early and avoid the unnecessary stress of waiting until the last minute. Cal State Apply enables all potential CSU incoming freshman, transfer, graduate and international students to apply to multiple CSU campuses with just one application.
Watch a video that invites you to join us at a College Night college fair in your area.
Please visit the CSU College Night website for more information. CSU College Night Dates: Tuesday, September 19th | Pasadena Convention Center | Pasadena, CA Thursday, September 21st | Anaheim Convention Center | Anaheim, CA Tuesday, September 26th | Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport | Burlingame, CA Thursday, September 28th | California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento, CA Monday, October 2nd | Visalia Convention Center | Visalia, CA
| | | CSU 'College Night' Helps Pave the Road to Your Four-Year Degree | | | | 9/13/2023 8:05 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 9/13/2023 | 9/13/2023 7:00 AM | The California State University Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes to serve as president of California State University, Los Angeles. | Leadership | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes to serve as president of California State University, Los Angeles. Eanes currently serves as president of York College, City University of New York. “I am honored to join this outstanding university and its vibrant and diverse campus community," Eanes said. "I look forward to engaging and collaborating with Cal State LA's talented students, staff and faculty to continue the institution's journey to new heights in student success, research, scholarship and creative activity, and community engagement." Eanes will become the university's first woman president. She succeeds Interim President Leroy M. Morishita, who has served in the role since the retirement of President Emeritus William A. Covino at the end of July 2023. Eanes will be Cal State LA's ninth president. “A champion of diversity, equity and inclusion, Dr. Eanes is the ideal person to lead Cal State LA and continue to drive its powerful engine of social mobility," said CSU Trustee Jack B. Clarke, Jr., chair of the Cal State LA Presidential Search Committee. “Her leadership experience and stalwart commitment to student success will serve the university and its diverse community well." Eanes has served as president of York College since 2020 following a one-year interim appointment, where she provides strategic leadership and council to approximately 1,100 faculty, staff and administrators, while overseeing a $91M budget, including endowments, fundraising and centrally administered resources. Eanes has also served as a professor in the Department of Social Work since 2019. Her appointment as president of Cal State LA marks a return to the CSU for Eanes, who previously served as vice president for Student Affairs at California State University, Fullerton (2012 to 2019), where she delivered leadership and oversight for myriad student success programs, as well as new campus infrastructure and the university's strategic plan. In 2018, Eanes received the CSU's Wang Family Excellence Award for achieving transformative results in her role as a member of the CSUF president's cabinet and as vice president. Eanes is an acclaimed scholar widely published in the field of social work and has served as a faculty member or administrator at various institutions, including Columbia University, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Morehouse College, Georgia State University, Clark Atlanta University, Hamilton College and Teach for Africa, Ethiopia. Eanes earned a bachelor's degree in public health from Dillard University, a master's in social work from Boston University and her doctorate in social work from Clark Atlanta University. Eanes will assume the university presidency on January 8, 2024.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. More than 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 125,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | Berenecea Johnson Eanes Appointed President of California State University, Los Angeles | | | | 9/11/2023 1:30 PM | Thropay, Janessa | 9/11/2023 | 9/11/2023 1:30 PM | California State University Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester has appointed Dr. Vernon B. Harper Jr. to serve as interim president of California State University, Bakersfield. | Leadership | Press Release |  California State University (CSU) Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester has appointed Dr. Vernon B. Harper Jr. to serve as interim president of California State University, Bakersfield. Harper currently serves as CSU Bakersfield's provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Harper will serve as interim president beginning on Dec. 31, 2023, for approximately 12 months while the CSU Board of Trustees conducts a national search for the university's next regularly appointed president.
“Dr. Harper is a highly principled and energetic academic leader, with a well-established track record of innovation, student success, and inspiring faculty engagement and productivity," said CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester. “He is a student-focused leader with a longstanding dedication to educational equity and a demonstrated commitment to institutional achievement through university-wide collaboration. In addition, Dr. Harper is deeply rooted in the CSU Bakersfield community with productive relationships throughout the region. I have every confidence that he is uniquely positioned to continue CSUB's upward trajectory."
Under his leadership as provost and vice president at CSUB, the university has seen all-time highs in graduation and retention rates; advanced diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for faculty and students; built significant public-private partnerships to increase enrollment; and benefitted from successful philanthropic efforts and investments to advance student success.
“I am humbled and honored that Interim Chancellor Koester has entrusted me with the stewardship of this extraordinary university, where families from throughout the region find a welcoming home to grow and prosper," said Harper. “I have had an exceptional role model in President Zelezny, and I look forward to continuing the energy and engagement that are the hallmark of her legacy. Together, the CSUB family will remain focused on our mission: the students."
Harper's tenure at CSUB began in 2016, when he served as associate vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of Academic Programs, as well as a professor of communication. He was named interim provost in 2019 before accepting the permanent role in 2020, in which he oversees the academic life and faculty affairs at the university, as well as enrollment, retention, recruitment and graduation initiatives, research, partnerships, and projects to promote innovation, among other critical areas.
Prior to his roles at CSUB, Harper served as the associate vice president for Academic Administration (2012-2016) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCUPA), where he led the opening of a branch campus located in downtown Philadelphia and worked with the Frederick Douglass Institute to develop the campus's Diversity Strategic Plan to attract diverse candidates for faculty positions.
In addition to his public higher education experience, Harper served as associate provost at Wilkes University of Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2012, where he was responsible for regional accreditation, assessment and institutional effectiveness.
Before joining Wilkes University, Harper was an associate for Academic Affairs at the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia, the system administrative body of the 16 four-year institutions and 23 two-year institutions in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Harper earned a bachelor's degree in communication from Pennsylvania State University, a master's degree in rhetoric and communication from West Chester University, and a doctorate in human communication from Howard University. He also served eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve and is the recipient of the U.S. Army Achievement Medal and the Martin Luther King Unity Award.
In July 2023, CSUB's current president, Lynnette Zelezny, announced that she would be retiring from her role at the end of the calendar year. Zelezny is the fifth president of CSUB and the first woman to hold the distinction.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. More than 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 125,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | Vernon B. Harper Jr. Appointed Interim President of California State University, Bakersfield | | | | 9/11/2023 10:02 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 9/11/2023 | 9/11/2023 10:00 AM | The California State University has selected 23 students who have demonstrated superior academic and personal achievement to receive the 2023 CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. | Student Success | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) has selected 23 students who have demonstrated superior academic and personal achievement to receive the 2023 CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. These exemplary students—one from each CSU university—will be honored during a ceremony as part of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, September 12. “The life stories of these extraordinary students who have triumphed over personal hardships to stand among the university system's most distinguished scholars are a testament to the transformative power of public higher education," said CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester. “Through donor support, the CSU is able to provide students who have faced educational barriers the opportunity to pursue a college degree and apply their life experiences and classroom knowledge to elevate their communities and our great state." The CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement, which is the highest student distinction within the university, grants students scholarships based on academic achievements, financial need, excellence in community service and personal hardship. Since the program's inception in 1984, more than 440 CSU students have been honored with the Trustees' Award. This year's class of inspiring awardees will receive more than $180,000 in scholarships collectively, thanks to the generous contributions from past and present CSU trustees and other donors. The largest scholarship was made possible by a donation from CSU Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi, who endows a scholarship fund to recognize the top-scoring CSU Trustees' Award recipient annually. CSUN student Tania Parker—a parent scholar who was formerly incarcerated and has overcome homelessness and other challenges to now become a fierce advocate for underrepresented communities—was named the 2023 Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar and will receive an $18,000 scholarship.
