Youth explore careers, campus life through Sac State’s immersive Summer Youth Academies

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published July 1, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Hundreds of local seventh-through 12th graders are converging on Sacramento State’s campus this summer to attend the popular Summer Youth Academies, a series of weeklong, career-focused courses. 

The annual academies, which are taught by faculty, staff, alumni and industry experts, offer local kids hands-on learning experiences and career exploration, exposure to a university campus and an opportunity to learn new skills.  

“The goal is to give our regional youth an opportunity to do something meaningful and engaging and fun over summer that is still educational in its roots without it being full-blown summer school,” said Anna Keck, director of Academic and Professional Programs in the College of Continuing Education.  

Courses run weekdays through Aug. 1 on topics such as creative writing and journalism, criminology, drawing and the arts, video game development, fire and emergency services, finances, computers and technology, and business. 

Some classes are online, but most are in-person on campus or offsite, and some include field trips. The courses are not graded and most do not include homework, giving the professors and alumni who teach them more curricular and creative freedom to make activities expansive and engaging, Keck said. 

Organizers frequently add new academies in response to demand as well as new and emerging industries and issues. 

Among the more than 25 courses offered this year are new courses on ageism and a maker studies product design course that utilizes Sac State’s StingerStudio Makerspace. 

“Generations United: Tackling Ageism Together,” taught by Gerontology Lecturer Jenny Stevenson and running July 28-Aug. 1, includes work with older adults in the Cardiovascular Wellness Program in Folsom Hall. Activities include nutritional meal planning, cooking, artwork, music and more.  

The course also touches on entrepreneurship by exploring innovative ways to help older adults. Students will also take a field trip to Oakmont Senior Living Community in order to learn about the well side of aging, not just the sick side. 

“We’re hoping to plant that seed early on to get them thinking about aging,” Stevenson said, adding that it’s essential to get youth thinking about what they want to do earlier on. “Hopefully if they decide to go to college, they know what Sac State has. We want to give them the knowledge on a topic that isn’t commonly discussed at a younger age.” 

One of the University’s goals in offering Summer Academies, Keck said, is showing students there are multiple paths to a career field. Health-based academies fill up quickly, and the Gerontology course’s focus on health serves as an example of a way into that industry participants may not have thought about. 

“I’m really excited about this new academy in particular (because of) this idea of getting kids to see the amazing diversity of pathways that are open to them that still fit within their passions and interests,” she said. 

It’s also a timely topic, emblematic of the academies’ goal to provide students with valuable and relevant life and career skills. As the population continues to age, knowing how to work with older adults could give students a competitive edge in the workforce, both Stevenson and Keck said. 

“I’m hoping that they want to do something in their career with older adults because no matter what career you’re in, you work with older adults,” Stevenson said. “We want it to inspire them to want to be innovative in their lives as they get older.”

Another set of courses takes advantage of one of Sac State’s newest and most innovative locales.  

The new “Maker Studies – Product Design” academy joins the existing “Introduction to 3D Printing and Design,” held in June, in utilizing the University Library’s StingerStudio Makerspace so students can design and build a product from idea to completion.  

The new course runs July 21-25 and allows students to work with sewing and embroidery machines, laser and vinyl cutters, 3D printers and button presses as well as software such as Canva and Adobe Illustrator. 

“Basically, they’ll start out with an idea of what kind of product that they might want to create and then think about how to push that product and even create packaging for that product,” said Preston Tobery, who runs the makerspace and teaches the academy. 

Tobery said he hopes students will not only learn about design and specific software, but that it will be a hands-on learning experience where they’ll walk away having tried new things. 

“I think having these summer sessions is fantastic, especially for the high schoolers, because it really shows them what’s available at Sac State,” Tobery said. “That kind of just gives them a jump start on that knowledge, and hopefully they take that knowledge and share it with others that might be interested in coming to Sacramento State.” 

Though there is a fee for each course, scholarships are available thanks to donations. The program also works with First Star Academy to offer free admission to foster youth, a partnership that began last year. 

Summer Youth Academies are not only beneficial for students and their parents. They’re also a major opportunity for Sac State to continue meeting its enrollment goals. 

“It’s really pipeline building at the end of the day for Sac State,” Keck said. “If we can get in front of the middle school and high school audiences, including the individual students and their families and support networks, and build that pipeline, that’s the investment.” 

Keck hopes students leave with a sense of pride and confidence that they can attend college and pursue a career in their area of interest. 

“Ultimately, we just want kids to be able to have fun in an engaging environment, so that they stay passionate and engaged with a positive mindset about what they’re going to do after high school,” she said. “No matter what they do, there are lots of options for success, and (we want them to know) that Sac State could be part of that.” 

Though some classes are full, completed or already underway, spaces remain available in others. For more information, including course offerings, schedule, scholarships and donations, visit the website.

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Jeffery Benson shares how his civil rights legacy inspired his nontraditional path to education, advocacy (Beyond J podcast)

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published May 20, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Jeffery Benson calls himself a disruptor because he’s never been one to follow the traditional path.

The 61-year-old graduated from Sac State with his bachelor’s degree in Career and Technical Studies in December 2024. In May, he returned to offer words of wisdom and encouragement to fellow Class of 2025 graduates during Spring Commencement, where he proudly represented the College of Education as its Dean’s Award recipient and accepted the President’s Medal as the University’s top graduate.

