20 years.

By any standard, that measurement represents a significant milestone. However, when you consider that some renowned educational institutions have been in existence for 100 years or more, you realize that 20 years could be viewed as merely a heartbeat in the life of a university.

That context makes Cal State San Marcos’ accomplishments over the past two decades a truly amazing feat worthy of a roaring celebration.

Consider these incredible facts and statistics:

• In fall of 1990, enrollment at CSUSM consisted of 600 students. Today, the student body is 9,150 strong — an overall increase of 1425 percent.

• The first CSUSM graduating class of 1992 consisted of 182 graduates. By this spring 2009, more than 22,500 students will have crossed the stage at commencement.

• At its inception, classes at Cal State San Marcos were held in a storefront next to a local furniture retailer while the main campus was constructed on the site of the old Prohoroff Poultry Farm. Today, the 304 acre hillside campus has flourished to include 14 major buildings, 160,580 square feet of classroom space, student apartments with room for 620 beds, nearly 5,000 parking spaces, 54 total degree and credential programs, and cutting-edge technology available campus-wide.

All of these extraordinary achievements, and many more, in just 20 short years.

With that in mind, it becomes obvious why we’ve chosen “Roaring Into Our 20s” as the theme for our anniversary year. We invite you to roar with us as we celebrate our collective accomplishments, and pounce towards the shimmering promise of our bright future as North San Diego County’s only four-year institution of higher learning.