The 2023 CSU Trustees' Scholars are: - Maxima Alexandra, Cal Maritime
Trustee Jack McGrory Scholar
- Erish Mae E. Araneta, Cal State Long Beach
Ron and Mitzi Barhorst Scholar
- Christina Benitez Ruiz, Cal Poly
William Randolph Hearst Scholar
- Colin Christian Bethishou, Stanislaus State
Steve Relyea Scholar
- Monica Chicas, Cal State East Bay
William Randolph Hearst Scholar
- Ali Fakhrudin Dadawalla, Fresno State
Chancellor Emeritus Charles B. and Catherine Reed Scholar
- Andres Felix Romero, Cal Poly Humboldt
CSU Trustee Leslie and Cliff Gilbert-Lurie Scholar
- Angelo Incitti, Sonoma State
Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Fong Scholar
- Sahmae S. Jackson, Cal State San Bernardino
Trustee Emeritus Murray L. Galinson Scholar
- Gerardo Langarica Martinez, Chico State
Chancellor Emeritus Timothy P. White Scholar
- Krystal Lopez, CSU Dominguez Hills
TELACU Scholar
- Melanie Mena, CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Trustee Chair Wenda Fong and Daniel Fetterly Scholar
- Estefania Montiel, San José State
Trustee Emeritus William Hauck and Padget Kaiser Scholar
- Yesenia Aurora Mora, CSU San Marcos
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Scholar
- Philip Nicoll, Cal Poly Pomona
Edison International Scholar
- Anthony Kyle Olson, Cal State Fullerton
William Randolph Hearst Scholar
- Serena Palaroan, CSU Channel Islands
Trustee Emerita Debra S. Farar Scholar
- Tania Parker, CSUN
Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar
- Felisa Patiño-Longoria, CSU Bakersfield
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Scholar
- Shamona Thompson Ross, Sacramento State
Trustee Emerita Claudia H. Hampton Scholar
- Jahaziel Sanchez, San Diego State
John and Beverly Stauffer Foundation Scholar
- Patrick Emmanuel Sangalang, Cal State LA
Michael A. and Debe Lucki Scholar
- Elizabeth Strong, San Francisco State
William Randolph Hearst Scholar
For bios on all 23 scholars as well as donor information, visit the CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement website. The CSU Board of Trustees meeting, where each awardee will be recognized during the Committee on Institutional Advancement portion on September 12 beginning at approximately 4 p.m., will be held at the CSU Chancellor's Office, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach, CA 90802.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. More than 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 125,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | CSU to Honor Achievements of 23 Outstanding Students with Trustees’ Award Scholarships | | | | 9/14/2023 10:24 AM | Ruble, Alisia | 9/5/2023 | 9/5/2023 8:00 AM | New academic opportunities, student services and facilities create even richer educational experiences for students. | Student Success | Story | School is back in session and CSU students can find new academic and career opportunities, expanded support services and modernized classrooms and labs in addition to familiar faces and facilities. No matter what the area of study, the 23 universities in the CSU system continue to grow offerings that provide students with unique and transformative educational experiences.
Take a quick look at what's new this school year. Leadership New Sacramento State President Luke Wood greets students as they move into campus dorms before the start of the fall 2023 term. (Photo courtesy of Sacramento State/Andrea Price)
Each year brings new faces to the CSU's 23 universities, but some are seeing exciting changes at the top level of leadership. New presidents take the reins at seven campuses: Stephen Perez at Chico State, Luke Wood at Sacramento State, Ming-Tung “Mike" Lee at Sonoma State, Sylvia Alva at Cal State Fullerton (Interim), Leroy Morishita at Cal State LA (Interim), Michael J. Dumont at Cal Maritime (Interim) and Susan Borrego at Stanislaus State (Interim).
Other campuses will see their share of new president's cabinet members:
- Cal Poly Humboldt appointed Mark A. Johnson to serve as Chief of Staff for the President's Office and Nick Pettit to serve as Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports for the Lumberjacks.
- Fresno State welcomed new community members: Kent Willis, vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management; Rashanda Booker, Fresno State's first university diversity office; Brady Crook, vice president of University Advancement; Terree Stevenson, associate vice president and dean of students for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.
- Cal State San Bernardino named Edna Martinez associate vice president and administrator in charge of the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus.
Last, but certainly not least, Mildred García—the CSU system's first Latina chancellor in its 63-year history—will assume leadership of the CSU on October 1, 2023. She will succeed Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester, who has led the CSU since May 2022. Academic Programs Chico State has a new astronomy minor and much of the learning is happening in the university's Roth Planetarium. (Photo courtesy of Chico State/Jason Halley)
Students at several CSU universities will also find new degrees and academic programs to expand career opportunities. Chico State is offering a new astronomy minor this fall. Much of the learning is happening in the Roth Planetarium (pictured above), which shines a light through a starsphere with 1,000 holes in the pattern of the constellations. A new class will center on the solar system, planets, telescopes and stars, and a second class delves into galaxies, the universe and cosmology.
CSU Dominguez Hills launched a new doctoral program in occupational therapy this year—the first doctoral program offered in the university's more than 60-year history. The inaugural student cohort began their journey this summer.
And, starting this fall, incarcerated people across California will have the opportunity to earn a fully accredited Master of Arts in Humanities degree thanks to a partnership between CSUDH and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
As part of its polytechnic transition, Cal Poly Humboldt launched 10 new academic programs this year, including bachelor's degree programs in cannabis studies, data science and energy systems engineering. The highly interdisciplinary programs meet the needs of surrounding rural communities with particular emphasis on underserved populations. They align with the state of California's goals in areas related to climate resilience and wildfire mitigation, and they create access to impacted degree programs that correlate with huge workforce gains.
Fresno State's new minor in music technology includes courses in audio and music for visual media, music recording techniques and more. The university now also offers minors in LGBTQ2+ studies and survey engineering, the latter of which aims to bridge the gap between civil managers and construction managers. Additionally, the university relocated the Reserve Officers' Training Corp (ROTC) to be housed under the College of Health and Human Studies.
Cal State Fullerton introduced a bachelor's degree in art history, which combines art theory and appreciation in such courses as 3D modeling, museum education and advanced ceramics. CSUF also introduced a bachelor's degree in communicative disorders, as well as several courses through the new Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Cal Poly Pomona's Singelyn Graduate School of Business launched a new Master of Science in Digital Marketing (MSDM) degree, a STEM-designated program intended to meet the growing demand for professionals skilled in digital marketing strategies.
San Diego State has a number of new classes and additional offerings this fall, including a course exploring leadership with Green Day bass player Mike Dirnt joining, a class specific to artificial intelligence and a K-pop course. San Francisco State's College of Science & Engineering (CoSE) launched a new School of the Environment (SotE) to meet the evolving needs of students studying and researching environmental topics.
Stanislaus State announced new areas of concentration: a digital and social media marketing concentration as part of the online Master of Business Administration degree, a journalism and professional writing concentration as part of the Bachelor of Arts in English degree and a theatre education concentration as part of the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts degree. The university also introduced a new leadership studies certificate through its extended education program.
Student Support Services CSU Monterey Bay Basic Needs coordinator Robyn DoCanto stocks shelves in the newly expanded HUB food pantry. (Photo courtesy of CSUMB/Katherine Divas-Juarez)
To ensure students are successful in and out of the classroom, the CSU provides holistic services at each of the 23 universities through the systemwide Basic Needs Initiative. These and other services that foster student well-being continue to grow with each new academic year, and this fall is no exception.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo announced a new Huerta-Lewis Social Justice Residential Learning Community geared toward students who are passionate about social justice and equity, with priority given to ethnic studies undergraduate students. Students will participate in a range of required for-credit academic courses designed to provide a holistic understanding of social justice and inclusive leadership. The university also established an Off-Campus Housing Program to help students make an easy transition from on-campus to off-campus living while encouraging them to become engaged, positive members of the community.
San Diego State launched the "Successful Students" campaign through the university's Coordinated Campus Wide Student Success Committee, which features six tips to help students make the most of their SDSU experience.
