(View this email in a browser) September STAR Award Recipient Stephanie BrilesAdministrative & Operations Analyst, Student Health & Counseling ServicesThe STAR Award honors staff and faculty whose exceptional contributions exemplify our division’s mission to transform lives, one studen
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(View this email in a browser)

September STAR Award Recipient 


Stephanie Briles

Administrative & Operations Analyst, Student Health & Counseling 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.


Stephanie is being recognized for her outstanding dedication, adaptability, and commitment to supporting students and colleagues through her nearly 16 years of service with Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS). She plays an essential role behind the scenes, ensuring staff and providers have the resources and support they need to deliver quality care to students. During staffing transitions, Stephanie has stepped up to take on additional responsibilities, coordinating contracts, purchasing, facilities needs, employee onboarding, and accreditation-related processes to help maintain smooth departmental operations. Beyond her administrative contributions, Stephanie is a trusted mentor who generously shares her knowledge, supports colleagues as they navigate new responsibilities, and contributes to a welcoming and collaborative work environment. Her colleagues recognize her for her kindness, reliability, and willingness to help wherever needed, making her an invaluable member of SHCS and the Student Affairs community. 


Who will be next?


We invite you to submit nominations for the October STAR Award. Help us continue to celebrate and recognize the amazing work happening across Student Affairs. Submit by November 12 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. 

Submit your nomination

 

Department Highlights


Dating & Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October marks Dating & Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, honor survivors, remember those whose lives have been lost, and reaffirm our commitment to creating a community rooted in compassion and support.


In recognition of this important month, the CSUSM community came together for the Domestic Violence Vigil and Speak Out, an evening dedicated to reflection, healing, and remembrance. The event, organized by the Hope and Wellness Center, featured a keynote speaker, survivor testimonies, and poetry, concluding with a candlelight vigil honoring those harmed or whose lives have been lost to dating and domestic violence.


The gathering created a meaningful space for our campus community to stand together, uplift survivors, and continue important conversations that inspire awareness, healing, and positive change.


Celebrating Storybook Magic Comes to Life at the

Fall Office Decorating Contest

Creativity, imagination, and a little storybook magic took over Student Affairs during this year's Fall Office Decorating Contest! With 10 offices participating, teams brought the theme Storybook Magic: Tales Come to Life! to life through elaborate decorations, creative costumes, and entertaining skits and performances.


From The Wizard of Oz with EOP, TRIO SSS, and Project Rebound to It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with the Career Center, each office brought its own creative twist to the theme. The Dean of Students showcased The Princess and the Frog, Housing presented Crash and the Beanstalk, Campus Recreation took us to Peter Pan, and Student Health and Counseling Services explored Alice in Wonderland. The University Student Union brought Narnia to life, the Cross-Cultural Center embraced Coraline, Student Leadership and Involvement Center featured If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) transported us to the world of Harry Potter.


Our judges had a wonderful time exploring each storybook world! Congratulations to our winners:

  • 1st place:  Student Health and Counseling Services – Alice in Wonderland
  • 2nd Place: Associated Students, Inc. – Harry Potter
  • 3rd Place: Campus Recreation – Peter Pan


The festivities concluded with a fun gathering celebrating everyone's creativity, teamwork, and enthusiasm. Thank you to all participating offices for making this year's contest such a memorable celebration!

View the photo gallery

Celebrating Connection and Community at CSUSM!

It was an exciting time at CSUSM as students, families, alumni, and community members came together for several events celebrating connection and Cougar pride!


Discover CSUSM welcomed over 400 prospective students for a carnival-themed celebration! One of the day's biggest highlights was the Admit on the Spot experience, where eligible students received certificates of conditional pre-admission to CSUSM. It was especially exciting to see future Cougars celebrate this milestone alongside their loved ones! A special thank you to our Student Affairs teams who showed up to table, share campus resources, answer questions, and help prospective students and families discover the many opportunities and support systems available at CSUSM.


The celebrations continued with Family Weekend, featuring a movie night under the stars, hands-on chocolate-making workshops led by a CSUSM alumna from D’liteful Chocolat, and a Family Brunch that brought students and their loved ones together to create lasting memories.


CSUSM Athletics also hosted Meet the Cougars, welcoming season ticket holders, alumni, donors, and families for an interactive panel with student-athletes and coaches. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, hear their stories, and connect with the individuals behind our Cougar teams.


Cougar Madness Brings Basketball Spirit to CSUSM!

CSUSM students came together at the Sports Center for Cougar Madness, an annual tradition celebrating the start of the men's and women's basketball seasons. The event introduced this year's basketball teams and featured performances by CSUSM's cheer and dance teams, interactive activities, and opportunities for students to connect with student-athletes.


