Dean of Students Award for Outstanding Leadership

Awarded annually, this recognition is for a senior undergraduate student who has demonstrated outstanding academic and service accomplishments during their time at Cal State San Marcos.

Award Criteria

Completion of degree/credential in Fall 2024/Spring 2025
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and good standing with the University
Outstanding academic, leadership and service accomplishments

The Dean of Students Office works in conjunction with colleagues in Student Affairs to select the student who receives this honor. The student selected is then considered for the President's Outstanding Graduate Award, the highest award bestowed on a student graduating from the university.

2025 Recipient

Miyah Walker

I am pleased to select Miyah Walker as the 2025 recipient for the Dean of Students Award for Outstanding Leadership. Miyah will graduate this May with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychological Sciences and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, Miyah intends to become a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) to work with Autistic children. Her long-term goal is to earn a doctoral degree and work in underserved communities in the Los Angeles area as a psychologist. It is my pleasure to forward her nomination for the 2025 President’s Outstanding Graduate Award.

Miyah’s involvement for the last 4 years in pivotal roles and areas at ��, along with her academic achievement, and commitment to social justice, makes her so deserving of this recognition. Additionally, she was a nominee in 2024 for the President’s Student Champion Award for Inclusive Excellence and Diversity.

In the words of her nominator, “..her dedication to advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, her ability to provide a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for residents, while promoting wellness, has been a hallmark of her time as an RA.” Additionally, “She has demonstrated exceptional counseling, mentorship, and facilitation skills, leading educational conversations that center on personal development, cultural understanding, and co-curricular programming in a diverse learning environment.”

Miya is a rare student that has integrated her studies, co-curricular experiences, and embodies a holistic student experience at ��. She has taken what she has learned in Psychology and applied it to her RA and Peer Educator roles. In her role as a student assistant in the Collection, Delivery, & Access department at The Kellogg Library, she has taken great satisfaction in helping students gain access to course materials that otherwise would not be available to them. Advocating for educational equity is paramount for Miyah.

Miyah joined the Housing and Residential Education team in 2022 as a Resident Assistant (RA) in the inaugural year of North Commons, campus housing for first-year students. Miyah’s creativity and dedication to the mission and values of �� and her charge as an RA were quickly recognized by her supervisors, leading Miyah to develop strong relationships with each of her mentors and to inspire her housing community’s engagement in student life and foster campus pride. Miyah has served as an RA in all our housing communities, as she continued to serve as an RA in 2023 at University Village Apartments and this year at The QUAD.

Miyah counts being a Peer Health Educator with the HOPE & Wellness Center at Student Health & Counseling Services as one of the highlights on her �� journey. A particular passion is working to reduce the stigma around mental health and treatment in BIPOC communities. To this end she created the first ever BIPOC Mental Health Carnival, sponsored by the HOPE & Wellness Center, which she hopes will become a legacy event.

Considering her role as a Peer health educator at the HOPE & Wellness Center, her campus job responsibilities at the Kellogg Library, and her many programming and leadership opportunities as an RA, Miya has approached all as learning experiences and shares, “my main goal is to teach and encourage others to step out of their comfort zone”.

During our interview, Miyah shared that she learned it is ok to ask for help. She said it was a hard lesson to learn. She commented on how we don’t talk about asking for help, needing help, and taking steps to get help. Being a Psychology major, RA, and Peer Mentor, she knows it's not a sign of weakness but a show of leadership strength. Miyah reflected that “people need more help than they ask for.” As an RA, Miyah said, “I can’t just say I am available or I am here if you need me, I need to show them I am here for them.” Miyah also shared how much her residents have taught her and how much she has appreciated being a part of their higher education journey.

In summary, Miyah’s own words say it best, “A big reason for my wearing many hats is so that I can be a more powerful resource for my peers. All my roles come together to allow me to be the best role model I can be for anyone watching and leave a lasting impact on our flourishing campus.”

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