A native of Topeka, Kansas, Benson’s ties to the civil rights movement run deep. His mother, aunt and grandmother were three of the 13 original plaintiffs in the historic 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case that led to U.S. school desegregation. His father also attended the segregated Monroe Elementary School, which was at the center of the case.

It’s a legacy that has become a driving force in everything Benson has done throughout his life and career.

Benson, who is now pursuing his master’s of science in Law at McGeorge School of Law, joined “Beyond J” to discuss the many stops he had along his journey to a degree, including the unique experience that inspired him to attend Sac State, his visit to the White House for the 70th anniversary of the landmark case, meeting former President Joe Biden, and his aspirations to obtain his doctorate of law and serve as an attorney and policy advocacy analyst for the state.

The episode also includes Benson’s Commencement speech, delivered to College of Education graduates on May 17.

Subscribe to Beyond J on Apple or Spotify.

Listen to the podcast here.

Editor’s Note: While I did not have any involvement in recording, performing or producing the podcast episode itself, I did contribute to it by providing information and potential questions based on my interview with Jeffery Benson and the subsequent story I wrote about him.

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Sac State’s Spring Commencement brings joy, gratitude and a sense of accomplishment

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published May 19, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Sacramento State celebrated thousands of new Hornet alumni over the weekend as graduates, their families and their friends and guests packed into Golden 1 Center for Spring Commencement.

As more than 6,500 members of the class of 2025 walked the stage across six ceremonies May 16-17 in downtown Sacramento, each shook the hand of a representative of their college and President Luke Wood before celebrating their accomplishments with smiles, raised arms and other gestures.

They joined the more than 3,000 Hornets who graduated during Winter Commencement ceremonies in December, bringing the number of students receiving degrees this academic year to more than 9,000.

Among the graduates were this year’s Dean’s Award winners. During the final ceremony, Dean’s Award winner and President’s Medal recipient Jeffery Benson, who graduated in December, offered words of encouragement to his fellow Hornets.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t salute every professor on stage with me, in the audience or watching via livestream – the program administrators who poured into me at Sacramento State, your wisdom helped me turn my vision into a reality,” Benson said during the College of Education’s ceremony on Saturday night.

“Thurgood Marshall once said, ‘None of us got here by ourselves. We got here by being pulled up by someone else.’ And I paraphrase, so don’t forget where you come from and reach back and help someone else pick up their boots.”

In addition to the Deans’ Awards, which are given each year to one student from each of Sac State’s academic colleges, and the President’s Medal, which is awarded to the University’s top graduate, Sacramento State and the CSU conferred honors upon individuals who have provided outstanding service to the University, higher education and beyond. Honorary doctorates were presented to Thomas L. Karlo and Paul Lau, and the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service was awarded posthumously to Randy Solorio.

Wood addressed graduates – including 5,342 bachelor’s recipients, 906 graduate degree recipients and 312 credential recipients – reminding them that the end of one journey begins another.

“You’ve become experts not just in your fields but in persistence, because there’s no such thing as the light that shines better than yours,” said Wood, who throughout the two-day event took selfies with graduates, danced on stage and celebrated with energy and enthusiasm. “You wrestled with doubt, and you kept going. You juggled multiple responsibilities, but one would have been enough. You stayed enrolled when it would have been easier to have walked away. You built a life while building a future. That’s not ordinary, that’s extraordinary.”

Wood highlighted the University as an engine for opportunity, calling out first-generation and transfer students, top graduates, veterans, and parents and caretakers who juggled school while raising families. He also acknowledged graduates’ families and supporters.

The sea of students on the arena floor showed their styles and personalities with decorated mortarboards, colorful leis and footwear ranging from strappy sandals to Hokas.

One graduate’s bright pink mortar board read “Biologist Barbie,” another’s “Finally Done with This BS.” Others carried phrases such as “My Turn to Teach,” “To My Daughter, Mommy Did It!,” “Yeah Somebody Gotta Do It,” and “A Dream begins with a Dreamer – 1st gen.”

During a “Grad Jam” celebration prior to the ceremonies, Hornets and their loved ones grabbed a microphone and shared thoughts about their journeys.

“It’s a great day to be a Hornet,” one student said. “Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad! Sac State is the place!” He blew kisses to his cheering family, shown on a big screen above him.

Some in the crowd waved cardboard replicas printed with their favorite graduate’s face.

Jessica Ha, who earned her bachelor’s degree in Health Science and plans to become a nurse, said she was glad to be at Commencement after completing a challenging journey.

“I’ve always had a passion to help others, especially my mom,” Ha said. “She had health problems while I was growing up, so she inspired my path. Going to college was hard, especially being first-generation and being Asian American.”

Denyse MacMillan watched with pride as her daughter Bryce MacMillan graduated with a degree in Speech Pathology. Bryce will return to Sac State to pursue a master’s degree.

“I love her and I’m super proud of her,” Denyse MacMillan said. “She did this in three years. She never stopped. Winter classes, spring classes, summer classes. She was just very focused, very driven, just stayed in her room studying a lot.”

At the Health and Human Services ceremony, the college’s Dean’s Award winner Jesus Osvaldo Meza Nava told his fellow graduates that the education Sac State provides goes beyond the classroom.

