- Career Twist: Alumna's Path from Kinesiology to Hospitality SuccessWhen Rachel Debber toured Cal State San Marcos as a high school student from Fresno, she wasn’t sure what her college experience would hold. What she found was a close-knit campus community, opportunities to grow as a leader and the unexpected start of a career she hadn’t planned. Debber graduated from CSUSM in 2016 with a degree in kinesiology. Today, she leads the team at Lilo, a 22-seat fine-dining restaurant known for its immersive tasting experience and coastal cuisine. Just 10 weeks after opening, the restaurant earned a prestigious Michelin star. “I didn’t even know hospitality could be a real career when I started,” Debber said. “But I quickly fell in love with it. That passion and the people I’ve met through this industry have made all the difference.” Debber planned to major in nursing at CSUSM, but after not being admitted into the highly competitive program, she shifted to kinesiology and fully embraced the opportunities the university offered. She spent four years on CSUSM’s women’s club lacrosse team, a sport she’d never played before college, and served on the campus orientation team. She said those experiences shaped her into the leader she is today. “I didn’t like not being good at something, so I worked hard at lacrosse,” Debber said. “That same hunger carried into management. I wanted to be better, and I was willing to put in the work.” Orientation team training helped her connect with people from all walks of life, a skill that now serves her well in the hospitality industry. “We spent a lot of time learning about different communities on campus and how to support them,” Debber said. “That still sticks with me. Now I manage a diverse team, and that kind of awareness is essential. I received good training from being on the orientation team. They would bring in a lot of different leaders on campus to teach you about their area, and that was beneficial.” After graduation, Debber faced a decision: return home to Fresno to save up for grad school or stay in San Diego and work. She chose to stay and unknowingly launched a career in hospitality. “My initial entry into hospitality was with the intention of going back to school for kinesiology or for health science,” Debber said. “But I decided that I really had a knack for hospitality. I didn't even know that that was a career option.” Her first role was as a host at Campfire in Carlsbad, where she helped open the restaurant in 2016. She worked her way up through various roles, eventually helping to open Jeune et Jolie as a bartender and rising to general manager. “I think a lot of people really struggled when I first started working in hospitality,” Debber said. “I had a lot of people telling me it's not really a sustainable career. I felt like I had a lot of societal pressure to move into a different direction.” However, Debber found a sense of purpose and community working in the restaurant industry. Now as general manager of a Michelin-starred restaurant at Lilo, she’s focused less on accolades and more on people. “I think the Michelin star is just a byproduct of all the hard work we put in,” Debber said. “What’s most important to me is that we’re providing a unique experience for people, that our books are full every night, and that our team is genuinely happy with what they do. “As a company, we really believe in making sure everyone’s time is well spent. That’s something I care deeply about in my role. So, for me, it’s less about the Michelin star and more about creating something meaningful.” Debber never could have predicted becoming the general manager of one of the most talked about restaurants in Southern California. But she credits every twist and turn along the way for helping her grow into the leader she is today. “I think the best things in my life have come from saying yes to something that scared me a little,” Debber said. “You don’t always have to know exactly where you’re going. Just be open, work hard and trust that it’ll lead somewhere great.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314
- Two Alumni Selected for Prestigious Doctoral ProgramTwo Cal State San Marcos alumni have been selected for the CSU Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program, also known as CDIP, for the incoming 2025-26 cohort. The CSUSM fellows are: Hugo Peralta-Ramírez, studying history and sponsored by history professor Alan Malfavon. Karissa Tran, studying psychology and sponsored by kinesiology professor Richard Armenta. Seven CSUSM alumni were selected in the previous 2024-25 cohort. CDIP aims to increase the number of faculty with the qualifications and skills needed to teach the diverse students of California State University. The largest program of its kind in the United States, CDIP has supported more than 2,500 fellows pursuing doctoral degrees since 1987. CDIP also prepares promising doctoral students for CSU faculty positions by providing financial support, mentorship from CSU faculty and professional development with grant resources. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314
- Career Twist: Alumna's Path from Kinesiology to Hospitality SuccessWhen Rachel Debber toured Cal State San Marcos as a high school student from Fresno, she wasn’t sure what her college experience would hold. What she found was a close-knit campus community, opportunities to grow as a leader and the unexpected start of a career she hadn’t planned. Debber graduated from CSUSM in 2016 with a degree in kinesiology. Today, she leads the team at Lilo, a 22-seat fine-dining restaurant known for its immersive tasting experience and coastal cuisine. Just 10 weeks after opening, the restaurant earned a prestigious Michelin star. “I didn’t even know hospitality could be a real career when I started,” Debber said. “But I quickly fell in love with it. That passion and the people I’ve met through this industry have made all the difference.” Debber planned to major in nursing at CSUSM, but after not being admitted into the highly competitive program, she shifted to kinesiology and fully embraced the opportunities the university offered. She spent four years on CSUSM’s women’s club lacrosse team, a sport she’d never played before college, and served on the campus orientation team. She said those experiences shaped her into the leader she is today. “I didn’t like not being good at something, so I worked hard at lacrosse,” Debber said. “That same hunger carried into management. I wanted to be better, and I was willing to put in the work.” Orientation team training helped her connect with people from all walks of life, a skill that now serves her well in the hospitality industry. “We spent a lot of time learning about different communities on campus and how to support them,” Debber said. “That still sticks with me. Now I manage a diverse team, and that kind of awareness is essential. I received good training from being on the orientation team. They would bring in a lot of different leaders on campus to teach you about their area, and that was beneficial.” After graduation, Debber faced a decision: return home to Fresno to save up for grad school or stay in San Diego and work. She chose to stay and unknowingly launched a career in hospitality. “My initial entry into