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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY’S

PHOTO OF THE YEAR


 

Take a look back at memorable moments from the 2025–26 academic year through the lenses of photographers from across the CSU. Each image captures a unique aspect of the CSU spirit.

Submit Your Vote –Bakersfield –Channel Islands –Chico –Dominguez Hills –East Bay –Fresno –Fullerton –Humboldt –Long Beach –Los Angeles –Maritime Academy –Monterey Bay –Northridge –Pomona –Sacramento –San Bernardino –San Diego –San Francisco –San José –San Luis Obispo –San Marcos –Sonoma –St​anislaus –

Bakersfield

Bakersfield photo
 

EJ Medellin, videographer/photographer

Indigenous cultural icon Supaman closes “The Rhythms of Resilience," a day of Native American heritage, culture and education at CSUB. Known for blending Native traditions, comedy and hip-​hop, Supaman delivers a performance that celebrates identity while connecting with audiences across generations. In this image, Supaman wears traditional Fancy Dance pow​wow regalia as the glow of a powerful video washes across his face inside the Doré Theatre. The projected imagery and his expression create a moment of quiet reflection, illustrating the shared connection between performer, audience and the enduring resilience of Native culture. The timeless edit blurs the line between past and present, visually connecting contemporary Native expression with generations of tradition that continue to shape Indigenous identity today.​

CHANNEL ISLANDS

CHANNEL ISLANDS photo
 

Anthony Plascencia, university photographer/videographer

Swirling in a vibrant folklórico dress, education major Daisy Romo leads a performance by Ballet Folklórico de CI during Noche de Familia in spring 2026. As co-founding president and student instructor of the organization, Romo uses dance to celebrate cultural heritage and strengthen community at a university where diversity and belonging are central to the student experience.

Chico

Chico photo 
 
 

Jason Halley, university photographer

Even on the busiest afternoons, Chico State's 132-acre arboretum offers students, faculty and visitors countless places to unplug and reconnect with nature among more than 1,000 species of native and rare trees and plants. On a warm November afternoon, first-year biological sciences student Kyla Steen practices her flute atop a stone bench, finding serenity beneath the autumn canopy.

Dominguez Hills

Dominguez Hills photo
 

Matt Brown, university photographer

John Keyantash, a professor in the Department of Earth Science and Geography, took a class of 14 first-year students to Kern River to raft down a Class III rapids. The students learned to understand river flows and water clarity, as well as flow volume and visibility.

East Bay

Cal State East Bay photo 
 
 

Daisy Hernandez, student photographer

Jaayden Bush celebrates Cal State East Bay's first conference championship on March 7, 2026, as red and silver confetti rain down around him. The moment captured the emotion and triumph of a magical season for the Pioneers men's basketball team—a historic run that culminated in the program's first undefeated season and forever cemented the team's place in Cal State East Bay history.

Fresno

Fresno State photo
 

Cary Edmondson, university photographer

Bathed in the early morning light, Fresno State student Morgan Jackson tends to sheep at the campus sheep unit, where she has worked as a student assistant for the past three years. Jackson is one of three students who are part of the inaugural John Harris Fellowship—a new program aimed at fostering leadership within Fresno State's 1,000-acre University Agricultural Laboratory (campus farm). Students were selected based on their academic credentials and career paths. Jackson helps oversee animal welfare and facility needs at the sheep unit, which connects with the wider community by selling young lambs to local 4-H and Future Farmers of America students for their projects and through public livestock sales. The campus farm serves as a living classroom in the heart of California's Central Valley—one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world.​

Fullerton

Cal State Fullerton photo 
 
 

Matthew Gush, assistant director of digital media and university photographer​

This image transforms a chemistry lab into a scene of innovation and discovery, capturing CSUF students and faculty immersed in cutting-edge scientific research. Layers of reflection, precision lighting and dynamic composition reveal the intersection of technology, collaboration and hands-on learning, illustrating how CSU students are preparing to solve tomorrow's challenges. CSUF’s quality STEM education and immersive undergraduate research lead to student success that yields results in the workforce—​showcasing the CSU’s mission to foster academic excellence, scientific innovation and workforce readiness.