“As a proud, first-generation Mexican American, I carry more than my own dreams across this stage today,” he said during his speech. “I walk with the hopes, the struggles, and the triumphs of generations who believed in something bigger and refused to give up.

“Here at Sac State, we weren’t just educated. We were shaped by the values of compassion, inclusivity, and excellence. Values we now have the responsibility to bring to the world.”

Jennifer K. Morita and Cynthia Hubert contributed to this report.

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Lifelong learner and civil rights advocate Jeffery Benson treads his own path to a degree

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published May 12, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Jeffery Benson proudly calls himself a disruptor.

The 61-year-old has earned the title through a life of purpose and perseverance, culminating in his graduation from Sacramento State summa cum laude in December 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Career and Technical Studies.

“You never know what life’s journey will offer or what you’ll give back in return,” he said. “The more I give, the more the world gives back to me. (These awards are) not only for myself but also for all of my ancestors, all of the giant shoulders that I stand on, my community members, and all of my family, both chosen and biological.”

Benson’s journey to a Sac State degree has been anything but traditional and even intersects with history.

Born in the 1960s in Topeka, Kansas, he grew up in the crucible of the civil rights movement. His mother, aunt and grandmother were among the 13 original plaintiffs in the historic 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case that led to U.S. school desegregation. His father also attended the segregated Monroe Elementary School, which was at the center of the case.

Last May, Benson and his mother joined other plaintiff families in a visit to the White House to commemorate the case’s 70th anniversary, an experience Benson described as a “generational, full-circle moment.”

“My family has fought vigorously to ensure that civil rights legislation remains the law of the land,” he said. “Whatever we do through education, through community involvement, through social justice work, it’s been my guiding force and my family’s guiding force our entire lives.”

Benson is the recipient of the President’s Medal, awarded each year to Sacramento State’s top graduate, and will offer words of encouragement at the College of Education Spring Commencement ceremony on May 17, the 71st anniversary of the monumental court decision. Benson also received the college’s Dean’s Award, which is given to one student from each of the University’s seven academic colleges. 

 The White House visit included a meeting with then-President Joe Biden in the Oval Office.

“The whole visit, everything we did, it felt other worldly,” said Benson, who plans to write a book about the experience. “(Biden) greeted every single family and shook everybody’s hands and held their hands. It was a powerful moment with my mother I’ll never forget.”

The visit reignited Benson’s educational aspirations, reminding him of his “North Star” goal of finishing his education. Growing up, he attended school in Kansas and in the summers visited his father, who was a Fine Arts professor at CSU Fullerton.

Benson moved to the West Coast after high school and spent about a decade working in retail, sales and technology while intermittently pursuing his education. Frequent moves for his jobs made completing his degree a challenge, but he eventually resettled in Sacramento, attending American River College and Sacramento City College.

While working as a driver delivering to Sac State, Benson felt drawn to the campus, eventually leading him to enroll.

“I’d have this really visceral experience of knowing that it had to do with my education and me not having finished it,” said Benson, who currently works as a state, local and education procurement consultant for Gordian, a well-known business management consulting company.

He had a similar experience when delivering to McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific, where he enrolled following his White House visit and is pursuing his master’s of science in Law, concentrating on government law and policy.

Benson is a lifelong civil rights advocate. His now-defunct nonprofit, SWAG, focused on dismantling systemic inequities for underserved communities. He said his “North-North Star” goal is to attend law school, obtain his doctorate of law and serve as an attorney and policy advocacy analyst in the California Department of Justice or Department of Education.

Greg Shaw, interim dean for the College of Education, said Benson served as a mentor to other students and created a sense of community among his peers.

“His presence in the classroom was marked by intellectual maturity and an inclusive mindset,” Shaw said. “He navigated complex and sensitive topics with grace, helping foster a safe environment for classmates to explore issues around education, equity and social justice.”

Benson said no matter what path someone takes in life – whether it’s a traditional approach or one that disrupts the status quo – the important thing is to continue reaching for the stars.

“I’m of the mindset now that I don’t let anything hold me back,” he said. “I can do anything if I put my mind to it, and everybody should be at that juncture in their life. We all have to carve our own pathways. Just know you’re going to fall, but once you fall, you can get right back up again.”

Read the inspiring stories of the other Deans’ Awards recipients.

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Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s Award winner is a role model for Latinas in STEM

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published May 12, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

When Isabel Santoyo-Garcia was a kid, she was known as the IT person in her family.

“From a young age, I was fixing printers or navigating the web because my parents didn’t know how to use it, and my siblings weren’t able to help,” she said.

Santoyo-Garcia, who will graduate May 16 with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics, is the Dean’s Award recipient from the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). Deans’ Awards are given every academic year at Spring Commencement to the top graduating student from each of Sac State’s seven academic colleges.

“With her technical expertise, leadership and commitment to service, Isabel embodies the values and mission of Sacramento State … and is an inspiration to her peers.” — Kevan Shafizadeh, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science

In middle and high school, Santoyo-Garcia noticed how few Latinas were in her STEM courses. Through conversations with teachers, she became inspired to serve as a role model and show how people like her can succeed in technology.

“Technology was a huge influence in my life,” she said.