Established in 2016, Cougar Madness has become a campus tradition that brings the university community together, strengthens school spirit, and builds anticipation for the upcoming basketball season.


It's On Us: Community Pledges to Prevent Sexual Violence

More than 200 students, faculty, and staff participated in the It's On Us Day of Action, coming together to raise awareness about sexual violence prevention and reaffirm their commitment to a safer campus community.


A central focus of the event was the It's On Us pledge, which encouraged participants to take personal responsibility for recognizing harmful situations, intervening safely, and supporting those affected by sexual violence. Students added their signatures to a collective pledge board, making a visible commitment to fostering a campus culture of respect and accountability.


The event also connected students with campus prevention and support resources, reinforcing the role each member of the Cougar community can play in preventing sexual violence.


National Hazing Prevention Week: Promoting Safe and Positive Student Leadership

More than 1,000 students participated in National Hazing Prevention Week activities at CSUSM, engaging in workshops, discussions, and interactive experiences focused on preventing hazing and promoting positive student leadership.


With strong participation from the fraternity and sorority community, the initiative encouraged students to recognize harmful behaviors, challenge hazing traditions, and strengthen their organizations through respect, accountability, and meaningful connections.


Led by the Student Leadership & Involvement Center in collaboration with Student Health & Counseling Services, Athletics, Sport Clubs, and other campus partners, the effort reinforced the importance of creating safe and inclusive student organizations where belonging is built without hazing.

 

Welcome to the Student Affairs Family

Grace Ricafranca


gricafranca@csusm.edu

Assistant Women's Basketball Coach, Athletics


Grace Ricafranca brings extensive coaching experience at the collegiate, high school and international levels. She previously spent four seasons at Point Loma, helping lead the Sea Lions to historic PacWest championships and back-to-back NCAA West Regional appearances. In 2024, she was selected to participate in the WBCA Next Generation Institute as one of 32 promising college assistant coaches. Her coaching experience also includes stops at Pepperdine and Biola, as well as helping the Philippines U16 National Team earn a bronze medal at the 2022 Asia Cup Championship. Ricafranca earned her bachelor's degree from Biola University and her master's in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University-Irvine.

Shannon Gallacher


sgallacher@csusm.edu

Assistant Director, Pride Center


Shannon is a two-time alum of the CSU system. Initially, she received her B.A. in Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies from CSUSM, then obtained her M.A. in Women’s Studies from San Diego State University. She has experience working within Student Life Centers as she spent two years working in the Women’s Resource Center at SDSU before returning to CSUSM, where she worked with our very own Associated Students Inc. As a practitioner, Shannon joins us with over 6 years of professional experience working in higher education that have given her experiences with student success initiatives, leading operations and logistics processes, and facilitating diversity, equity, and inclusion-centered workshops and initiatives. 

Stephanie Clewer


sclewer@csusm.edu

Continuing Student Area Coordinator 


Stephanie Clewer is a proud CSUSM alumna who earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication before spending two years teaching and traveling in Thailand. She then returned to California to pursue her master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership at the University of San Diego, where she completed an action research project focused on the transfer student population and their experiences in higher education. Following graduation, Stephanie served as a Community Director at The QUAD with CSUSM Housing. Today, she continues her career with CSUSM Housing as the Continuing Student Area Coordinator, where she looks forward to enhancing the residential experience and supporting students as they return to housing and continue their college journeys.

Did your team recently welcome someone new? Help us spotlight new hires and introduce them to the division by filling out the form below.

Submission Form

 

Upcoming Events


November 2 - 6, 2026

First Gen Week hosted by the Cross-Cultural Center

View the list of events here


November 5, 2026

Exposing Hidden Bias

9 am - 10:30 am | Zoom

Register here


November 6, 2026

Beyond Hearing: Becoming a Better Listener

11 am - 12 pm | Zoom

Register here


November 10, 2026

Veterans Day Celebration

12 pm - 1 pm | Epstein Family Veterans Center


November 11, 2026

Veterans Day - Campus Closed


November 16, 2026

De-escalation Strategies for Difficult Situations

10 am - 12 pm | Zoom

Regsiter here


November 16, 2026

Pasifika in Entertainment

6 pm - 8 pm | USU Ballroom

Buy your tickets here


November 17, 2026

Capturing Complexity

6 pm - 8 pm | Arts Building 111

Buy your tickets here


November 19, 2026

Cougar Coffee Break

9 am - 10 am | Staff Center (Commons 109)


November 19, 2026

Serenades, Fantasies, and Songs

12 pm - 1 pm | Arts Building 111

Get your tickets here


November 26 - 27, 2026

Thanksgiving Holiday - Campus Closed

 

Submit your story for the November 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 publication month.


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

Submit your story

 

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Transforming Lives, One Student at a Time


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