Humboldt

Cal Poly Humboldt photo
 

Kellie Jo Brown, university photographer

Students in a wildland firefighter training course trek through the Bald Hills near Orick, California, toward a field exercise to construct a fireline—a strip of cleared vegetation that helps contain wildfire and safely manage controlled burns. Their classroom is a landscape surrounded by redwoods and shaped by thousands of years of Indigenous cultural burning, a practice that highlights the value of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting wildlife like elk and deer.

Long Beach

Cal State Long Beach photo
 

Sean DuFrene, university photographer

Sophomore and indoor and outdoor pole vault record holder Jonelle Scott launches into the air during a track and field training session. The photo speaks to the courageous spirit of The Beach, the limitless reach of CSULB students and the proud tradition of Long Beach State Athletics.

Los Angeles

Cal State Los Angeles photo
 

Jill Connelly, freelance photographer

A dancer's regalia blurs with vibrant streaks of color during an Indigenous cultural celebration in the Student Union Theater.

Maritime Academy

Cal Maritime photo 
 
 

Joe Johnston, senior university photographer

Cal Poly Maritime Academy's Simulation Center prepares future mariners for roles on an array of vessels—from tugs to the world's largest ships. Marine transportation student Sampson Oliver surveys the horizon while operating one of the ship's bridge simulators. The experience challenges cadets to transform their knowledge into concrete leadership skills. The facility creates a strikingly realistic environment for training, research, accident investigation and crisis management with the ultimate goal of safer navigation.

Monterey Bay

CSU Monterey Bay photo
 

Brent Dundore-Arias, multimedia strategy lead and university photographer

Three students share their thoughts as they walk through the heart of campus, passing the university's new "Otters for Life" statue outside the Otter Student Union. The statue reminds students that, at CSUMB, they can find strength in everyday connections, a welcoming community and a sense of belonging that define the CSUMB experience, a place where they can learn, grow and thrive.

Northridge

CSUN photo
 

Blake Fagan, student photographer

The final waxing gibbous moon before the last full moon of 2025 rises above the iconic CSUN sign near the university's baseball fields. This photograph captures a fleeting moment when the moon appeared to rise directly above the sign, creating a visual connection between a natural wonder and a symbol of the university. What makes this image special is its ability to present a familiar campus landmark in an unexpected way. The photograph combines careful planning, timing and perspective to transform an ordinary scene into something memorable. It reflects the beauty of the CSUN campus and the curiosity to see it from a different point of view—qualities that mirror the spirit of discovery and creativity found throughout the university community.

Pomona

Cal Poly Pomona photo
 

Tom Zasadzinski, university photographer

This photo captures the CPP letters on a brisk winter day in January. Clouds like these appear infrequently on campus and made for a dramatic scene.

Sacramento

Sacramento State photo
 

Andrea Price, university photographer

Sacramento State's Fall Address opened with a vibrant performance by Department of Theatre and Dance faculty member Osvaldo Ramirez and student Sara Alvarez, who performed a traditional dance from Jalisco. The moment celebrates cultural heritage while reflecting the university's commitment to the performing arts and meaningful student-faculty collaboration. As Alvarez's dress sweeps across the frame in a burst of color, the dancers' joyful expressions remain the focal point. The contrast between motion and stillness creates a photograph that feels alive, capturing not just a performance, but the joy, artistry and connection that define Sacramento State.