Santoyo-Garcia grew up in Citrus Heights and chose to attend Sac State to stay close to her family. She is drawn to technology’s versatility across disciplines but focuses primarily on back-end web and application development.

“I’m not a really creative person, so I like seeking problems,” she said. “Usually with the projects I develop, there’s already a problem set, so I’m not building something from scratch. Having an already set problem … and just following through makes it easier for me as a person who likes setting goals and completing achievements.”

Santoyo-Garcia is most proud of her senior project, where she served as one of the lead developers on a team that created an interactive website for a local high school teacher to teach chemistry online. The site, called ChemClick, allows students to interact with chemicals and see how they react in a safe environment when they don’t have access to a classroom.

“It looks really, really nice, and I really like it because it’s going to a good cause,” she said.

The website shows Santoyo-Garcia’s passion for helping others, a theme that runs through many of her projects. They include NatureGuardians, an advocacy website for endangered species, and Timeificers, a software application to make scheduling meetings easier.

Kevan Shafizadeh, ECS dean, said Santoyo-Garcia displays academic excellence in all she does.

“With her technical expertise, leadership and commitment to service, Isabel embodies the values and mission of Sacramento State … and is an inspiration to her peers,” he said.

Santoyo-Garcia’s extracurricular activities include a Stanford University robotics internship, service-learning in Ireland as part of Sac State’s Honors Program, and participation in Hornet Hacks hackathon competitions.

“The hackathons were really great (because they) allowed me to dive into AI and include it into the website as an educational source,” she said of the events where groups of students collaborate to solve real-world problems.

In addition to her achievements in and out of the classroom, Santoyo-Garcia expressed great joy in being a first-generation college graduate, knowing many in her family have not had the same opportunities she has.

“They never had the chance to get a higher education because of financial reasons,” Santoyo-Garcia said.

Following graduation, Santoyo-Garcia plans to work for the state in IT while pursuing other projects that expand her skills. She also plans to continue working in her family’s large backyard garden, raising plants such as cacti.

“I just love plants,” she said. “They’re just so cute to have.”

Santoyo-Garcia sees receiving the ECS Dean’s Award as a testament to her goal to be a role model.

“It feels surreal. It’s crazy,” she said. “I didn’t expect to gain the award, but being part of a community that’s part of the minority group, it feels nice to be a role model in a sense. Also, it shows that people from the minority stance can excel to the top levels.”

Read the inspiring stories of the other Deans’ Awards recipients.

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Lifelong educator Gema Godina brings culture, community to elementary school students (Made at Sac State)

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published May 6, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

“Smell the cookies,” a student-leader instructs, prompting the students gathered on the Washington Elementary School blacktop to inhale during a morning yoga pose.

“Blow out the candles,” the leader instructs as the group exhales and transitions to a new pose.

After yoga comes light exercise, with kids running to the fence and back or wiggling and dancing. Then it’s time for community circles, where students and teachers gather to check in with each other. One student shares that she cleaned her room the night before, while others mention a recent accomplishment in class or share something they’re excited to do over the weekend.

The morning routine at the school in Sacramento’s Alkali Flat neighborhood prepares TK-6 students for the day as part of a focus on social and emotional learning, said principal Gema Godina ’99 (Sociology); MA ’07 (Multicultural Education); Ed.D. ’10.

“I knew we wanted to do yoga because you see how kids come in and yoga is so settling,” said Godina, who also earned teaching credentials from Sacramento State in 2001 and 2006.

Godina was brought in to reopen – and reimagine – Washington Elementary in 2016, just three years after it was closed due to budget issues. Under her leadership, the campus is thriving.

Sac State, she said, prepared her well for her career.

“It’s where my mentors were. It’s where the professors that I knew and loved were,” said Godina, who added that education is always present for her as she spends time away from work participating in activities with her high school-age son. “Where else would I go but Sac State? That’s home.”

Godina, who grew up in the region, has deep ties to the area’s education system. She taught and served as vice principal during an 18-year tenure at C.K. McClatchy High School, from which she is also an alum.

“I feel like I’m a product of our community, and I work in the community that I grew up in,” she said.

Her ties to education in Sacramento go even deeper. From a young age, Godina knew she wanted to be an educator. Her mom taught elementary school and her father, Frank Godina, was a professor at Sac State.

“He was the first director of Chicano Studies at Sac State in the 1970s and so when I think about the legacy at Sac State with the founding members of the Royal Chicano Air Force, it’s my history, it’s Chicano history,” she said. “I think that played a very big part as to why I went to Sac State.”

The Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF) was an art collective founded in 1969 by Sac State faculty and students, including Jose Montoya, Ricardo Favela and Esteban Villa. Based in Sacramento, the group advocated through art for Chicano rights and the labor movement of the United Farm Workers.

“With the community that I work in now at Washington Elementary School and the Washington Neighborhood Center, it’s this full circle story, and legacy that I get to be a part of in my generation.”

A distinct feature of Washington Elementary, which shares a space with a well-maintained city park and neighbors historic Victorian-style homes, are the large, colorful murals that cover most of the campus’ walls and illustrate the school’s diverse cultures. They include several painted by the school’s students in partnership with Sac State’s Barrio Art in the Community class.

