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CoBA News
Spring 2026
Innovation Spotlight: Analytics for Good Initiative
The ubiquitous power of data has transformed how businesses operate, meet their needs, and achieve their goals, moving many from a survival to a thriving mode. Through careful crafting and a paradigm shift, the same tools and technologies that enable data-driven decision-making for businesses can be developed to create value and simultaneously have a positive socio-environmental impact.
Luciana Simion Receives President’s Lecturer Award
The program honors one lecturer faculty member each year who demonstrates excellence in teaching, enhances student learning, and advances the university’s mission through a strong commitment to the California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) community. The College of Business Administration's (CoBA) Luciana Simion was chosen as the 2025-2026 lecturer awardee, a very prestigious honor.
Recognizing Exceptional Service and Leadership
The College of Business Administration is proud to recognize Dr. Mohammad Oskoorouchi and Chandler Williams for their exceptional service and the meaningful impact they continue to have on our community, especially during the 2025–2026 academic year.
Students, Staff, and Faculty Support Local Community Initiatives
CoBA is also expanding opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage directly in volunteer efforts throughout the community. Members of the college recently volunteered with the Foundation for Women Warriors (FWW), supporting initiatives that assist women veterans and their families.
Community Partnerships Prepare Students for Career Success
Through our world class Executive in Residence program, every CoBA student receives three hours of one-on-one coaching from an experienced business professional who is personally invested in helping them succeed. These volunteer coaches provide guidance on career readiness, networking, resumes, interviewing, leadership, and navigating the transition from college to the professional world.
Fall 2025
A Snapshot of Success: CoBA’s Growth, Innovation, and Impact in the Semester
The College of Business Administration (CoBA) gets an opportunity to innovate and have impact every semester of an academic year. Our success this Fall is representative of our continued evolution as the leading college of business focused on helping students rise up through business education.
Honoring the Legacy of Miguel de Jesús
The day after Thanksgiving, our college lost a dear friend, colleague, and mentor, Miguel de Jesús. His passing has been felt deeply across our campus and far beyond it, by students, faculty, staff, alumni, community partners, and countless others whose lives he touched through his generosity, wisdom, and service. Miguel passed in peace, surrounded by his loved ones.
Cancer Survivor Offers Hope to Children on Similar Journey
Monika Consunji was diagnosed with cancer at just two years old. She faced another cancer scare as an undergraduate and recently graduated with her MBA, where she also served as a commencement speaker.
A Tale of Two CoBA Students Who Fought Through The New Reality Facing Graduates
In this story, we highlight the journey of two undergraduate CoBA students who graduated in May 2025. Facing a new reality, we learn about what it takes to launch a career today as a new college graduate. CoBA’s focus on career readiness—especially Business Professional Development (BUS 300)—had a meaningful impact on both.
Senior Experience: Providing Real World Experience in Service to the Community
Senior Experience has served nearly 12,000 CoBA students since its inception and the program has completed over 2,500 projects to date. The projects are completed primarily for regional business, non-profit, and government organizations, although national and international organizations have also participated.
Summer 2025
CoBA Expands Reach in Temecula and the South Bay
Early in his tenure as Dean of CoBA, Ronald Ramirez launched a listening tour of regional community colleges as a first step in building pathways to CoBA degree programs. The activity has helped CoBA identify new innovations for serving students in the region and increased its footprint in the higher education market.
CoBA Expands Veteran Programs and Seed Funding
CSUSM has long been a friend of the military and its veterans. CSUSM is home to 484 student veterans; the highest percentage per capita of any California State University. In total the university serves over 1,800 military-connected students, 11% of the campus population, through the Epstein Family Veterans Center located adjacent to Markstein Hall.
CoBA Launches Expanded Summer 2025 Workshops
The program started with 2 subjects in Summer 2023, Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship. Given its success, the workshops expanded in summer 2024 to include 2 additional workshops on Supply Chain Management and AI / Cybersecurity in Business. In summer 2025, we achieved our largest enrollment yet for the 4 workshops.
Honoring Faculty Retirements
Faculty are at the heart of CoBA’s educational programs and of our service provided to the community. Our faculty have impactful careers conducting world class research which informs the classroom and keeps their teaching knowledge current. We say goodbye to several faculty who contributed to the college and our students during their time with CoBA.
Spring 2025
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.
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).