hospitality was with the intention of going back to school for kinesiology or for health science,” Debber said. “But I decided that I really had a knack for hospitality. I didn't even know that that was a career option.” Her first role was as a host at Campfire in Carlsbad, where she helped open the restaurant in 2016. She worked her way up through various roles, eventually helping to open Jeune et Jolie as a bartender and rising to general manager. “I think a lot of people really struggled when I first started working in hospitality,” Debber said. “I had a lot of people telling me it's not really a sustainable career. I felt like I had a lot of societal pressure to move into a different direction.” However, Debber found a sense of purpose and community working in the restaurant industry. Now as general manager of a Michelin-starred restaurant at Lilo, she’s focused less on accolades and more on people. “I think the Michelin star is just a byproduct of all the hard work we put in,” Debber said. “What’s most important to me is that we’re providing a unique experience for people, that our books are full every night, and that our team is genuinely happy with what they do. “As a company, we really believe in making sure everyone’s time is well spent. That’s something I care deeply about in my role. So, for me, it’s less about the Michelin star and more about creating something meaningful.” Debber never could have predicted becoming the general manager of one of the most talked about restaurants in Southern California. But she credits every twist and turn along the way for helping her grow into the leader she is today. “I think the best things in my life have come from saying yes to something that scared me a little,” Debber said. “You don’t always have to know exactly where you’re going. Just be open, work hard and trust that it’ll lead somewhere great.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314
- Two Alumni Selected for Prestigious Doctoral ProgramTwo Cal State San Marcos alumni have been selected for the CSU Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program, also known as CDIP, for the incoming 2025-26 cohort. The CSUSM fellows are: Hugo Peralta-Ramírez, studying history and sponsored by history professor Alan Malfavon. Karissa Tran, studying psychology and sponsored by kinesiology professor Richard Armenta. Seven CSUSM alumni were selected in the previous 2024-25 cohort. CDIP aims to increase the number of faculty with the qualifications and skills needed to teach the diverse students of California State University. The largest program of its kind in the United States, CDIP has supported more than 2,500 fellows pursuing doctoral degrees since 1987. CDIP also prepares promising doctoral students for CSU faculty positions by providing financial support, mentorship from CSU faculty and professional development with grant resources. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314
- CSUSM Breaks Ground on Integrated Science and Engineering BuildingCal State San Marcos on Thursday broke ground on its future Integrated Science and Engineering (ISE) Building, which will allow the university to respond to the critical need for STEM programs, including new engineering majors and enrollment growth. Among the speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony were CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt; San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones; Assemblymember Darshana Patel, who represents the district that includes CSUSM; Jackie Trischman, dean of CSUSM’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; and representatives from C.W. Driver Companies and HGA, the general contractor and designer of the building, respectively. The emcee was Leon Wyden, CSUSM's vice president of Finance and Administrative Services and chief financial officer. “It wasn’t too long ago when the idea of the Integrated Science and Engineering Building was but a hope and a dream,” Neufeldt said. “So it seems a little surreal that we have finally come to this day, about to break ground on the first state-supported academic building at CSUSM in more than a decade. I am filled with so much gratitude – this milestone reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff, students and partners who work tirelessly to support CSUSM’s mission of student success and social mobility.” The ISE building is estimated to cost $110 million and will be funded through commitments from California State University and private support. It will cover more than 70,000 square feet over three stories. The first publicly funded academic structure on campus since 2014, it’s expected to open in fall 2027. The ISE building will be constructed at the top of CSUSM’s campus, between Markstein Hall (which houses the business college) and the Arts Building. It will feature teaching and research labs, additional classrooms, student support areas, staff offices, a café and outdoor gathering spaces. “It’s an incredible honor to stand here with you today as we break ground on a building that represents not just bricks and mortar, but also a beacon of opportunity, innovation and the future of engineering and technology in our region,” Trischman said. “As dean, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with our remarkable faculty and staff, many of whom met tight deadlines with determination and tremendous creativity. Your dedication to this vision has been nothing short of inspiring.” CSUSM established its engineering program in 2018 with software and electrical engineering; computer engineering followed five years later. The ISE building will house those programs as well as computer science, computer information systems and cybersecurity, while also supporting the addition of industrial and systems engineering. The industrial and systems engineering program will be the only one at a public institution in San Diego County. The new facility will enable CSUSM to expand its enrollment of students in engineering disciplines from 500 to nearly 2,000. It also will advance diversity in a field where fewer than 10% of workers nationally are of Latino descent. By contrast, more than half of CSUSM’s engineering students are Latino. “This groundbreaking marks more than the start of construction – it marks the beginning of a new era for CSUSM,” said Elaine Pollard, president of Associated Students, Inc. “It's an era where student potential is maximized, social mobility is accelerated and the future of science and engineering becomes more diverse, innovative and impactful than ever before.” With eight out of 10 of CSUSM alumni staying in the region, the influx of more engineering graduates will help fill workforce needs in an area that boasts the nation’s largest cluster of technology, life science, defense and communications companies. Data shows that, in San Diego County, there are four software engineering jobs for every one graduate and three industrial/systems engineering jobs per graduate. While state-funded plans call for a one-wing building, CSUSM is seeking private philanthropic donations that will be critical for long-term growth and sustainability, as well as expanding the square footage with a second wing. Learn more about the ISE building at https://www.csusm.edu/iseb/index.html.