“I was looking for partnerships, and when I reached out to Gema, unknowing of her own history with Sac State, she welcomed the idea,” said Luis Garcia, assistant professor of Art Education at Sac State.

Garcia relaunched Barrio Art, which was created by Montoya, in 2022 after it lay dormant for more than a decade. Garcia and Godina connected over their shared histories.

In addition to the “La Lotería del Barrio” mural at the front of campus, the partnership has included art workshops, teacher professional development and various visits to both campuses by Sac State and Washington Elementary students, as well as field trips to local art venues.

“Although Gema is not necessarily an artist, she continues the work to support artists,” Garcia said. “For me this is why I say she continues that legacy that her father was a part of. She chooses to focus on the very same community that she came out of, and that’s something that I admire about her. (She) advocates and dedicates so much time to making sure that new generations have other forms of accessibility that previous generations didn’t have.”

The murals are an example of how Godina and her staff are creating an equitable, diverse environment to instill a sense of leadership, community and culture in the students.

“It’s a vibe. It’s still school, it’s elementary school … we’re doing it a different way. We’re bringing in our authentic selves and our backgrounds, I think that’s why we have something that’s unique.” — Gema Godina, Washington Elementary School principal and Sac State alumna

While Godina emphasizes she works hard for all of her students, she is especially motivated to find ways to improve learning conditions, particularly for students from underserved communities.

One way Washington achieves that, she said, is through its partnership with the University’s College of Education. Sac State Child Development students participate in internships, working in classrooms at Washington to gain hands-on experience.

“We’re creating that pool of future educators that will come back into our community and giving them that insight into what it’s like to be in a classroom,” said Godina, who was named a Sacramento Bee Latino Change Maker in 2023.

Godina’s transformation of Washington is nearly a decade in the making. She reopened the school in 2016 after it was shuttered along with six other campuses in 2013 as a result of budget issues and decreased enrollment in the Sacramento City Unified School District.

“I remember getting the keys of the school when I was hired to come here after it had been closed for three years,” she said. “Just looking through the windows and just feeling like, ‘oh, man, my career is over. What did I do?’ ”

Godina was given about a year to reopen the school and worked with district officials to renovate, remodel and reimagine it as a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) school with a railroad theme.

The nontraditional classrooms are designed to be stimulating, comforting and welcoming. Each is named after a railroad car, tying them back to the school mascot: the locomotive, a play on the school’s STEAM focus.

Washington uses a project-based learning model, where students develop solutions to real-world problems in their communities. Past projects have included arcade games that were donated to Shriner’s Hospital, sustainable housing for the homeless, fundraising for a well in Nigeria and reimagining a stadium for the Sacramento Republic FC soccer team. Students present their projects each May at a community event featuring food trucks, student performances and more.

Godina said the biggest challenge to relaunching the school was getting the community back after it was split between two other campuses following Washington’s closure.

“It’s a vibe,” Godina said, describing the feeling one gets when walking the campus. “It’s still school, it’s elementary school … we’re doing it a different way. We’re bringing in our authentic selves and our backgrounds, I think that’s why we have something that’s unique.”

Godina’s approach has been a success. As other schools have faced teacher shortages, the disruptions of the pandemic and other issues, Washington Elementary has quietly grown. The campus is almost at full capacity with 415 students.

At the end of the day, her passion is what shines through as she discusses her work with a constant smile on her face.

“I’m in a really good space here,” Godina said. “I love our community events; I love being with our families and just getting to joke with anybody. You have to have a really big sense of humor when you’re working around kids every day. This is a beautiful community.”

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Sacramento State, CSU recognize three individuals’ excellence with honorary degrees, President’s Medal

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published April 3, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Sacramento State and the California State University have recognized three outstanding individuals with distinguished honors for their contributions to the campus community, the CSU system, the region and beyond.

Two honorary degrees and one President’s Medal for Distinguished Service were awarded during a reception Wednesday, April 2, at the Harper Alumni Center, an annual tradition for the University.

The CSU has awarded honorary degrees since 1963 to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in areas that benefit humanity, CSU campuses, the state, the nation and/or the world.

Additionally, the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service is awarded to community members who provide outstanding service to Sacramento State, higher education, the public and/or the common good.

More information about each of this year’s three recipients is available online.

Honorary Degrees:

• Thomas L. Karlo, a general manager emeritus for KPBS at San Diego State University, is the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

• Paul Lau, chief executive officer and general manager for SMUD, is the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

2025 President’s Medal for Distinguished Service:

• Randy Solorio, retired Sacramento State head gymnastics coach (awarded posthumously)

At the reception, families, friends and colleagues of each of the recipients joined members of the Hornet Family including University leadership, faculty and staff, and others to honor this year’s awardees.

Jori Gonzales-Solorio provided emotional remarks on behalf of her late husband, Randy Solorio, the posthumous recipient of the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service. Karlo and Lau also spoke and shared deep gratitude for the honor.

The event also included live entertainment featuring musicians from the School of Music.

The honorees will be recognized May 16-17 during the spring Commencement ceremonies at Golden 1 Center.

Visit the Honorary Degrees webpage to learn more and to see a list of past honorees.

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Women of Sac State’s Combat U fight stereotypes, bring home championships

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published March 28, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Aranjot Kaur has always been a fighter.

