Cal State San Marcos President Karen Haynes says her institution’s culture of “inclusivity, embracing diverse perspectives, focused on access and opportunity” has created an environment geared to the 21st century student.

In a video posted on the university website, and an accompanying speech to community leaders, Dr. Haynes reflected on her decade at the university.

“In 10 years together, we have transformed lives, rebuilt communities and reinvigorated our economy. We have built a university geared toward educating the 21st century student,” she said. “I am so proud of the work we have done together.”

Haynes highlighted the university’s support to students from under-served and at-risk backgrounds, including foster children, as well as veterans.

The ACE Scholars Services program, founded in 2007, offers scholarships, on-campus work opportunities, internships, counseling and other support to former foster youth. Thanks to the success of ACE, Cal State San Marcos educates more students from the foster care system than any other institution in the United States.

“We are doing the work that our regional sister institutions are not,” said Haynes. “Yes, the other institutions are filling a need and doing excellent work. They are increasingly meeting national and international needs and taking high caliber students…But these are not the educationally at risk students, the veterans, the former foster youth, the American Indians, the ones the statistics said wouldn’t go to college.”

She said that Cal State San Marcos has a growing national reputation and  is “no longer the best kept secret in North County.”

>> Subscribe to Times of San Diego’s free daily email newsletter! Click here