SDSU's newly formed Blue Ribbon Task Force recently began meeting. Made up of students, staff, faculty, administrators and community members, the task force is charged with recommending systems to reduce gender-based violence in collegiate environments and identifying ways to support victims. SDSU Imperial Valley opened its new Student Accommodations Services Center earlier this year to continue to expand support services and break down academic barriers for students with disabilities.
Beginning this fall, Cal Poly Pomona's Academic Innovation team will work with CPP faculty to offer more courses with an embedded micro-internship component as part of the Community Partnership for Student Success project. The micro-internships are open to all students including Dreamers and international students. CSU Monterey Bay expanded its Basic Needs program, which ensures students have adequate food, clothing and housing, and relocated it to a bigger and more visible space on campus. And beginning this fall, CSUMB Basic Needs will provide housing support for 10 student parents through the Parenting Scholars Program.
Cal State Long Beach announced a brand-new program for first-time, first-year students. Beach XP, short for Beach Experience, aims to establish peer networks, enhance learning, build career connections and cultivate community through friendship and fun.
CSULB also introduced Elbee, the university's aquatic mascot, with the Hidden Disabilities sunflower. The sunflower allows students, staff and faculty to identify an individual with a hidden disability who would benefit from understanding, inclusivity and support.
Cal Poly Humboldt, in its commitment to continuously improve student and employee support, has reorganized its administrative structure to provide enhanced services to its community. The reorganization will unite various support areas under a new Campus Disability Resource Center, ensuring a more effective and streamlined service experience.
Buildings and Facilities San Diego State completed construction on its Main Stage Theater, shown in the rendering above, as part of its new SDSU Performing Arts District, which is expected to open later this year. (Photo courtesy of SDSU)
As academic offerings continue to grow, so do the campuses themselves. Several universities have unveiled new classrooms, labs, centers and performance spaces to enrich CSU educational experiences. CSU Dominguez Hills students can now visit the Toro Esports Academy, which features a competitive arena for students with 38 gaming stations, three broadcast stations equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and practical classroom space.
Fresno State's recently established M.K. Ghandi Center will open its physical space on October 18, 2023 in Room 3109 on the third floor of the Fresno State Library.
Cal Poly Humboldt reopened its Trinity Annex, which now houses the university's Children's Center and Child Development Lab. The renovated Children's Center includes expanded outdoor play areas and offers improved access to families who use the center.
Cal Maritime opened a renovated Mayo Hall this fall, creating a new campus hub for cadet life and student services including admissions, financial aid and career and veterans services. The building features several elements that celebrate the Cal Maritime community such as a Wall of Honor and a display case for the school's history and achievements.
Cal Poly Pomona has a new green space on campus where the iconic CLA Tower once stood. Adjacent to the picturesque Aratani Japanese Garden, The Park at 98 includes tables and chairs, a new router to boost connectivity and multiple charging outlets.
San Diego State recently announced the creation of the Pierce Greek Life Center (PGLC), making SDSU one of only three universities nationwide to have an endowed Greek Life Center. The PGLC will facilitate opportunities for students to pursue their passions and develop leadership skills through scholarships, internships and experiential learning programs.
SDSU has also completed a number of infrastructure projects including the expansion of the SDSU KPBS broadcasting station and the Main Stage Theater, and anticipates the opening of the SDSU Performing Arts District and the 34-acre river park at SDSU Mission Valley later this year.
San Francisco State has a new hub focused on connecting students to research, scholarship and creative activities. SF State Create currently offers services remotely but has plans for a physical space in the future.
San José State opened the Interdisciplinary Science Building (ISB)—SJSU's first new academic building in more than 30 years. The university also celebrated the grand opening of the Spartan Athletics Center, which will provide amenities including a sports medicine facility and a hydrotherapy room for student-athletes on all of SJSU's 22 athletic teams.
This will be the first full academic year during which classes and labs will be held in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation. The center includes a green roof with space for outdoor learning, a dedicated culinary teaching lab, food safety research and teaching labs, a sensory lab for the Food Science and Nutrition Department and more.
CSU San Marcos aims to broaden students' physics skills through its new Quantum Design Teaching & Materials Discovery Laboratory. The lab's centerpiece is the VersaLab Physical Properties Measurement System—instrumentation that gives CSUSM undergraduate students access to developing hands-on skills and expertise typically reserved for graduate students and working research scientists.
Sonoma State welcomed students back to its largest academic building, Stevenson Hall, after an eight-year renovation. It is SSU's first LEED-certified building and is home to 22 lecture spaces, ranging from 24 to 224 seats, including seven classrooms with HyFlex technology that combines face-to-face instruction and online learning.
Technology and Equipment%20(1)_resized.png) Cal Maritime's Department of Academic Technology led the campus through a classroom technology refresh over the summer to ensure faculty are equipped to use interactive features. (Photo courtesy of Cal Maritime)
Lastly, universities have implemented technology that helps cut down on costs, ease the strain on the environment and incorporate smart features into curriculum.
Sonoma State announced a new power purchase agreement with Total Energies. The Solar Array Project is expected to save SSU about $6 million over the next 30 years—the 4.5 megawatts generated by the solar panels is expected to save one-third of the campus daily electricity usage. The project also will allow SSU's Emergency Operations Center to be powered without the use of a gas generator during emergencies.
Sacramento State installed more than 2,500 solar panels as part of efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. The university estimates the renewable energy will make up about 20% of its total energy use during much of the year and up to 30% during the summer when solar energy is at its highest production.
Cal Maritime's Department of Academic Technology led the campus through a classroom technology refresh over the summer in collaboration with the facilities and information technology departments. The new upgrades provide OneScreen interactive whiteboard capabilities for faculty to draw, capture and annotate, allowing for a more immersive experience. Students can also save notes from the whiteboard simply by capturing the QR code generated from OneScreen.
CSU Monterey Bay secured a grant from CalFIRE to create a safer campus community by reducing the potential risks, fuels and spread of wildfire. The work, which began this summer and continues into fall, includes removing dead plants and grasses and trimming trees and brush to create a "defensible space" around homes.
CSUMB is also transitioning to Zoom phones that will save on costs while expanding technology capabilities. The Chancellor's Office and several other CSU campuses have made the transition, as well.
CSU Channel Islands has installed additional HyFlex classrooms, configured with high-quality cameras, microphones and speakers that allow for hybrid in-person or online class attendance, to upgrade the campus learning experience. Additionally, CSUCI's Teaching and Learning Innovations developed a new Student Success course that has compiled information on how best to learn in person and online.
Stay up to date on the latest news and developments across the 23 universities in the CSU system at Calstate.edu/news. | | | What's New at the CSU for Fall 2023 | | | | 8/28/2023 9:38 AM | Ruble, Alisia | 8/28/2023 | 8/28/2023 8:00 AM | The value of a college degree, especially one earned at the CSU, remains undeniably high. | Affordability | Story | Earning a college degree is the best investment you can make in yourself. With more than 4,000 degree programs, the California State University offers abundant opportunities to discover your life's purpose, learn a new skill or move up in your career.
Here are three facts that prove a CSU degree is still undeniably worth it.
1.
College graduates earn more money
According to a
report by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), bachelor's degree holders earn a median of $2.8 million during their career, 75% more than if they had only a high school diploma. These lifetime earnings increase with master's and doctoral degrees, but it matters a great deal which institution and major students choose.
“It really pays to look at outcomes and not be blinded by the brand name," CEW Director of Editorial and Education Policy Martin Van Der Werf said in a recent LA Times article. “The best brand name doesn't necessarily mean it's going to result in the highest life earnings."
