Education

Cougar spirit runs all in the family

Cal State San Marcos had a different feel when Rylee Leavitt’s grandmother attended in the early 1990s. Back then, Jane DeRoche was a single mother returning to school for her bachelor’s knowing it would help her earn a better living. “I gathered all my transcripts and kind of dumped them on the counter and said, ‘I want to go to school here. What do I…


Back to school: Cal State San Marcos opens year with record enrollment

The fall semester at Cal State San Marcos kicked off Monday with nearly three dozen new faculty, several new programs and the highest enrollment in campus history. President Karen Haynes, the most senior president in the CSU system, opened the 2017-18 academic year with her 14th CSUSM Convocation address on Thursday, Aug. 24. Speaking to hundreds of CSUSM faculty and staff members, she highlighted recent…


CSUSM steps up to NCAA Division II

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) has learned it has successfully completed its transition to NCAA Division II membership. In other CSUSM news, below, the school hosts its Summer Scholars Showcase on Aug. 9. CSUSM President Karen Haynes and Director of Athletics Jennifer Milo received the call from the NCAA membership committee notifying them that the university now is a full-fledged Division II member. While…


Fake or real? Esco HS party turns viral

Video of an Escondido Charter High School teacher violently reacting to a group of students intruding on his class has drawn widespread criticism from Australia to Cape Verde – but more than one viewer insists not all was as it seemed. Footage showing Escondido Charter students entering the classroom of a teacher was uploaded to streaming website Streamable earlier today. Wearing party hats, stick-on moustaches, sombreros and…


CSUSM student finishes 100-appearance reign as Miss Kumeyaay Nation

Autumn Brown, 19, who grew up on the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians’ reservation in Alpine,California, recently finished her year representing her culture as Miss Kumeyaay Nation. According to Brown, the elected position of Miss Kumeyaay Nation is a great example of empowerment of Native women. In order to be considered for Miss Kumeyaay, a female tribal member must submit a YouTube video, do a…


Vote for ‘Health’ at the 14th Annual Because I Care Community Fair

California State University San Marcos is pleased to partner with the City of San Marcos and the San Marcos Fire Department to offer the 14th Annual Because I Care Community Fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 at the San Marcos Senior Activity Center, 111 Richmar Ave. The purpose of the Because I Care Community Fair is to raise awareness of and garner support for individuals who provide…


CSUSM Student Healthcare Project making difference in communities

Cal State San Marcos participants in the Student Healthcare Project follow a similar pattern each semester. “The first three weeks they all run around like their hair is on fire,” said Mary Baker, who is the director of the School of Nursing Student Healthcare Project. “Then they really start to jell and work together as a team. And then they get really good at it…


San Pasqual High, CSUSM alumnus thrives in entertainment industry

Meeting Cheech Marin would lead most people to reference one of the dozens of TV shows or films in which the actor has appeared. Escondido native and San Pasqual High School graduate, Michael Flores took a different approach. He talked about art. One of the classes Flores took when he attended Cal State San Marcos required a trip to an area museum. He visited one…


Fragozo pleads guilty to voter fraud count

Facing 13 counts of election and voting fraud, Escondido Union School District (EUSD) trustee Jose Fragozo Monday pleaded guilty to one of the lesser felony counts in a plea bargain agreement. The remaining 12 charges were dismissed. Fragozo entered his guilty plea mere hours after a 55-member jury pool was brought into court. They were being interviewed about participating in a trial expected to last…


Green Boot Camp an energetic experience

Escondido got in on the new energy wave in education as a host for Honeywell International’s 8th Annual Green Boot Camp. It resonated with educators from California to Vietnam, Russia to the Garden State of Nuevo Jersey. “It was both educational and fun,” said Susan Engelsman, grades 6-8 math teacher at Harding Township School in Mt. Vernon, New Jersey. “Honeywell filled our days with a…