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
- 2024 Stories
- 2021 StoriesDr. Paola Ometto, Assistant Professor of Management and Dr. Carly Offidani-Bertrand, Assistant Professor of Human Development receive grant funding to research the to explore what factors affect the development of entrepreneurs in minority communities.CSUSM generates $721.6 million dollars in indstry activity in the local region. Read more from the report here about the ROI of every tax dollar invested in the community serving institution.Professor Robert Aboolian, Supply Chain expert, shares some insight into why we are still feeling the pain of inventory shortages this long after the reopening of the economy. Read his full interview regarding the country's response and the need to increase our domestic capacity to manufacture critical products.The College of Business Administration is excited to announce that Dr. Bennett Cherry, Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at CSUSM, will assume the role of interim dean on July 1st!In honor of retiring Dean Hamerly, foundation and advisor board members, as well as faculty and staff, have joined together to sponsor a new endowed scholarship for student success.Dean Hamerly shares his retirement announcement after nearly 20 years of teaching and 7 years of service as the dean of the College of Business Administration.The student run investment club revealed an impressive ROI of 43% for the CSUSM foundation fund portfolio.The semi-annual survey of San Diego Business Confidence revealed a dramatic increase in optimism for employment and profits for key industries including Craft Beer, Tourism, and Biotechnology, as well as general business.The university was excited to hold an in-person socially distanced ceremony for graduates. Read the full article from CSUSM news about the 3-day celebration and view the full CoBA ceremony photo album.Each department reveals their outstanding graduates for the Class of 2021!The CSUSM College of Business Administration joined the top 5% of business schools.Congratulations are in order for Assistant Professor of Fiannce, Dr. Dongnyoung Kim! His research work has been accepted for publication in Managerial Finance. The paper titled, “The Influence of CEO Political Ideology on Labor Relations and Firm Value”, examines the influence of CEO internal political beliefs on labor relations and demonstrates that managerial political orientation has a significant impact on firm value arising from employment litigation.The CSUSM Cougar fund, a student run investment club with $200,000 under asset management, presented their portfolio at the largest student financial conference in the world.LeRhonda Triplett identified a demand for virtual event coordinating during the pandemic and was selected among multiple applicants by entrepreneurship experts to receive mentorship and start up funding.Jessica Earnshaw helped to launch Betty Boarders, a community and surfing resource organization for women who are passionate about surfing or learning how to surf.
- 2020 Stories
Abigail White was volunteering at Mission Hills High School’s College Expo and Future Fair last year when she realized the positive impact she could have on younger students.
Management student Jonas Dyer '21 shares how his strong work ethic, and his ability to network, has propelled his career forward to management prior to graduation. Read his story of how a job at his local gym began his journey to managing large scale real estate ventures across the Pacific Northwest.Social media channels featured recent gradautes who accepted new job offers this summer and included their advice for current students approaching the job market.The college is excited to introduce Dr. Abigail Nappier Cherup, Dr. Aaron McDonald, and Dr. Fernanda Muniz. Learn more about their backgrounds and research studies.Professor of Management Dr. Raj Pillai examines charismatic leadership and provides tips for managers who are leading through a crisis.Assistant Professor Dr. Serhan Kotilogu explores how ventures can maintain persistant growth with optimum levels of innovation.View the faculty nominated outstanding seniors from each department.Dr. Emily Tarr, Assistant Professor in the Management department conducts research on power relationships in the workplace.Professor Robert Aboolian discusses the imapct of COVID-19 on the field of supply chain management.Dr. Kim McCarthy discusses her research on the impact of incivility in interpersonal communication and how it decreases producitivity.A brief overview of how 3D printing innovation is being fast tracked during the global pandemic crisis and the 6 factors that drive successful implementation researched by faculty member Dr. Nima Zaerpour.Elijah Schneider, a senior business student at CSUSM, started a social media marketing agency from the ground up at just 19 years old. In a few short years the company has grown on its platform of transparency and data-based strategies to employ a team of 17 and service large brands like Nordstrom, Mercedes, and Fancy.com.Melissa Finestone '17, can be found every weekend selling her organic, cold-pressed, fresh almond milk at farmer’s markets in San Diego. What started out as an assignment in a marketing class turned out to be a full-time business and passion project for this 2017 alum.Perhaps no Cal State San Marcos students were as clued in to coronavirus threat and its potential impacts on the United States as clearly and as early