An accomplished mixed martial arts (MMA) athlete in India with a 3-0 record and national championship, Kaur began training at 14. She attributes much of her success to her mother, a fashion designer, who raised her mostly as a single parent and instilled a culture of hard work and independence.

It’s no surprise, then, how Kaur found her way to Sac State. In 2023, while looking for a college in the US, where MMA is a more developed sport than in India, she came across a post on UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber’s Instagram featuring amateur boxer and then-new Sac State President Luke Wood.

Kaur took the initiative and reached out to Wood. The conversations that followed ultimately led to Combat U, a partnership between the University and local gyms including Faber’s Ultimate Fitness, located about a mile from campus.

“Sac State was the only university I applied to, because of Urijah Faber, and I got in,” said Kaur, a second-year Business Administration student whose goals include designing gear for combat sports competitors and expanding Aranick, the fashion brand she runs with her mother.

In both perception and reality, combat sports can be male-dominated. But Kaur and a passionate group of Combat U women are working to change that – and paving the way for the next generation of female fighters.

Combat U – officially Combat Sports and Martial Arts University – launched in fall 2024 as a first-of-its-kind program spanning several student sports clubs, including wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu.

The program is open to all students regardless of experience level, allowing student-athletes to train with and learn from experienced professionals like Faber, while providing a pathway to higher education for students from traditionally underserved backgrounds.

Kaur is recognized as Combat U’s student-founder and serves as president of Combat U MMA and jiu-jitsu. In that role, she works to recruit more students, especially women.

“I think even though we are excelling, especially in MMA or combat sports, we are also fighting the notions and perspectives of society that want to define what being a woman is.” — Aranjot Kaur

Of the program’s approximately 600 participants, about 50 are women, meaning they’re often training with their male counterparts. And though the gender imbalance can be intimidating, Kaur said, Combat U’s coaching staff and other participants work to ensure an inclusive environment.

“There’s no day I can tell you that I feel out of place,” said Kaur, who is working toward her US competition debut. “There’s no discrimination from the coach’s perspective. Even the men on the mat, they are welcoming to you. They respect you for who you are.”

Combat U offers opportunities beyond athletic competition. The program provides critical financial support to students pursuing their degrees, including Kaur, who is attending Sac State on a full scholarship.

“I believe that I don’t take no’s. I find a pathway to a yes,” said Kaur. “I believed in me, that I am capable of doing something for myself.”

Women’s wrestling wins national championships

When it comes to earning trophies, the women of Combat U are at the vanguard. Sac State recently celebrated its first national championships in wrestling history when Miyuki Pugrad and Sabrina Cunha brought home top honors at the National Collegiate Wrestling Association’s Championships in Louisiana.

Pugrad, a graduate student in Child Development, wrestled in high school but took a four-year break from the mat while completing her undergraduate degree. Combat U inspired her to return.

She is writing her thesis on adolescent wrestling and how it could be a safer space for girls. A major issue, she said, is normalized language and the culture of potentially derogatory feelings toward women in sports.

“Men need to keep other men accountable in the room,” said Pugrad, who also recently won a state championship.

With women’s wrestling being one of the fastest growing collegiate sports in the US, the experiences of women participants have been critical, added Cunha, a Kinesiology major and amateur MMA competitor.

“Women in wrestling kind of saved wrestling,” she said. “Wrestling was very much dying until girls started wrestling in high school.”

Both women agreed that the experience in Combat U has been much more positive.

“I really enjoy Combat U,” said Cunha. “The environment as a woman is very welcoming. The teammates are very supportive, the coaches are very supportive.”

Pugrad said she has also learned to not put as much pressure on herself as she did in high school and to just enjoy wrestling.

“I just wanted to do it for fun because I was mending that area in my life,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave wrestling feeling discouraged because it has helped me in so many other areas of my life.”

Boxing on the rise

Wrestling isn’t the only discipline in which the women of Combat U are blazing a trail. In 2024, Ayahna Gonzales, a first-year Biomedical Science major who plans to attend medical school, became the first women’s boxer to win a match in Sac State history during her amateur debut.

“It’s definitely a big weight to carry,” said Gonzales, who went on to win at the inaugural Causeway Boxing Classic later that year. “It wasn’t until I had other people bring it to my attention that I realized the real gravity of it.”

Combat U revived boxing at Sac State, which had been without a presence in the sport since the 1950s and 60s, a time when there were no women boxers.

“I do definitely think women’s sports are getting more attention,” Gonzales said. “People are finding a different kind of perspective and joy of watching them. I just think it’s important, regardless of gender, being recognized for your skill and your profession.”

For Gonzales, boxing – and Combat U – is a family affair. Her mother, Janelle, coaches and manages the team and co-owns Combat U partner gym Flawless Boxing & Fitness with Ayahna’s father Brandon, a professional boxer and Combat U’s head boxing coach.

Creating equal opportunity has been an important part of Combat U’s success, Janelle Gonzales said.

“Not letting it be a completely male-dominated space is a big deal,” Janelle Gonzales said. “I like that Sac State has kind of provided this platform for women to actually come and do a combat sport.”

The future of women in Combat U

Reflecting on Combat U’s first year, program Director and professional MMA fighter Hector Fajardo highlighted the accomplishments of the women competitors.

“It’s been a very successful year, and it’s great to see that the female students are actually bringing home a majority of the (championships),” he said.