Additionally, data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that those with bachelor's degrees had a 2.2% unemployment rate in 2022, while high school graduates with no college education had a 4% unemployment rate. In addition to having higher earnings and lower rates of unemployment, college graduates are more likely to own a home and less likely to be in poverty or need social services, according to
findings from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).
A new analysis of federal data by the HEA Group shows CSU graduates stand to make as much, if not more, than graduates of other universities where students pay double or more in tuition. A
recent article about the analysis reported that, "Among computer engineering majors, for instance, San José State graduates earn a median $127,047 four years after graduation—nearly the same as UCLA's $128,131 and more than USC's $115,102, as well as seven other UC campuses that offer the major. CSU graduates in that field from Chico, Long Beach, Fresno, Fullerton, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Luis Obispo earn more than $90,000 annually."
“The CSU system has really been shown as a pillar of producing economic mobility for its students...They're really at the top of the list of affordability and outcomes.”
—Michael Itzkowitz, HEA Group President
2. A CSU degree is less expensive than you might think
The CSU remains committed to keeping college affordable for all Californians through a combination of low
tuition and generous
financial aid options that include grants, scholarships and fellowships and work-study. CSU tuition is among the lowest in the country and hasn't risen more than once in the past decade. Even with potential moderate tuition increases, the average cost of attendance will remain below the national average of comparison institutions.
For in-state students with a household income of $75k or less, CSU tuition is typically $0.
More than 80% of CSU undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid and 60% have their tuition completely covered by grants and waivers. For in-state students with a household income of $75,000 or less, CSU tuition is typically $0.
During the 2021-22 academic year, nearly $4.25 billion was distributed to more than 383,000 CSU students. The average award was $11,070—nearly double the cost of tuition—which students can use to pay for housing, food and other living expenses. Grants and scholarships are also available for
undocumented students who are ineligible for federal financial aid. And, more than half of CSU undergraduates finish with zero student loan debt, and those who do take on loans graduate with about half as much debt as the national average and well below the state average.
For those who need help paying for essentials outside the classroom, the university has a robust
student well-being and basic needs program that includes CalFresh application assistance and access to food distribution programs on each of the 23 campuses.
3. CSU is nationally ranked for high return on investment
While the CSU is well represented in national
university rankings, they rank particularly high in ones that put the most emphasis on return on investment and positive student outcomes.
California State Universities were at the top of Money Magazine's 2023 list of the “Best Public Colleges in America" for providing an excellent value for in-state students, and in its list of the “Best Colleges in the West."
The CSU also dominated Washington Monthly's 2023 list of the “Best Bang for the Buck" schools in the West, with Cal State LA earning the top spot. The CSU represented more than half of the top 20 schools, and all 23 universities in the CSU system ranked in the top 30% of the list. The transformative power of a CSU degree is regularly recognized in rankings that place great importance on economic mobility. All 23 universities are included in CollegeNET's most recent “Social Mobility Index" (SMI), which measures the extent to which a college or university educates more economically disadvantaged students—with family incomes below the national median—at lower tuition and graduates them into good paying jobs. CSU San Marcos, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State LA and Cal State Bakersfield were all among the top 10 of the SMI, with CSUSM coming in at No. 1 in the nation.
First-generation college graduate Jeremy Addis-Mills (CSUSM '07) credits his time at the CSU with his success as a leader in his field.
"I chose to attend CSUSM because of its affordability and its proximity to where I was living, but it turned into a fantastic experience," Addis-Mills said in a recent
Calstate.edu article. "My advice to future students is to focus on what is interesting to you because, in the end, the value of any degree is better than no degree at all."
Addis-Mills founded his global communications agency,
Digital Impact &, in 2017 and currently serves as Immediate Past President for the CSU Alumni Council.
“My CSU experience had such a profound impact on me, and as an employer I think higher education is critical to moving up in the world.”
—Jeremy Addis-Mills (CSUSM '07), President and Founder of Digital Impact &
The California State University is accepting applications for the spring 2024 term through August 31, 2023 and will begin accepting applications for fall 2024 on October 1, 2023. To learn more about degree programs at each of the CSU's 23 universities, visit the
Cal State Apply portal. | | | Is College Worth It? Three Reasons Why the CSU Isn't Something to Sleep On | | | | 8/24/2023 3:59 PM | Ruble, Alisia | 8/21/2023 | 8/21/2023 8:30 AM | See how CSU programs bring students’ business ideas from conception to market. | Student Success | Story |
Developing an Entrepreneurial EcosystemSee how CSU programs bring students’ business ideas from conception to market.
Members of one of the first-prize winning teams, Solubrin, pose with Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition coordinators.
START YOUR ENGINES
For the first time in its history, the CSU invited students from across the state to compete in a systemwide business pitch competition in spring 2023, gathering nearly 100 of its top student innovators and entrepreneurs and connecting them with funds to launch or grow their fledgling companies.
Thirty-six student teams from 18 universities competed in the inaugural Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition, hosted by
San José State, to pitch ideas that address some of today's major issues, like food scarcity, fentanyl misuse and hiring challenges.
Many of the business ideas were born out of various
startup incubator programs on CSU campuses which provide valuable mentoring, networking and professional development opportunities to help students prepare for pitches and presentations to investors.
The Startup Launch Competition was funded in large part by
Sunstone Management, a diversified private capital firm with a long history of supporting entrepreneurial activity at the CSU.
“The founders of Sunstone Management believe the CSU system, with its 23 great universities and nearly 460,000 creative and talented students, will be responsible for creating several new technology startups that will shape the future of California's economy,” says Sunstone CEO John Keisler.
Fifteen student teams took home a total of $200,000 in prize money provided by Sunstone, who announced at the awards ceremony a five-year, $1 million commitment to the university to support the competition and continue promoting the pursuit of business innovation.
“Being able to tap into and support the brain power and energy of students and professors in the CSU system is both our honor and duty,” Keisler says.
Ganesh Raman, associate vice chancellor of research at the CSU Chancellor's Office, says the annual competition also brings students and campuses together to share ideas, adding that this collaboration is crucial to strengthening the university's entrepreneurship network and promoting cross pollination.
See what three first-place winners of the Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition say about the support they received from the university.
Team: Nomad Recruiting | Fresno State: Kara Hernandez and Kat Cole
Team: Nomad Recruiting | Fresno State: Kara Hernandez and Kat Cole
Fresno State students Kara Hernandez and Kat Cole created Nomad Recruiting to address staffing shortages in the hospitality industry following the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair have a combined 20 years of experience working in the service industry and have seen first-hand the negative impact a lack of quality staffing can have on employee morale, guest experience and the reputation of the establishment. In a time of automation, they say it’s important to focus on the human element and find new ways to meet customer demands. “We have received so much support through Fresno State’s
Laval Entrepreneur Mentor Program,
The Entrepreneurship Club and our classmates," Hernandez says. “Our mentors enabled us to participate in pitch competitions like the CSU Startup Competition as well as conferences and connected us with other professionals who provided valuable input.”
Team: Planit Ponics | CSU Dominguez Hills: DeVonne Hart (CSUDH ‘23), Johnnell Bragg and Chris Hendrix
Team: Planit Ponics | CSU Dominguez Hills: DeVonne Hart (CSUDH ‘23), Johnnell Bragg and Chris Hendrix Inspired by his grandmother’s gardening lessons and his own experiences living in food deserts, DeVonne Hart created Planit Ponics, an urban agricultural company intended to provide people with a sustainable and scalable way to grow healthy food in urban areas where space is limited and soil is poor. Following his graduation from
CSU Dominguez Hills in spring 2023, Hart opened the company’s first storefront at 606 Santa Rosa Avenue in Santa Rosa, California. “The Innovation Incubator at CSU Dominguez Hills has amazing students and faculty, and being in that environment presents a lot of opportunity for growth,” Hart says. “David Ochi, who teaches in the business school, acted as a mentor to me, and played a big role in my journey by helping me prepare my pitch for various competitions like this one."