as those in the statistics class taught by business lecturer Bill Burns.A new study led by Cal State San Marcos marketing professor Glen Brodowsky suggests business students who are more tolerant of cheating in the classroom are more likely to tolerate unethical corporate behavior in the board room.As the Democratic primary heats up, and with the 2020 presidential election around the corner in November, political candidates are being placed under the microscope from Iowa to New Hampshire to California. - 2019 StoriesWhen Alisha Blush first attended college, she was a smart, high-achieving but relatively aimless teenager, going to the university she thought she was supposed to go to and pursuing the career she thought she was supposed to choose.She has built a successful career in the mobile marketing industry and founded Mobvious Media, a digital enterprise later acquired by one of Spain’s largest media conglomerates.Erik Groset is no horse racing junkie, but like many people in San Diego, he enjoys a nice summer day at the Del Mar racetrack – the gorgeous seaside setting, fun times with friends and family, laying down a little money to make it more interesting.A pair of former Cal State San Marcos students are leading one of the fastest growing independent real estate brokerages in the country with total sales volume this year projected to surpass $3 billion.Cal State San Marcos' College of Business Administration is now offering its Specialized MBA program in the evenings. Working professionals can finish their MBA on a part-time basis in 24 months, and full-time students can complete their MBA in 12 months
- 2018 StoriesAs the end of the year approaches, many are already looking ahead to 2019. But before putting the finishing touches on your list of New Year’s resolutions, let’s take a look back at some of the most-talked-about stories of 2018.Hagen Javier almost ignored the Instagram post about an internship fair at Cal State San Marcos, but the advice he received from an older friend kept gnawing away at him.At the peak of Palomar Mountain, more than 5,000 feet above sea level, sits the house that Jim Hamerly built. Built, in this case, didn’t mean hiring a contractor and writing checks. Hamerly built the house.
After Shadrach Vaughn graduated from Cal State San Marcos with a degree in business administration in 2014, he did what a lot of fresh alumni do: He moved away from inland North County and headed for the beach.
- 2017 Stories
$225,000 Gift from Burnhams a Boon for Nonprofits, CSUSM Students
Burnham and his wife Roberta recently continued their long history of supporting CSUSM with a $225,000 gift through the Burnham Foundation to establish the Burnham Leadership Experience in the University’s College of Business Administration (CoBA).Former Business Student Thrives in Restaurant Industry
A combination of drive, work ethic and his time studying in Cal State San Marcos’ College of Business Administration helped him open Ara Lebanese Grill on San Marcos Boulevard.CSUSM partners with SD Business Journal on Business Confidence Index
California State University San Marcos’ College of Business Administration has launched an online Economic Dashboard to showcase the Business Confidence Index that it has developed in partnership with the San Diego Business Journal over the past two years.Building CSUSM’s Impact on the Regional Economy
When it comes to building bonds between the College of Business Administration (CoBA) at Cal State San Marcos and local industry to grow the regional economy, Ed Ashley is at the head of the class.Students Make a Difference in Community through ‘Democracy in Action’
Thanks to a new Democracy in Action initiative launched this year at Cal State San Marcos, scores of students spent the spring semester working with the city of San Marcos on endeavors that included strategies to reduce the number of unwarranted 911 calls and capitalizing on revenue-generating opportunities for the annual Double Peak Challenge.Career Closet Aims to Dress for Success
Just three months after coming up with the idea during a winter break retreat, the new Latino Business Student Association has opened a closet in Administrative Building stocked with gently used professional clothing free for all CSUSM students in need of proper attire for career-related events.Passion for Education Drives Alumna to Help Young Women in her Native Africa
While she remains immersed in her lifelong pursuit of knowledge, she is continuing work she began long ago to empower young girls in Africa to gain an education and better their lives.Making an Impact from the Lessons Learned at CSUSM
Kristin Elliott, CSUSM MBA alumnae,launched a new venture making sensors to track water quality for the booming aquaculture industry. Her accomplishments have been honored by both a San Diego Business Journal Women Who Mean Business award and a San Diego Metro 40 Under 40 recognition.CSUSM Offers Free Tax Prep to Students
California State University San Marcos is helping to ease the tax maze by offering free tax preparation and assistance to students through a Facilitated Self-Assistance (FSA) Tax Program.Business Students Spark Development of Concert Venue
A comprehensive analysis authored by a team of Cal State San Marcos business students is propelling a proposal to transform a struggling, off-track betting facility at the Del Mar Fairgrounds into the region’s newest concert venue. - 2016 Stories
CSUSM’s Accomplishments Inspire Generous Donation
