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March STAR Award Recipient

Zach Blecman

Veterans School Certifying Official, Veterans Services

The STAR Award honors staff and faculty whose exceptional contributions exemplify our division’s mission to transform lives, one student at a time, whether through direct student engagement or vital behind-the-scenes support.

Zach is being recognized for his outstanding support of military-connected students. In his role, he serves more than 1,400 students—including 484 student veterans—by ensuring the accurate and timely certification of VA educational benefits. His diligence and responsiveness, including managing hundreds of calls and emails, help students and their families navigate benefit requirements and access critical educational resources. 

In addition to his core responsibilities, Zach serves as a communications coordinator for Veterans Services, where he collaborates with campus and community partners to support student engagement and events at the Veterans Center. His efforts have contributed to nearly 11,000 student visits this academic year, fostering connection and support for military-affiliated students.

Who will be next?

We invite you to submit nominations for the April STAR Award. Help us continue to celebrate and recognize the amazing work happening across Student Affairs. Submit by May 4 at 11:59 p.m.

Note: Nominations will remain active for one year from the month of submission. This ensures that outstanding contributions are given thoughtful consideration over time and that the process is not solely driven by the number of nominations received each month.

Click here to learn more about our Division Recognition Program and view past award recipients. 

Department Highlights

Celebrating 20 Years of the Women and Gender Equity Center

The 20th anniversary of the Women and Gender Equity Center (WGEC) marked a meaningful milestone, bringing together students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members to reflect on the center’s journey, from its founding in 2006 as the ASI Women’s Center to the Gender Equity Center in 2013 to the inclusive and student-centered space it is today.

The celebration highlighted the WGEC’s history and legacy through remarks from Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Viridiana Diaz, co-founder of the WGEC and Interim Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at SHCS, Dr. Lissa Lim, and CSUSM alumna and WGEC peer educator, Isabel Martinez. Their remarks created space for connection through community engagement, storytelling, and shared memories. The program emphasized not only where WGEC started, but also its continued growth in meeting the evolving needs of students.

For two decades, the WGEC has remained committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment, supporting women, trans and gender nonconforming students, and parenting students, while creating a space where all students feel a sense of belonging.

CSUSM Receives Gold Military Friendly® School Designation

ICYM - California State University San Marcos has been recognized for its strong support of military-affiliated students, earning the 2026–2027 Military Friendly® School designation with a Gold Award.

This designation places CSUSM among a select group of institutions nationwide that go above and beyond in serving veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. Schools are evaluated using both public data and a comprehensive survey measuring outcomes like student retention, graduation, and career success.

At CSUSM, this recognition reflects a campus wide commitment, from dedicated programs and academic pathways to spaces like the Epstein Family Veterans Center, ensuring military-affiliated students have the resources and community they need to thrive.

With a significant portion of our student population identifying as military-affiliated, this achievement highlights the meaningful work happening across campus to support their success both in the classroom and beyond.

Student Opportunities

The Latino Graduate Recognition Ceremony is coming up!

This year the ceremony is happening on Saturday, May 2nd in the CSUSM Sports Center. This event is "first come, first served" so please ask your graduating students (Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026) to register as soon as possible! Students who register are allowed to bring up to 6 guests with them to the ceremony!

Register for the event here.

If your students are looking to purchase a CSUSM Latino Stole, LAFS has these for sale for $35. These are also limited, so please let your students know to purchase these as soon as possible. Click here to purchase the Latino stoles.

Last but not least, if you are looking to support this event, please sign up to volunteer! Your support, big or small, would be most appreciated by the students, their families and the committee. Sign up to volunteer here.

If you have any questions, please email lafs@csusm.edu. Thank you!

Upcoming Events

April 28, 2026

Breath and Health - Cross Campus Collaboration

12:30 pm - 1 pm | Zoom

Register here

April 29, 2026

Gender Identity and Pronoun Use - Cross Campus Collaboration

Register here

Ice Cream Social

12 pm - 1 pm | Library Breeze Way

RSVP here by April 27

Spring Crafting Pop Up

1 pm - 4 pm | Commons 109 Staff Center

April 30, 2026

Success as 1st Gen Professional - Cross Campus Collaboration

12 pm - 1 pm | Zoom

Register here

Submit your story for the May newsletter!

Help us make this newsletter a reflection of the great things happening in Student Affairs by submitting your stories and shout-outs (like a thank you or team recognition) using the form below. Submissions are due by the 15th of the month preceding publication.

Please note: The Student Affairs Newsletter is not a student-facing publication. Content should be intended for staff and faculty audiences. 

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Transforming Lives, One Student at a Time

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