Team: Solubrin | Cal State San Bernardino: Edward Timmons, Miranda Lee, Alyha Martinez, Suki Pierson and Olivia Gutierrez
Team: Solubrin | Cal State San Bernardino: Edward Timmons, Miranda Lee, Alyha Martinez, Suki Pierson and Olivia Gutierrez Solubrin is a result of collaboration between researches at Loma Linda University Health and students from Cal State San Bernardino's School of Entrepreneurship to create a novel blood coagulation test meant to aid in early clot detection, which could save thousands of lives while improving patient outcomes and alleviating the strain on America’s healthcare systems. CSUSB master's student
Edward Timmons says 800,000 people are hospitalized and 100,000 people die each year due to blood clots, and healthcare costs related to blood clots exceed $15 billion. “CSUSB has supported me beyond measure,” Timmons says. “Being raised in a low-income household that placed little importance on education led me to believe college was not for me, but CSUSB and the
School of Entrepreneurship tapped into my passion for business and enabled me to believe success is possible."  Previous  Next
Students from the CSU-7 Community Grant Builder (CBG) pilot program take part in marketing training.
CONNECTING CALIFORNIANS
A systemwide pitch competition is only the first step to connecting all 23 universities in an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Faculty at
Cal State Long Beach's
Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship are developing a systemwide network of support programs, thanks to a CSU-7 Community Grant Builder (CBG) from the Sunstone Community Fund. Seven CSU campuses, including CSULB, are participating in the pilot program: Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, Pomona and San José.
The goals of the CBG are to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem on each campus by building awareness and engagement for programs and activities around entrepreneurship and map for each campus that will include information on each of the programs, resources for entrepreneurs, opportunities to collaborate and much more.
Ingrid Martin, a professor of marketing at CSULB says they hope to eventually create a roadmap to extend the collaboration model to all 23 universities. Faculty are currently seeking funding for a
platform that will be the hub for information, resources and collaboration.
“The idea is that one day, all this information will be available in one place so that a CSU entrepreneur—or even members of the public—can immediately see what startup programs and activities are available, not just at their own campus but across the state,” Martin says. “This will also increase collaboration so that if a student at one campus has a business idea but doesn’t possess the technological skills they need to bring it to fruition, we can connect them to a student at program at another campus who does.”
The funding also enabled CBG partner campuses to hire and train student assistants to develop messaging, track performance and help promote the programs at the participating campuses.
As a trial, five of the seven CSUs helped raise awareness of and promote the February 2023 California Celebrates Entrepreneurship (SCCE) event to their campus communities. Martin says the coordinated efforts were successful in increasing student participation and will be used as a model for future events.
"This collaboration laid the groundwork for the CBG to leverage the size of the CSU to provide its entrepreneurs with unparalleled access to resources and opportunities at a scale unheard of anywhere else in the country," says David Ochi, executive director for the
CSU Dominguez Hills Innovation Incubator. "As we expand our efforts, the message to students and the community will become undeniably clear: CSU is the best place to become an entrepreneur."
ParkStash Founder and CEO Sameer Saran, a San José State alumnus, speaks at The SpartUp Incubator grand opening.
CREATING A PIPELINE OF “SPARTANEURS”
Located in the heart of the Silicon Valley,
San José State attracts thousands of entrepreneurial-minded students looking to connect with innovation and technology leaders and build successful companies.
The SpartUp Incubator, launched by the university in fall 2022, is a focal point for SJSU entrepreneurial activity that leverages campus and community resources to create a unique experiential environment for students to gain real-world knowledge and acts as an engine for economic growth.
Students with innovative ideas, affectionately called Spartaneurs, are guided along a clear entrepreneurial journey beginning in the fall and culminating in the spring with the Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition. Students master four specific milestones on their journey: ideation, prototyping, planning and fundraising.
Because the incubator is housed in SJSU's
Office of Innovation, rather than in any one college, students from all disciplines are encouraged to participate in SpartUp activities, bringing with them their myriad strengths and experiences and diversifying the pool of ideas. SpartUp also partners with organizations across the university, including the Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship, The Ideas Lab and the Society of Women Engineers.
SpartUp director Michael “Mash” Ashley says 42% of SJSU's students are first-generation and 83% are students of color and, because of their lived experiences, many Spartaneurs come to them with a passion for social enterprises and changing their communities, but they often lack the support needed to bring their ideas to market.
"Typically when someone has a business idea, they go to a financial advisor and that advisor tells them to go raise money, to reach out to their network of friends and family and crowdsource the funds they need to start their business or launch their idea, but many of our students don't have that network," Ashley says. "We approach our students' ideas without any assumptions."
"Our goal is to put first-generation founders on a level playing field in the Valley," says Abby Queale, director of innovation at SJSU. "We want to leverage SJSU's stellar reputation as a workforce pipeline to become a pipeline of the next generation of entrepreneurs."
New this summer, SJSU hand-picked six of their top SpartUp student teams who have created legitimate businesses to participate in a three-week intensive
program as a capstone. The program invites these Spartaneurs to live on campus with startup funders, some of whom are from
Venture Partners, an educational organization with a mission to diversify the decision makers in venture capital and entrepreneurship.
"We call it 'accelerated serendipity'—taking the founders and funders and making them live together and answer these questions of how to be successful together," Ashley says. "And we're helping to get more diversity into the funding ecosystem, which is critical to supporting more diversity in the founder ecosystem."
The incubator program boasts successful alumni like Sameer Saran (SJSU ‘18) who created an app called
ParkStash—known as the “Airbnb of parking”—which connects property owners with unused parking spots to drivers, helping to alleviate a big frustration faced by people living in overpopulated cities.
Watch the video below to learn more about SJSU’s SpartUp program.
FROM CLASSROOM TO Company
The prevalence of fentanyl has given rise to a devastating drug epidemic in the United States, and the current methods of detection are limited and inadequate in effectively combating its distribution.
AxoTech, a company formed by a group of
Cal State San Bernardino students and alumni in collaboration with the U.S. Navy and CSUSB's
Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship, has developed a device capable of detecting and capturing fentanyl particles more quickly and accurately.
The technology has the power to save lives, reduce the cost of overdoses on the medical industry and reduce exposure to first responders, members of the military and K-9 officers.
“CSUSB has been an instrumental player in helping us transform our idea into a viable business,” co-founder and CSUSB alumnus Gustavo Cruz (’21) says. “Their support was crucial in propelling us forward and establishing a meaningful collaboration with industry experts and organizations.”
AxoTech’s journey began in a commercialization course led by Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship Anna Long-Ruboyianes. Students were presented with various patents from the Corona Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division (NSWC-Corona), which Cruz says sparked his and his classmates' curiosity and ignited their entrepreneurial spirit. They were approached by Navy scientists after class to discuss further development of their chosen patent and eventually formed the company.
“The class served as a springboard, enabling us to shape our idea and lay the foundation for AxoTech's development,” Cruz says. “Furthermore, CSUSB facilitated our collaboration with the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), opening doors to valuable partnerships and connections within the defense innovation ecosystem.”
CSUSB also connected the team, which includes Cruz, Lizette Velazquez (‘23), Oscar Abraham Flores Gonzalez and Jorge Alberto Cervantes (‘23),
with the Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition in which they won first place in product track one. The team took home $25,000 to continue their journey.
“The university has shown a deep commitment to supporting its students and fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship,” Cruz says.
Learn more about how the CSU supports entrepreneurship and innovation amongst students and community members across California.