Emilie and Mark Hersh are pledging $50,000 for scholarships and other initiatives at the Cal State San Marcos College of Business Administration.Soft Skills Become Graduation Requirement for Business Degrees
To help meet the challenge of an increasingly competitive business environment, the College of Business Administration (CoBA) created a program that enables students to round out their business knowledge by developing personal and professional success skills while pursuing their degree at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM).Dr. Catalin Ratiu: Bringing Lessons in Business Sustainability to Cal State San Marcos
Dr. Catalin Ratiu was born in Romania, has lived in France, Canada, Mexico and the United States, and his previous careers includes being an attorney, a management consultant, and a founding partner and sales director of an import-export business.Dr. Kristin Stewart: Looking at the Science behind Consumer Behavior
Stewart’s expertise is in advertising, marketing communication and consumer psychology. She has presented her work at several conferences and among her current projects is a study looking at how the tempo of a tune can affect consumer behavior.Markstein Hall Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The College of Business Administration (CoBA) celebrated the 10th anniversary of Markstein Hall during an intimate ceremony at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) on Wednesday, April 28, 2016.Dr. Rebeca Perren: Diving into a New Career at Cal State San Marcos
Perren, who is just the 31st Hispanic woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in marketing, began teaching social media marketing and global marketing at CSUSM in the fall of 2015.Art in Childhood Linked to Successful STEM Careers
A trio of Cal State San Marcos professors are hoping to spur a renaissance in arts education through research showing a link between K-12 students immersed in the arts with successful careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.CoBA Taps into Other Majors to Better Serve Business
For the first time in more than two decades, students from other majors across CSUSM are invited to participate in Senior Experience.Dr. Anne Randerson: Bringing the World to CSUSM
Randerson has taught in the College of Business Administration and the Department of Communication in addition to the Department of Global Studies. Courses on her CSUSM resume include: Management in Different Cultures; Perspectives in Globalization; Cross-Cultural Negotiation and Global Business, Global Economy, Politics and Society – Global Perspectives; and Intercultural Communication. - 2015 Stories
FEMBA Students Build Hope and Opportunity, Volunteer with Habitat For Humanity
In a region where affordable housing is desperately needed, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) business students have stepped outside the classroom and into construction to build hope and opportunity for others.Stacked Against Statistics: PhD Project Professors Aim to Inspire the Next Generation of Business Leaders
Two new Cal State San Marcos business faculty, Rebecca Perren and Kristen Stewart, are applying what they’ve learned through their involvement with The PhD Project to mentor the next generation of business professionals currently studying in the College of Business Administration.Presidential Charisma: Winning Personalities Win Elections
At Cal State San Marcos, Professor of Business Management Rajnandini “Raj” Pillai looks at how to predict the next U.S. president based on the power of his or her personality.Devon Greco: Focused on Entrepreneurial Success
Cal State San Marcos business graduate Devon Greco wants to help folks focus. An entrepreneur now living in Philadelphia, Greco has developed what he calls the next generation in neurofeedback devices—a brain-training tool that helps improve attention.Dr. Vassilis Dalakas: Building the Future at CSUSM
Given his druthers, Dr. Vassilis Dalakas would rather be playing professional basketball. But the noted consumer psychology and sports marketing expert found his calling as a college professor, and he has no regrets about landing at Cal State San Marcos, where he has been teaching and conducting groundbreaking research since 2008.New Dean Named for CSUSM College of Business Administration
Jim Hamerly, Ph.D., has been named the new dean of the College of Business Administration (CoBA) at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM).Business Students Help Tribal Nursery Bloom
When it came time to decide whether to grow the small business nestled on a half-acre just south of state Route 76, Nursery Manager Joey Morales turned to the College of Business Administration’s Senior Experience Program for some help.Leadership Center Names Garry Ridge of WD-40 “Outstanding Business Leader”
CLIMB names Garry Ridge, president and chief executive officer of WD-40 Company, its “Outstanding Business Leader” for 2015.MBA Program Ranked in Top 20 for Veterans
The Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) program at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) has been ranked No. 19 out of 75 by Military Times in its 2015 list of Best for Vets: Business Schools, the publication announced March 9, 2015.Stone Taps into Senior Experience [Video]
Meet Innovator & Entrepreneur Sean Callahan
A serial entrepreneur, Sean Callahan '04 isn't afraid to take risks and work hard — in fact, you could say that he thrives on it.