San Bernardino

Cal State San Bernardino photo 
 
 

Paige Wynne, digital media production specialist

Standing proudly in a CSUSB T-shirt, this humanoid robot embodies the university's vision for a future where artificial intelligence and emerging technologies expand human potential through education, research and innovation. Featured at CSUSB's inaugural Defining the Future Conference, the robot became a powerful symbol of the conversations taking place around AI, robotics and the future workforce. Surrounded by conference messaging that celebrates imagination and discovery, the image reflects CSUSB's commitment to preparing students to lead in an AI-driven world. By bringing together industry leaders, researchers and students, CSUSB is building a culture where technology and education work hand in hand to solve tomorrow's challenges. This photograph captures the university's forward-looking spirit and its role as a catalyst for innovation across California and beyond.

San Diego

San Diego State photo
 

Andre Young, multimedia specialist student assistant

The quiet before the roar. In a stadium famed for its deafening energy, silence takes over. This shot captures SDSU students locked in suspense during a pivotal moment in a men's basketball game at the legendary Viejas Arena.

San Francisco

SF State photo 
 

Juan Montes, videographer

Despite clouds and intermittent rain, senior tour guide Seth Jacob Marchek brought sunny warmth to Explore SFSU, the university's annual campus preview event for admitted and prospective students, held April 11. Having led campus tours for the past three years, Marchek embodies the welcoming spirit that helps visitors envision themselves at SFSU. This photo captures the essence of the "Brighter Here" brand promise: Even on a gray day, Gators like Marchek​ are full of optimism, openness and positivity.

San José

San José State photo
 

Robert Bain, university photographer​

Behind the scenes of SJ26, San José State students and faculty collaborate on experimental, cutting-edge art installations. Through a partnership with the City of San José, the College of Humanities and the Arts transformed public spaces into interactive canvases using augmented reality, projection mapping and illuminated sculptures. Here, University Marketing and Communications' Multimedia Specialist​ Jonathan Meyer, an SJSU Radio, Film and TV graduate, captures Professor Esteban Garcia's classwork at SAP Center's Freethrow engagement. 

San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo photo 
 
 

Joe Johnston, senior university photographer

Faculty in Cal Poly's Biological Sciences Department took students to the Stanislaus National Forest to meet one of California's giants: the Bennett Juniper. Nestled in a verdant meadow studded with wildflowers, it is the largest tree of its kind on Earth. The team used laser rangefinders and analog tape measures to document the height, circumference and canopy spread of the 3,000-year-old tree for the California Big Tree Registry for the first time in 20 years. The Learn by Doing experience helped update the list of landmark trees that firefighting agencies use throughout the state.

San Marcos

CSU San Marcos photo
 

Brandon Pollard, student assistant

Taken during CSUSM's presentation of “Mestizaje: Interwoven Identities Between Mexico, Philippines and Spain," this image captures the energy, artistry and unity at the heart of the performance, illustrating how dance can transcend borders and tell stories that resonate across cultures. The photo's moment of movement and expression reflects the event's exploration of the shared cultural heritage and enduring connections among Mexico, the Philippines and Spain.

Sonoma

Sonoma State photo
 

Brennan Chin, photographer

Under Sonoma State's iconic clock tower at the Schulz Information Center, friendships grow, ideas take shape, and unforgettable moments unfold. At SSU, learning goes beyond the classroom, and community is built one conversation at a time.

Stanislaus​

Stanislaus State photo
 

Jas Khaira, photographer

Returning to college as a nontraditional, first-generation student, Kevin Steele embodies the determination and purpose that defines Stanislaus State. After earning five associate degrees with honors at Columbia College, Steele​ transferred to Stanislaus State to pursue a degree in geography and environmental resources and joined the University Honors Program. While balancing work, raising an autistic son and helping care for two grandchildren, he has remained committed to academic excellence, community service and protecting California's natural resources. This portrait reflects the transformative opportunities, unwavering support and spirit of perseverance that mark the Stanislaus State experience, illustrating how education empowers students to create meaningful change in their communities and beyond.

Voting for Photo of the Year is now closed.

Submit Your Vote

Vote for your favorite photo by August 28, and the winning photographer will be recognized at an upcoming CSU Board of Trustees meeting.

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Thank you for voting!
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7/27/2026