Story: ALISIA RUBLE
Photos: Robert Bain/San José state; Contributed
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| | | Developing an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem | | | | 8/14/2023 3:16 PM | Thropay, Janessa | 8/14/2023 | 8/14/2023 12:45 PM | Students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds explore the pros and cons of artificial intelligence through the lens of social issues in their communities. | STEM | Story | The California State University strives to provide students with the tools and resources to best prepare them for life after college. Through hands-on experience with the latest advancements in emerging technologies, CSU graduates gain valuable insight to elevate their competitiveness for jobs in California's robust workforce.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the technology in software that allows it to learn through experience. It is increasingly being implemented into more areas of society making it crucial for students to be equipped with the necessary skills to be active navigators of the technology.
The AI for Social Good (AI4SG) project, started in 2018 at San José State, engages undergraduate students from diverse disciplines in AI education. Through a curriculum that can be added to courses involving emergent technology, students learn the technical aspects of AI through a humanistic and ethical lens that cultivates culturally and socially responsive innovators.
Currently at three CSU campuses—Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino, and SJSU—more than 1,000 undergraduate students have participated in the project's curriculum to date. Featuring three learning modules, the curriculum captures the unique perspectives and expertise of four diverse CSU faculty members who contributed to its development. Each faculty member represents a different university and discipline.
Still in its first year as a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project, AI4SG has been incorporated into five different courses across three disciplines: management information systems, geography and computer science. In line with the project's name, AI4SG's curriculum includes a sociological component that requires students to propose or develop an AI-powered solution to an issue they recognize in their communities. Student teams at each campus work together to identify a problem, prototype a solution and bring that solution to life using AI technology. “AI4SG aims to expose youth to the promise of AI in generating solutions to social problems and its importance in tomorrow's STEM workforce," says Frank Gomez, AI4SG team member, executive director of STEM-NET at the CSU Chancellor's Office and professor of chemistry at Cal State LA. Promoting diversity and equity in the AI field is a key priority of AI4SG. Students from all disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to participate in the project, establishing an equal playing field for those who are not STEM majors.
Photo courtesy of San José State/Robert Bain
“This project gives any student the opportunity to see their potential and ability to innovate and problem solve," says Yu Chen, principal investigator of the AI4SG project and an assistant professor in the SJSU School of Information Systems and Technology. By emphasizing inclusivity and collaboration, students receive a more comprehensive learning experience that results in a higher level of AI literacy. This May marked the first CSU AI for Social Good Student Innovation Showcase where teams had the opportunity to present their AI-solutions on a public stage. Nine student ideas were featured during the online presentation, each using the technology of an AI chatbot to address issues like recycling, accessing clean drinking water and protecting the personal information of the elderly.
One prototype by a team at Cal Poly Pomona, “Zero Hunger," introduced an AI chatbot called “MMEE" designed to provide users easier access to nearby food resources and assistance in Riverside County. Information involving local food banks, food pantries and community programs were coded into MMEE's software, allowing it the ability to both inquire about and select the best option to meet the needs of the user. Each team's presentation featured an in-depth analysis of the potential harmful outcomes associated with their AI-powered solution. By evaluating the pros and the cons of their creations, students are taught to analyze the impact of AI technology to gain a more accurate understanding of its capabilities. When dealing with AI or any emergent technology, it's integral to discuss the negative implications if it were to be used incorrectly or maliciously. AI4SG prioritizes equipping students with ethical guardrails that will help guide them once they step into their careers. As the technology continues to develop, the project anticipates making AI ethics a greater focal point in future learning modules. “It is important for people to understand the future ramifications of this technology and to ensure social justice and equity concerns are addressed," Gomez says. AI4SG plans to scale this work across California, with the long-term goal of implementation at all 23 universities in the CSU system and in the PK-12 educational space. By doing so, this project has the potential to build university-community-industry ecosystems that cultivate innovation, competency, diversity and cultural responsivity in California's STEM and AI workforce. Additionally, AI4SG paves the way for CSU students and faculty to contribute to healthier and more equitable communities through collaboration and AI innovation.
To learn more about how AI for Social Good is educating and preparing students for the ever-changing workforce, visit the AI4SG website.
Photo courtesy of San José State/Robert Bain
| | | AI for Social Good: Equipping the Next Generation of AI Innovators | | | | 8/7/2023 1:22 PM | Ruble, Alisia | 8/7/2023 | 8/7/2023 8:00 AM | Members of California State University police departments are commended for heroism and lifesaving efforts. | Community | Story |
VALOR IN THE COMMUNITY
Members of California State University police departments are commended for heroism and lifesaving efforts.
California State University, Monterey Bay
From left: CSU Monterey Bay Officer Joseph Cox, Sergeant Manuel Fernandez, CFO and Vice President of Administration and Finance Glen Nelson, President Vanya Quiñones, Chief of Police/Associate Vice President for Public Safety Earl Lawson, Corporal Heather Murphy, Officer Louis Deeb and Deputy Chief John Short. (Photo courtesy of CSUMB/Katherine Divas-Juarez.)
CSUMB Officer Louis Deeb
CSU Monterey Bay Officer Louis Deeb is receiving a Lifesaving Medal for his quick response and adept decision-making under pressure.
Deeb responded to a traffic collision in August 2019 near the Seaside, California campus involving two vehicles, one of which was on fire. Deeb directed a bystander to use a fire extinguisher from a local bus company to put out the car’s flames while he moved the unconscious driver to a safe area. Deeb then performed a quick medical assessment and provided an update to incoming patrol, fire and ambulance units. The driver was treated at a local hospital.
CSUMB Corporal Heather Murphy
CSUMB Corporal Heather Murphy is receiving a Medal of Valor for her bravery and outstanding communication skills.
In August 2020, Pacific Grove police officers received reports of a woman who had been shot in her car, dragged out of her vehicle, physically assaulted and then had escaped and barricaded herself in a bakery. When officers arrived, the barricaded woman's assailant, also a woman, was lying on the ground threatening to shoot herself and they requested assistance from the region’s Special Response Unit Crisis Negotiations Team.
CSUMB's Corporal Murphy, a member of the response unit, quickly made contact with the distraught suspect and ultimately negotiated the woman’s surrender without further incident.
CSUMB Deputy Chief John Short
CSUMB Deputy Chief John Short is receiving a Lifesaving Medal for heroic efforts to save an overdose victim and put out a brush fire that could have threatened the campus. In November 2021, an unhoused woman living in the woods near the campus called local police to report that her boyfriend had suffered a fentanyl overdose. The woman’s dogs began fighting as she tried to revive her boyfriend, knocking over a camp stove and starting a fire. Dispatchers had a hard time finding the pair due to the isolated area they were in, but thanks to regular foot patrols and extensive knowledge of the wooded area surrounding the campus, Short was able to locate the pair.
He administered two doses of Narcan to revive the overdose victim and performed CPR until fire and ambulance personnel arrived. In the meantime, the caller was able to extinguish the fire. Paramedics revived the overdose victim by administering an IV drip of Narcan and applying an automated external defibrillator (AED) before he was transported to the hospital.
California State University, Northridge
CSUN Corporal Ismael Granados (right), who has been honored with a 2023 CSU Police Commendation, pictured here with CSUN Sergeant Nick Canady.
CSUN Sergeant Andrew Higgins
CSUN Sergeant Andrew Higgins, Corporal Ismael Granados and Officer Moises Mercado are receiving Lifesaving Medals for helping save the lives of two gunshot victims.
In October 2021, the Police Communications Center at CSUN received a 911 call from an individual who had been shot close to campus. Higgins, Granados and Mercado responded to the scene where they observed two gunshot victims on the ground. After securing the scene, Higgins used his experience as a certified first-aid instructor to direct and assist Granados and Mercado, and the three of them assessed the victims to determine the extent of their injuries to update incoming patrol, fire and ambulance units.
