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Spring 2025

Adam Heppner CoBA Graduate

Rising Beyond the Labels

Diagnosed with autism at 18 months, Adam's determination led him to not only overcome obstacles but to thrive academically and personally. Described as a great student and a pleasure to work with by professors, his story is a testament to the inclusive and empowering environment that CoBA strives to provide.

 

Elijah Mattfeld Peace Corps CSUSM

Serving Others on the Path to Success

Elijah Mattfeld is set to graduate in the Spring 2025 semester with a major in Global Business Management. He was selected for a position with the Peace Corps, an organization he connected with at an on-campus job fair. Continue reading to learn more about his journey to success in a conversation with the Dean.

 

Raj city Award CSUSM CLIMB

Dr. Raj Pillai Honored with City Proclamation

The City of San Marcos honored Dr. Raj Pillai with a proclamation presented by Deputy Mayor Mike Sannella, recognizing her outstanding contributions through the Center for Leadership Innovation and Mentorship Building (CLIMB).

 

Women in Business Event

Success Through Women’s Leadership: CoBA’s Women in Business Initiative

To celebrate the end of Women’s History Month, CoBA launched a new Women in Business initiative on the evening of March 27th. This initiative was spearheaded by a committee of Executives in Residence (EIRs) and business professionals led by Director of Business Development, Sara Vaz.

 

JJ Pilapil

Faculty Corner – Dr. Dongnyoung Kim, Associate Professor Finance

In this faculty corner article, we talk to Dr. Dongnyoung Kim, associate professor of finance, about his recent journal publication, “Government Financing for Clean Technology Development: Financial Risk and Environmental Benefits."

 

Dana Shemirani CSUSM Alumni

How CoBA Prepared Dana Shemirani '09 for Success at Barons Market

For many students, CSUSM’s College of Business Administration (CoBA) helps create a foundation for success, providing the skills and experiences to help build and grow businesses. For one alum, Dana Shemirani, the lessons learned at CoBA played a key role in her journey to becoming vice president of purchasing at Barons Market.

 

JJ Pilapil

Leading Sustainability: A CoBA Alum’s Impact on Water Conservation

Another CoBA alum, friend, and partner who is building a sustainable water future through technology innovation is A.J. van de Ven ’04. A.J. is president and CEO of Calsense. We talked to A.J. about his company, its part in addressing society’s water challenges, and to learn more about this forward-looking business leader.

 

JJ Pilapil

How J.J. Pilapil '24 Leveraged CoBA’s Resources to Secure a Career in Finance

When J.J. Pilapil first started his journey at CSUSM, he didn’t envision a career in finance. Born in the Philippines, raised in Germany, and later moving to San Diego in 2008, he took a non-traditional path to business. Originally enrolled as a physics major, he later switched to criminology before venturing into an entrepreneurial stint.

 

Fall 2024

Michael Bethel

Michael Bethel's MBA Journey

Michael Bethel is a Senior Oncology Account Executive in the biotechnology sales industry and earned his MBA with CSUSM in 2022. Discover more about his journey in an interview with Dean Ron Ramirez.

 

Business Alumna on Cutting Edge of Marketing

Meet Isabel Rafferty Zavala, a Cal State San Marcos CoBA graduate (Class of ’08) with a degree in business and marketing. You may have met Ms. Rafferty in a 2019 article where she attributed much of her success to the College of Business Administration’s innovative programs and hands-on learning. “Cal State San Marcos helped me find my path and was very important in me being where I am today,”

 
Callaway Golf employee Christina Salazar speaks to CSUSM students during a recent visit to the Carlsbad-based company as part of the Career Center's Career Trek program. Photo by Kirra Robusto

Callaway Visit Gives Students Valuable Insights

Last month, Cal State San Marcos’ Career Center partnered with the College of Business Administration and College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to take students to tour Callaway Golf headquarters in Carlsbad.

 

Summer 2024

newsha m

CoBA Hosts September California Board Of Accountancy Meeting

The Department of Accounting hosted the September 2024 meeting of the California Board of Accountancy (CBA), September 19 & 20.  CBA becomes the first in the nation to remove the 150-hour requirement for CPA licensure.

 

newsha m

K-16 Internship Program Experience

Newsha Mardmomen is currently a finance student and an active member of the Delta Zeta Sorority. She participated in the K-16 internship program, which helped her secure a position as a project support intern at Cubic Corporation in San Diego.

 

Summer Workshop

CLIMB Celebrates It's 20th Anniversary

The Center for Leadership Innovation and Mentorship Building (CLIMB) was established in the Fall of 2004 and is proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary in Fall 2024. CLIMB's mission is to foster the development of effective leaders at all levels by offering educational programs, speaker seminars, and mentorship opportunities. Read more about what this program has done for the students and community members in the past 20 years.

 

Summer Workshop

CSUSM's College of Business Administration Hosts Successful 2024 Summer Opportunity Workshops for High School Students

The College of Business Administration (CoBA) at CSUSM hosted a five-day summer workshop for over 100 high school students from across San Diego. Participants explored topics like Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain Management, and AI & Cybersecurity, led by CoBA faculty and industry experts.

 

Temecula Funded

CoBA's Entrepreneurship Program

Over the last few years, CoBA has developed a comprehensive program of entrepreneurship. It is built upon the BSBA degree option in entrepreneurship and supported by co-curricular activities that provide students with related hands-on experience and access to the entrepreneurship and venture community of San Diego County. Earlier CoBA newsletters have shared examples of these activities including several recent innovation competitions where CoBA students have won awards. It is important that we share additional information about our program.

 

Marketing Internship

Bridging Classroom Learning and Real-World Experience: The Success of CoBA’s Marketing Internship Program

In a significant step towards enhancing practical learning, our Marketing Department introduced its inaugural internship program last spring. This initiative is aligned with CoBA’s mission to merge academic theory with real-world application, has already proven to be a remarkable success. As students delve into diverse marketing fields, their positive feedback highlights the program's impact on their professional growth and preparedness for the evolving job market.