Cal State San Marcos has earned the 2025-2026 Military Friendly® School designation, receiving a Gold Award for its exemplary work on behalf of military-connected students and their families. Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-2026 survey, with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard. CSUSM is the only California State University school, and one of just two California four-year public universities, to receive the designation. UC Riverside is the other. CSUSM earned a Silver Award designation in 2018. “At Cal State San Marcos, we are deeply honored to serve those who have served our country,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “With one in 10 of our students identifying as military-connected, we’ve built a strong, supportive community centered at the Epstein Family Veterans Center, where students can access resources tailored to their unique journeys. Earning this designation reflects our continued commitment to ensuring that military-connected students and their families have the tools, support and opportunities they need to thrive in their academic and professional lives.” The 2025-2026 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and found at www.militaryfriendly.com. Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. “I am very proud of what Cal State San Marcos is doing for our military community," said Josh Loop, director of CSUSM's Veterans to Naval Careers program. “The results of the MFS survey reinforce that this is a campuswide effort and that the entire university is dedicated to serving and supporting our active-duty service members, our veterans and their families.” In addition to the Veterans to Naval Careers program, CSUSM supports the military community through Extended Learning, which offers bachelor's degree programs at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, including in cybersecurity and supply chain management. “Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, vice president of  Military Friendly®. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools that achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard.” For more information about CSUSM's student veteran programs, go to the Veterans Services website.    About Military Friendly® Schools The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

The 2025 spring season has been one to remember for the Cal State San Marcos men’s and women’s lacrosse clubs. But the best, they hope, is still to come. The CSUSM men’s team has a record of 11-2 and is ranked eighth nationally among Division II schools in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. The Cougars have one game left in the regular season, and it’s a big one – Friday, April 18 at home against their top rival, UC San Diego, which is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the MCLA Division II poll. “We have a lot of transfers that have played at a higher level in the NCAA who have come in and have really helped with the team chemistry,” men’s coach Tim Puls said. “We all have one goal on our team, and that is to win a national championship.” The CSUSM women have been even better. They are unbeaten at 10-0 and ranked first nationally among D-II schools in the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Their regular season has finished, with the next challenge upcoming in the WCLA regionals, April 12-13 in Santa Cruz. “At the beginning of this season, we struggled with offensive communication and showing up to game days focused and ready,” women’s coach Jillian Dohrmann said. “Late fall, our whole offense met outside of practice and talked about their disconnect, and ever since then we have been excelling and have had great communication and collaboration.” The Cougars’ men are led by sophomore midfielder Colin Dobbins, a Carlsbad native who transferred to CSUSM from Stevenson University, a NCAA Division III power. Dobbins paces the team with 52 goals, and none of them were more significant than the six he scored in an upset win over then-No. 1 Air Force last month. For his efforts, he was named the MCLA Division II Warrior Player of the Week. “He is the backbone of our offense,” Puls said of Dobbins. “He wants to make his teammates better and makes them work hard day in and day out in practice, and it shows during games. He is our go-to guy, and when we need someone to make a play, we call his number.” Dobbins has accomplished all of this after recovering from a broken collarbone. “Having the team’s support really gave me confidence and helped me recover faster and stronger,” Dobbins said. For the women’s team, the top scorer is Shea Morgan with 44 goals, but the heart of the team is goaltender Cierra Warfield. She has posted one shutout and four other games in which she allowed three or fewer goals. “The key to my success this season has been staying consistent with my game and practice and having a great community around me to lift me up when I fall,” Warfield said. After the rivalry game against UCSD at Mangrum Track & Field, the men’s team next will head to Santa Barbara for the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference tournament April 25-27, with a goal of advancing to the MCLA national championships from May 5-10 in Round Rock, Texas. The women, meanwhile, are gearing up for regionals, where they hope to qualify for the WCLA nationals from May 6-9 in Wichita, Kansas. The Cougars finished third at nationals last year. “This year we are aiming for first place,” Dohrmann said. “The team is looking forward to playing and traveling. We have worked hard in fundraising throughout the year to afford these trips.” Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos biological sciences student Marisa Mendoza has received the 2025 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, becoming the fourth student from the university to receive the prestigious recognition. Mendoza has worked in the lab of biology professor Elinne Becket for two years, applying her independent research skills to studying taxonomic and functional profiles associated with plastic marine substrates. In her recommendation letter for the award, Becket noted that “Marisa has already made a tremendous impact on our lab’s research productivity, leading efforts on two projects. Overall, Marisa is an incredible researcher who is effective, reliable, collaborative and highly resilient.” Becket said Mendoza began making an impact while still a student at Palomar College before transferring to CSUSM. In furthering her education at CSUSM, Mendoza continues to give back by mentoring students in the Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, which prepares community college students who are interested in biomedical research careers to seamlessly transition to four-year universities. “She is already an exceptional researcher at such an early stage, and her grit, integrity and adaptability will lead her to be very successful in her Ph.D. endeavors and beyond,” Becket wrote. “I believe she will make a strong impact in the microbiology field in her future career.” The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986, and the scholarship program that honors Sen. Barry Goldwater was designed to identify, encourage and financially support outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing research careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics. From a pool of more than 5,000 college sophomores and juniors, 1,350 science, engineering and mathematics students were nominated by 445 academic institutions to compete for the 2025 Goldwater scholarships. Learn more about applying for the Goldwater Scholarship and other opportunities by visiting CSTEM's Funding Opportunities webpage. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos librarian Judith Downie has received the Outstanding Service Award from the San Diego Brewers Guild. Downie, who curates the Brewchive through the University Library, was given the honor during the San Diego Beer News Awards on March 25 at Societe Brewing in Kearny Mesa. She was recognized for her tireless volunteerism on behalf of the San Diego Brewers Guild. For almost a decade, Downie has served as the curator of the Brewchive, a comprehensive archive launched in 2017 that celebrates a county that’s widely regarded as the capital of craft beer. The collection is one of only a handful of special collections nationwide focused solely on beer. It includes photos, videos, marketing materials, coasters, beer lists, menus, recipes, brewing logs, brewing manifestos, unique or rare trade periodicals, and interviews. Many of them come from the personal collection of Greg Koch, who founded Stone Brewing with Steve Wagner in San Marcos in 1996. Downie, a special collections librarian, has worked for the University Library since the early 1990s, when she was still a student at CSUSM. She graduated from the school in 1994. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Patricia Prado-Olmos, chief community engagement officer for Cal State San Marcos, has been named Woman of the Year by the North San Diego County branch of the NAACP, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization.  Dr. Prado-Olmos received the honor at the organization’s Blue & Gold Freedom Fund Awards Gala on April 5 at the Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, where she was praised for her “remarkable leadership exemplified by the lasting impact of her contributions.”  The NAACP specifically recognized Prado-Olmos for her steadfast commitment to social justice, equity and community empowerment. Her leadership and advocacy for marginalized communities, along with her dedication to inclusive education, have made a meaningful impact both within and beyond the university.  “I am extremely honored and humbled by this recognition,” Prado-Olmos said. “I’m very grateful to the NCSD NAACP for their partnership and commitment to building a transformative relationship with CSUSM. The community’s willingness to work with me, and with CSUSM, has galvanized our collective work to advance student success.” Prado-Olmos began her career at CSUSM in 1997 as a professor of multicultural/multilingual education, and has served as an administrator on the campus since 2008. In her current role, she leads initiatives that strengthen ties between the university and community partners in the region, including military affairs, tribal partnerships, economic development and community-engaged scholarship, positioning CSUSM as a catalyst for social change and regional prosperity.   Her work has expanded access to higher education for underrepresented populations and ensured meaningful support for diverse communities. She has played a key role in CSUSM’s Coalition on Black and African American Education as well as the university’s Black Student Success Initiative – both of which focus on closing equity gaps, offering culturally responsive resources and empowering students through leadership development.  Prado-Olmos also was recently honored as a 2025 Nonprofit Board Leader of Influence by the San Diego Business Journal for her work as the board vice chair for MAAC (Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County, Inc.), which provides a wide range of services that focus on promoting economic mobility and self-sufficiency.  Prado-Olmos holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pomona College and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from UC Santa Barbara. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cal State San Marcos will honor Dennis and Marilyn Pugh by naming its baseball field the “Dennis A. Pugh Baseball Field” during a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 12. As the founding coach of CSUSM’s baseball program, Pugh built more than a winning program – he built a culture that shaped generations of student-athletes.  Pugh, who died in 2020 at age 73, launched CSUSM’s baseball program in 2007 and quickly built it into a competitive force. Under his leadership, the Cougars achieved eight winning seasons in 10 years, earned 282 victories and made three NAIA tournament appearances. His 2015 team set a program record with 36 wins, securing CSUSM’s third Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) conference championship in five seasons.  “Coach Pugh’s dedication to excellence, both on and off the field, has left an indelible mark on our university and the community,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “By naming this field in his honor, we ensure that his legacy continues to inspire future generations of Cougars.”  Beyond wins and championships, Pugh helped develop talent that rose to the professional ranks. Three of his student-athletes were drafted by Major League Baseball teams, while four others signed as free agents – a testament to his ability to cultivate top-tier talent.  Pugh also oversaw the construction of CSUSM’s baseball field, which opened in 2011. Marilyn and Dennis further supported the program with a philanthropic gift to upgrade the batting cages, create a modular training facility and establish an endowed fund to maintain the baseball facilities. Thanks to their generous support, combined with community members who recognized his profound impact, CSUSM is able to name the field in his honor.  “It was a genuine honor to coach alongside Dennis for nine years,” said Art Warren, former assistant baseball coach at CSUSM. “He was an icon in San Diego as both a baseball and football coach and was well-known for how much he cared about his students.”  Before his time at CSUSM, Pugh was already a legend in the San Diego baseball scene. As the head coach at Mission Bay High School from 1979 to 2006, he led the team to 10 San Diego Section finals appearances and secured eight section championships. Additionally, he coached football at Mission Bay for 13 seasons, accumulating 86 wins and two San Diego Section titles. Even after retiring from CSUSM in 2016, Pugh returned to Mission Bay High in 2017 and remained active in the program until his death.  “I am forever grateful for the lasting impact that Coach Pugh left on my life,” said Brandon Bentson, a former student-athlete. “Having the field named after him is a tremendous honor and testament to his legacy at Cal State San Marcos.”  The naming of the field serves as a fitting tribute to a man whose impact on the game and the lives of his players will be felt for generations. CSUSM invites the community, alumni and former players to attend the ceremony and celebrate Pugh’s enduring legacy. Visit the RSVP webpage to join this event.   Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314