CSUN Officer Moises Mercado
Both victims were shot in the upper leg and thigh areas, close to critical arteries, and required the use of tourniquets to stabilize their bleeding. Higgins, Mercado and Granados reassured the victims, keeping them alert and calm while they rendered lifesaving measures until personnel from the Los Angeles City Fire Department arrived and took over. Both victims were transported to the hospital and survived thanks to the quick actions of the three officers.
California State University, East Bay
Cal State East Bay Interim Lieutenant Michael Elder at a Bay Area Science Festival Discovery Day hosted by CSUEB.
Cal State East Bay Interim Lieutenant Michael Elder is receiving a Meritorious Service Medal for his quick response and effective communication skills that defused a potentially dangerous situation.
In March 2022, Elder responded to reports of an ax-wielding man walking across the Bay Area campus who appeared to be under the influence of a drug or medication. Elder used his experience in tactical communication to speak to the man who eventually complied with him and dropped the ax. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident.
California State University Police Departments are implementing strategies to create even more inclusive and welcoming environments for students, faculty, staff and visitors.
Learn more about this work.
Story: Alisia Ruble
photos: Contributed
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| | | Valor in the Community | | | | 8/1/2023 11:35 AM | Kelly, Hazel | 8/1/2023 | 8/1/2023 11:20 AM | 2023 AASCU award recognizes the work of CSU multi-campus faculty learning community in teaching climate change. | Sustainability | Story | The California State University has received the 2023 Excellence & Innovation Award for Sustainability and Sustainable Development in the Comprehensive category from the AASCU (American Association of State Colleges and Universities). The award recognizes the Chico State-led Teaching Climate Change and Resilience Initiative—a CSU multi-campus Faculty Learning Community (FLC)—for its outstanding results and potential to serve as a model for other institutions. Five additional CSU campuses—with faculty involved in the learning community—were also recognized with the award: Cal Poly Humboldt, CSU Monterey Bay, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU San Marcos and Stanislaus State.
The Faculty Learning Community (FLC) on Teaching Climate Change and Resilience was created by Chico State Professor Mark Stemen in 2022 to support fellow CSU faculty members in speaking about a topic as complex and emotionally fraught as climate change with their students. Stemen's FLC educated 62 faculty members in more than 30 disciplines across the six campuses on how to integrate climate change and resilience into their courses. Sessions covered the science behind climate change, the solutions available to counter it, and the need to incorporate justice into the conversation. To date, over 75 classes spanning all fields of study have been redesigned to include greater engagement in climate change and resilience. With support from the CSU’s Innovative Teaching and Learning Programs, the learning community will be expanded and made available to 230 faculty members across the 23-university system in spring 2024. CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester offered her congratulations and appreciation to the committed and forward-focused faculty and staff associated with the FLC. “This innovative program across six CSU universities is a powerful example of our faculty's commitment to address the existential threat presented by climate change, and it is aligned with the CSU's holistic efforts to incorporate sustainability throughout our curricula and every aspect of our operations," Koester said. “Congratulations again to these remarkable faculty and staff members from Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chico State, CSU Monterey Bay, CSU San Marcos, Stanislaus State and the CSU Chancellor's Office. Their work to educate and inspire future generations of climate champions will advance environmental justice and create a greener and more sustainable world for all of us." The FLC's achievements were recognized in July at the AASCU Sustainability Solutions Symposium in Washington, D.C., and will again be commended during AASCU's 2023 Annual Conference scheduled for Nov. 4-7 in Chicago.
Visit Chico State's Teaching Climate Change and Resilience Initiative website for more information on the Faculty Learning Community. | | | CSU Honored for Innovation in Climate Change Teaching and Learning | | | | 8/1/2023 10:30 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 8/1/2023 | 8/1/2023 8:30 AM | Online portal connects community college students to CSU campus of choice for early support on their transfer journey. | Admission | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) has launched the CSU Transfer Planner, a digital portal that simplifies the transfer process and connects new California Community College students to their future CSU campus of choice early in their educational journey. The new planner allows eligible students to enroll in the Transfer Success Pathway dual admission program—announced earlier this year—which guarantees future CSU admission to 2023 high school graduates and beyond who enroll in a California community college and commit to transferring within three years. “More than 40% of CSU undergraduate students transfer from the California Community Colleges," said April Grommo, CSU's assistant vice chancellor of Strategic Enrollment Management. “The Transfer Success Pathway provides a more direct path for students committed to earning their CSU degree, with access to pre-admission counseling and other services early in their academic journey. The CSU Transfer Planner will be an important tool in their success." An online portal accessible via phone, tablet or desktop, the CSU Transfer Planner allows eligible students, CSU staff and community college counselors to work jointly to support students on the transfer pathway. Within the planner, students will be able to determine their Transfer Success Pathway eligibility, research CSU campuses and degree programs, track transferable units and enter in to a Transfer Success Pathway enrollment agreement with the university of their choice. The CSU Transfer Planner was developed specifically for the CSU by Liaison, the enrollment management technology company that designed the Cal State Apply platform. Work on the planner began in 2021, with the goal of developing a robust, data-driven platform that monitors and improves the process for community college students to transfer to the CSU. “California State University's commitment to supporting the educational aspirations of all students through the Transfer Success Pathway program serves as a model for all state systems," said George Haddad, founder and CEO of Liaison, “Liaison is extremely proud to have partnered with CSU on this initiative to maintain and increase their high transfer success rate and create a more efficient pathway for California transfer students." The first cohort enrollment period for the Transfer Success Pathway, via the CSU Transfer Planner, opens August 1 and closes on September 30, 2023. Currently, California community college students who begin during the fall 2023 term are eligible to enroll. Enrollment eligibility is expected to expand in the coming year. In early 2024, the CSU Transfer Planner will be available to all college students intending to transfer to the CSU, creating a centralized resource to track their California Community College coursework to minimize credit loss and maximize time to degree completion.
For more information, visit the CSU Transfer Success Pathway website.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards nearly 130,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter. | | | New CSU Transfer Planner Allows Eligible Students to Enroll in CSU’s Dual Admission Program | | | | 8/18/2023 5:01 PM | Sua, Ricky | 7/31/2023 | 7/31/2023 7:30 AM | Photographers from each of our 23 campuses shared their favorite shot from the school year and why it captures the CSU spirit. Vote for your favorite! | Community | Story | CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY’S PHOTO OF THE YEAR
Take a look back at some of the unique, memorable and meaningful moments from the 2022-23 academic year. Photographers from each of our 23 campuses shared their favorite shot from the school year—excluding commencement—and why it captures the CSU spirit.
CSU Bakersfield
CSU Bakersfield freshmen, faculty and staff celebrate the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year, sparking their school spirit and community pride at the annual Rowdy Run celebration. This photo captures the joy, energy, sense of community and excitement these students experienced as they launched their university education at CSUB.
CSU CHANNEL ISLANDS
Jesus Avila, a recent graduate of CSU Channel Island's Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics, is interviewed by KCLU reporter Lance Orozco about his participation in the university's
Farmworker Immersion Project. This photo is representative of the important service-learning opportunities taking place at CSU Channel Islands, and in this case, places students in the community to learn about farmworker rights, housing and health resources.
Since professors Hyewon Pechkis and Joe Pechkis began working on their ultracold laboratory in 2016, we have tracked their progress with excitement and fascination. Now—after finally catching evidence of ultracold atoms in May—it’s truly the coolest place on campus, chilling atoms to a point near absolute zero so they display their true quantum nature. The completion of the magneto-optical trap, lasers and vacuum chamber would not have been possible without a team of students like Toni Grubesic, photographed through the viewport of the ultrahigh vacuum chamber. Student opportunities in the lab are made possible through the Chico STEM Connections Collaborative, the Physics Department’s summer research program and a $430,000 Early Career Award grant from the National Science Foundation. Heywon Pechkis said she hopes this work can serve as a blueprint for similar undergraduate institutions that serve historically marginalized and first-generation students to integrate research and education—a topic close to her heart as a first-generation student and Asian woman working in STEM. CSU Dominguez Hills
This photo shows the competitive side of sports from an angle we don’t get to see: A look down at tip off at the start of a CSUDH women’s basketball game. It was taken by a remote camera that was mounted to the ceiling the night before the game. This image features a unique perspective of the university and its students.