Fajardo emphasized that Combat U is about more than just athletic achievement.

“Some of our most successful athletes in the program are women,” he said. “It makes me happy that all of them have their academics in line as well.”

With Combat U still in its infancy, its coaches aim to make combat sports more accessible to all students.

“You can come and train because you want to learn the skill, or maybe even get in shape,” said Janelle Gonzales. “Just being a Sac State student, you get the opportunity to learn and train in any of these disciplines.”

Despite the progress, the students acknowledge ongoing challenges.

“I think even though we are excelling, especially in MMA or combat sports, we are also fighting the notions and perspectives of society that want to define what being a woman is,” said Kaur.

Still, she remains optimistic.

“Women are stepping up,” Kaur said. “They’re showing that, ‘No, I am who I am, don’t tell me what to do.’ They’re making decisions for themselves.”

To stay up-to-date on Sac State’s combat sports events, follow Combat U on Instagram or visit Hornet Sports.

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Sac State library marks 50 years serving students at the center of campus

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published March 19, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Walking into Lassen Hall today, you’d probably never know it once held thousands of books and served as the campus library.

Though Sacramento State dates back to 1947, it wasn’t until Jan. 27, 1975, that the University redefined the center of campus by opening the current University Library building, which dominates its namesake quad and has served as the backdrop for countless events, activities and milestones as well as everyday campus life.

Fifty years later, the library is celebrating its rich history of serving students not only as a space for books, journals and other collections but as an all-encompassing resource for student success. The exhibit “Celebrating 50 Years at the Center of Campus” – displayed on the library’s first floor and second-floor mezzanine – runs through April 11.

“On our 50th anniversary, we continue to be a resource, a haven and a social setting for our students, faculty and staff,” said Amy Kautzman, University Library dean. “Our success is represented through others with the building enabling our academic dreams, time spent with friends and memories of library support and assistance.”

While the library’s mission has remained the same, the physical space has evolved dramatically through the years to respond to changing student and campus needs. Space once used for books on reserve, studying and copy machines now houses the Multi-Cultural Center, International Programs and Global Engagement office, Grumpy Mule coffee shop and more.

Library staff and faculty have consistently modernized resources to meet student needs, from computer labs in the early 2000s to study spaces that accommodate growing class sizes and group projects.

Recent upgrades reflect the ever-changing nature of studying and learning: setting aside “Zoom rooms” for online courses, creating family study areas where student-parents can crack the books while their children play nearby, and replacing most desktop computers with tables with electrical outlets for students’ laptops and tablets.

“We’re kind of at the point where we can’t grow the building, but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t stopped growing,” said Lynn Sanborn, University archivist in the Donald and Beverly Gerth Special Collections and University Archives. “(That includes) new resources and updated resources for those who are Hornets and those who will become Hornets.”

In 1990, the University Library’s south side addition opened, expanding the building by nearly 90,000 square feet. The building now spans about 300,000 square feet throughout six floors.

Other recent updates include energy efficient lighting, rooftop solar panels and new signage at the north and south entryways to help students and campus visitors better identify the building.

Beyond its more than two million volumes, the University Library offers a Japanese tea room and garden, the StingerStudio Makerspace, the Tsakopoulos Hellenic Collection, instructional spaces, a Faculty Seminar Room, the newly launched faculty Data | Tech Lab, a presentation practice room, outdoor study tables in the breezeway, gallery space and more.

The building also houses non-library centers and offices, such as the Community Engagement Center, Peer and Academic Resource Center, and the Carlsen Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

In addition to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, and fellows and researchers, Sac State’s library also serves the public. Members of the community as well as local K-12 and community college groups regularly visit, Sanborn said.

During the summer, for example, junior and high school students visit Sac State’s StingerStudio to learn about cutting-edge technology, said Maria Ramirez, University Library event coordinator and communications strategist.

“They not only learn about campus and get to spend a week on the campus, but they come to our library every day, and they learn the principles of design and 3D printing,” Ramirez said. “They then try and fly a rocket. It’s a lot of fun to watch them do that, and then hopefully go, ‘Yeah, I want to go here when I graduate from high school.’”

The 50th anniversary exhibit includes photographs, newspaper clips and historical details. One way it connects the campus’s history with its future is by including a modern physical 3D-printed model of a 1960s-era Herky, whose real counterpart is in the University Archives.

Student assistant Bo Lawson, a Graphic Design major, assisted Sanborn and Ramirez in crafting the exhibit, including formatting, printing and trimming dozens of photos as well as writing captions and preparing items for display.

“It’s already a building that people are pretty much going to every single day, … so it’s just nice to sort of learn a little bit more about the place that you’re in all the time, considering how many changes it went through,” Lawson said. “Those little newspaper parts were a lot of fun because I think it really helps (people) understand the timeline.”

Going forward, the library’s dedicated faculty and staff will continue adapting the library to meet students where they are, Sanborn said. Part of that work involves making sure library resources are available online.

“Obviously, we started with books and it was always accessible for people who came into the building, but we have a lot of people, especially during COVID, who couldn’t come into the building,” she said. “We’re putting our resources online, whether they are e-books or our digital collections or our Special Collections for people to use, so that anyone, anywhere, at any time, can use these things.”

