Oct. 6, 2021 (San Marcos, CA)— On Thursday, Sept. 30, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) President Ellen Neufeldt delivered her annual “Report to the Community” which highlighted increases in key university indexes and an expansion of their popular engineering program. The Report, which comes as CSUSM emerges from the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, also stressed the university’s role as a powerful engine for economic empowerment that is expanding student social mobility, local economic growth and innovation in the region.
The impressive rise in key university ratings included a 19-point rise to #41 in the highly regarded U.S. News and World Report, West rankings and an eight-point rise to #28 in the national social mobility index out of nearly 1,500 colleges.
CSUSM also announced a $5 million, five-year, U.S. Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) grant. The grant will allow the school to add computer engineering to its engineering program which currently offers electrical and software engineering.
The engineering program is part of the university’s efforts to support students entering in-demand STEM fields in the region. According to the San Diego North Economic Development Council North County San Diego is projected to need twenty thousand additional skilled professionals a year by 2030 to fill sought-after jobs in top innovation occupations.
“No other university is as uniquely qualified as we are to address the challenges and opportunities before us by putting students first, building on our strengths of community engagement, partnership, and research, and championing innovation that brings together a diversity of people and ideas that expand knowledge,” said Neufeldt at the September 30th event.
More than 500 individuals representing a broad cross section of regional business, nonprofit, education, and government leadership attended the event either virtually or in person.
The CSUSM campus reopened to students and employees in August after instruction took place largely virtually during the 2020-21 school year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
This was the third Report to the Community for Neufeldt, who started in her position in July 2019. Report to the Community is an annual tradition that CSUSM has hosted since 2005.
CSUSM thanks Scotty Lombardi, senior manager of global talent management at Hunter Industries and chair of CSUSM’s University Council for emceeing the event.
Report to the Community is hosted each year by University Council, a citizen advisory board consisting of community leaders interested in the development and welfare of the university.
North City is the presidential sponsor of Report to the Community. The premier sponsors are Kaiser Permanente and SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. The signature sponsors are Hunter Industries and Wells Fargo.
Please contact CSUSM University Communications for photos and videos of the event. Tеl: (760) 750-4407 and email: publicity@csusm.edu.
About California State University San Marcos
Building on an innovative 30-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities, and solving critical issues. Located on a 306-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.
The university enrolls more than 16,000 students. As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014 – a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion – CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive learning, teaching and working environment.