Cal State East Bay
Recent Cal State East Bay graduate, Brittany Karki, has been many things in her career journey: a forklift driver, a beautician, an artist—and now a quantum physicist! Fresno State
In October of 2022, Fresno State officially opened the new, state-of-the-art Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union in the heart of campus, offering a dynamic space for co-curricular life. In this photo, students are socializing outside of the new building during the fall semester. Cal State Fullerton
During the opening of the
new CSUF Aquatics Center, Fram Virjee dives into action! President Emeritus Virjee, former D1 NCAA water polo athlete, wasted no time to practice his butterfly stroke in Cal State Fullerton's new Olympic-sized swimming pool. The center, completed in October 2022, is home to CSUF's new men and women's water polo teams. Cal Poly Humboldt
This winter saw rare snowfall on coastal redwoods. In this photo, a student went outside to catch snowflakes at Fern Lake—used frequently by students to conduct research—at Cal Poly Humboldt. The snowstorm caused a flurry of excitement and activity on campus and in the region, given how unusual it was. This photo captures the magic of Cal Poly Humboldt, its beautiful location, and illustrates the hands-on opportunities for students in their own backyard. Cal State Long Beach
Juan Ayala, of the Chichimeca tribe, performs in front of a large crowd at the Walter Pyramid during the Chicano-Latino cultural celebration at Cal State Long Beach. Ayala was recognized as the Capitan of Danza Iztacuauhtli by the Mesas, one of the oldest groups of indigenous dancers in Mexico. This image is a visual celebration of diversity at Cal State Long Beach.
Cal State LA
Maurice Hastings, who was wrongfully imprisoned for 38 years and was freed through the work of the Los Angeles Innocence Project at Cal State LA, smiles in a courtroom after being declared factually innocent. The project is a groundbreaking partnership between post-conviction attorneys, the California Forensic Science Institute at Cal State LA, and the School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics in the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services. This photograph appeared in national and international media outlets and demonstrates the CSU's powerful impact on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Cal Maritime
Ryan Okada, a Cal Maritime cadet and president of the Associated Students of California Maritime Academy, cuts the ribbon of the newly renovated Mayo Hall, marking the completion of the project that creates a new campus hub for cadet life and services. Originally built in 1945, Mayo Hall served as Cal Maritime's main athletics and recreation hub for over 50 years. It now serves to house a mix of cadet-oriented spaces for lounging, studying and meeting, featuring Cal Maritime community elements such as a veterans center, Wall of Honor and display spaces for campus history and achievement. CSU Monterey Bay
CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones officially takes the Office of the President of California State University, Monterey Bay during her investiture ceremony. Brendan Marx and her son Jason Jenab were among the friends and family who joined her on stage. This image captures a pivotal event that symbolizes our campus community's growth, progress and aspirations, and represents a new chapter in our institution's leadership. The image exudes a sense of hope, pride and unity, showcasing the strong bond between our campus community and its leaders. CSUN
Dr. Nyssa Silbiger, a marine biology associate professor at CSUN, uses a quadrat to count tidepool organisms in the Leo Carrillo State Park with a curious sea lion in the background. Back at the CSUN laboratory in Magnolia Hall, Dr. Silbiger and student researchers will conduct experiments with the organisms collected in the field to observe how they are impacted by ocean warming and acidification—two major effects of climate change. This image represents the critical research taking place at CSUN to find ways to mitigate marine habitat loss. As a photographer, achieving the exposure and contrast between the foreground and background was a technical challenge in this coastal environment with high winds and tidal swells. Cal Poly Pomona
A crowd of jubilant students hold up their phone flashlights in support of hip hop artist Ty Dolla $ign's performance at the BroncoFusion concert during Cal Poly Pomona Welcome Week at the start of the fall 2022 term. The concert—organized by Cal Poly's Associated Student Inc.—was highly anticipated as it was the first live BroncoFusion event since the pandemic. Sacramento State
Sac State's stunning canopy of trees and shrubberies offer busy students a sanctuary for relaxing and studying. Cal State San Bernardino
The message on Cristal Vasquez's mortarboard and kiss on her son's cheek tell the story: How she faced the challenge of being a first-generation college student and a teen mom to not only earning a college degree, but going one step further by earning her master's in social work through CSUSB's School of Social Work. Her college career not only defines her future, but also shows her son that he can achieve the same. Cal State San Bernardino is proud to change the lives of students and their families by helping them climb the socioeconomic ladder. San Diego State
SDSU student athlete Keshad Johnson shoots a three-point shot in the NCAA Final Four game against Florida Atlantic University as head coach Brian Dutcher looks on. The Aztecs would go on to win 72-71 in the final seconds of the game, sending them to their first Men's Basketball National Championship game appearance. San Francisco State
Mechanical engineering undergraduate Lauren Gan is wearing her exoskeleton glove intended to help people with limited mobility. She started working on this project as a community college summer intern who was unsure about her academic trajectory. With support from her research mentor and lab mates, she’s transferred to SF State, attended a science conference, won an award and is now pursuing her master’s degree. Gan is one of SF State’s many Gators finding their path and applying their education to real-world problems via hands-on experiences like research. One student can make a huge impact on our state and the world. This is the Canyon Fire Experiment in collaboration with Cal Fire and researchers from other international universities and private-sector companies who develop wildfire technologies. First-year graduate student Maritza Arreola Amaya in the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science is inspecting data-collection instruments for the experiment. This image represents the ground-breaking fire weather research taking place at San José State that is helping to protect California. Cal Poly third-year biology student and field botany teaching assistant Caitlin Robertson explores the recent superbloom during a field trip to the Carrizo Plain National Monument with the BOT 433 - Field Botany - California Plant Diversity class. This photo captures an example of Cal Poly's Learn by Doing philosophy in a setting unique to the San Luis Obispo area. The stunning spring superbloom painted the surrounding fields and mountains in a vibrant spring palette, providing an incredible “classroom." CSU San Marcos
This photo was taken during the CSU San Marcos annual Giving Day campaign in November 2022. The blue heart represents the spirit of the heart of a Cougar, symbolizing the CSUSM and San Marcos communities coming together to strengthen the heartbeat of the campus. This image not only represents CSUSM's commitment to its students, but the growth of the university. The 2022 Giving Day campaign resulted in a record-breaking number of donations which will directly impact student success. Sonoma State
Sonoma State welcomed a lot of new faces to campus at the start of the 2022-23 academic year at the Big Nite event. One was newly appointed interim president Ming-Tung “Mike” Lee, standing to the left of SSU’s mascot, Lobo. The festive, carnival atmosphere of Big Nite attracts the entire student body, making it the largest student event of the year. This photo celebrates all Sonoma State students and the promise of the coming academic year with Seawolf spirit. Stanislaus State
Naomi Carrera, student marketing assistant, immerses herself in an interactive virtual reality application in The Dr. Allan Greenberg & Dr. Ellen Junn Warrior Fab Lab. The Fab Lab not only serves as a creative hub for the beautiful Stan State campus, it also was proudly named with a generous gift from Dr. Greenburg and retiring Stan State President Junn. The photo captures Naomi adapting to a simulated world by using a handheld joystick system and HTC VIVE PRO 2 virtual reality glasses. The image serves as a testament to the powerful possibilities that arise when innovation and learning converge. It represents a story of progress, inspiration and the pursuit of excellence through technological innovation and the limitless potential of Stan State’s Warrior Spirit. | | | CSU's Photo of the Year |
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