Kautzman said regardless of why members of the campus community visit the library, its mission is to ensure everyone has access to the resources needed to achieve their goals.

“All of our work is dedicated to research, instruction, and learning,” Kautzman said. “From Lassen Hall to the location of our current Brutalist campus centerpiece, our library building’s 50-year journey continues.”

To learn more about the University Library at Sacramento State, visit the library’s website.

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Sac State awards $1 million in scholarships to early childhood education students

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published Feb. 21, 2025, by Sacramento State University Communications

Sacramento State’s College of Education has awarded $1 million in scholarships to 93 students in early childhood education, with the goal of helping them graduate with little to no student loan debt.

The funds are part of the Innovation Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Education (ICEECE), which aims to enhance pre-K through third grade programming and alignment by providing targeted professional development and robust pipelines into ECE careers.

“Making sure the folks that are teaching our youngest learners are well supported during their preparation, and then once they enter into the job market, that’s a really critically important job for us to do here at Sac State,” said ICEECE Faculty Director Pia Wong.

The University honored the recipients, who are students in Child and Adolescent Development, teaching credential, and Educational Leadership programs, during an event on Feb. 14. Recipients’ families were invited to celebrate, and the students received pins to signify their accomplishment.

“Being an early childhood educator is one of the most important and impactful jobs that anyone can do,” Sac State President Luke Wood told students. “It’s the most important because it’s the foundation. We hope that being part of this community and knowing that we all support you wholeheartedly is something that will help you to stay focused and positive.”

Recipients were chosen from a pool of 180 applicants and range from first-year to graduate students. The diverse group includes seven master’s students, 75 undergraduates, 10 credential students and one doctoral student. Some are enrolled in a fully-online bachelor’s program through the College of Continuing Education and attended the event on Zoom.

In June 2023, then-assemblymember and current Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty awarded $6.5 million to the University to establish the ICEECE, with a portion of the funds dedicated to scholarships. Recipients, who received an average of $10,000, will receive additional funds as they continue their programs.

McCarty, who holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from Sac State, has long advocated for education. He chaired the Assembly Education Finance Committee, which in recent years has secured more than $1 billion to support educator preparation.

“Unless we have enough qualified early educators on the frontlines or lead teachers, instructors, like many of you are going to be, it’s all for naught,” he said.

McCarty worked with then-Sac State president Robert S. Nelsen to identify ways the University could help increase the number of early childhood educators in the region. Those conversations ultimately led to the funding that created the ICEECE.

“I hoped one day I’d come back and see all your beautiful faces and the impact that you’re doing, so thank you all for doing what you do for our youngest learners,” McCarty said to the scholars at the event.

The funding will also pay for renovations of outdoor learning spaces at three Sacramento City Unified School District elementary schools and Sac State’s ASI Children’s Center. The spaces will act as professional learning environments for Sac State students, who will utilize best practices as they work with the young learners.

“Ultimately, we’ll have this network of sites where educators can learn how to do engaging, hands-on, stimulating teaching for 3- to 8-year-olds,” Wong said.

For the children, the benefits are endless, said Deidre Sessoms, a professor of Undergraduate Studies in Education who worked with Wong to award the scholarships.

“The more adults you get in a space with kiddos, especially adults who are learning and understand what the best research-based approaches are for working with young children, of course the children benefit,” Sessoms said.

Having those sites available for students has been a primary goal of the ICEECE, which is working to fulfill a need for well-prepared ECE teachers in support of California’s master plan to provide better early childhood learning opportunities. As part of that effort, the state established universal access to transitional kindergarten for children who turn five beyond the kindergarten registration deadline.

“By making this available to our scholars, we can sort of get them seeing the professional trajectory for themselves, so that this just becomes a part of their professional identity,” Sessoms said.

While the majority of the scholarship recipients are undergraduate and master’s students, one of the recipients, Silvia Figueroa, is working on her doctoral degree through Sac State’s Doctorate in Educational Leadership program. Figueroa’s research, which she will present at several upcoming conferences, looks at how to improve professional development for preschool educators, from the perspective of 11 teachers of color.

“I think my study has not been done before, and I think that it’s a great idea to analyze this group of people because they contribute so much,” Figueora said. “Overall, the scholarship will help me to elevate those voices.”

Veneta Tuleshkova, who teaches infants and toddlers at General Davie Jr. Primary Center, an elementary school in the San Juan Unified School District, is a member of the Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development cohort program and said she is thankful for the help paying for college.

“It’s a very big deal for us because we can take a break a little bit,” Tuleshkova said. “As you know we are not paid very good as teachers, so it’s really hard for us. To have a good foundation (for the young learners), we have to have qualified teachers.”

Greg Shaw, interim dean of the College of Education, said scholarships like these can also encourage new students to attend the University.

“This money will be excellent for attracting new students to the program, which will help increase our enrollment,” he said. “Students that didn’t think they could afford to come to school or stay in school may now be attracted to our program or be encouraged to stay in our program.”

Wong said the majority of the ICEECE scholars are already working in the field and the program serves as a support and improvement system for them. For those working in unrelated fields, Wong added that the college is helping them transition to related positions as they pursue their degrees.

“We just think (it will) lead to students staying at Sac State and continuing their education, and then feeling very excited about their professional choice,” she said.

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