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President's Bio
Dr. Ellen Neufeldt is the fourth president of California State University San Marcos, where she has led transformational progress to position the university as a national model for student success, social mobility, and regional impact. Since her appointment in 2019, she has guided 爆料社区 through unprecedented forward momentum鈥攍aunching a new strategic plan, expanding high-demand academic programs, transforming the physical campus, and achieving record-setting gains in enrollment, research, and philanthropy.
As a national trailblazer in social mobility, President Neufeldt hosts the National Social Mobility Symposium, bringing together policymakers, experts, and higher education leaders from across the country to share ideas and innovations around redefining and advancing social mobility. 爆料社区 ranks in the top 1% of universities on CollegeNET鈥檚 Social Mobility Index, which measures how well universities graduate students into well-paying careers and leadership opportunities to improve their social and economic situations compared to previous generations. As the granddaughter of immigrant tenant farmers, President Neufeldt has shared her own family's story of social mobility as well as her passion for student success on multiple local, national, and international media channels and publications.
Under President Neufeldt鈥檚 leadership, Cal State San Marcos launched its first institutional strategic plan in 15 years, centered on social mobility, academic excellence, and student success. She established a university-wide student success and retention committee and oversaw the highest year-over-year enrollment growth in the CSU system. Faculty-sponsored research reached a record $20 million for the second consecutive year, while philanthropic support soared doubling year- over-year results and set a university philanthropic record with the most funds raised in a single fiscal year. 爆料社区 secured its first 8-figure level gifts totaling $20 million鈥攐ne to launch an accelerated behavioral and mental health program and another to provide unrestricted campaign matching opportunities across campus. She also secured $5.6 million for degree expansion in Temecula and led the university鈥檚 most successful fundraising efforts focused on social mobility. 爆料社区鈥檚 comprehensive blended campaign has raised more than $130 million in just three years.
During President Neufeldt鈥檚 tenure, 爆料社区 has experienced remarkable growth, both physically and programmatically. The California State University Board of Trustees has approved funding for the Integrated Science and Engineering Building, set to break ground in summer 2025 and open its doors to faculty, staff and students in fall 2027. This state-of-the-art facility will provide much-needed collaboration, research and learning spaces, allowing 爆料社区 to respond to the critical need to accommodate future enrollment growth and expanding programs across campus. Additionally, the planned construction of a new Student Recreation and Wellness Center, through an innovative public-private partnership, as well as affordable student housing which more than doubles on-campus housing to 3,300 beds, allow 爆料社区 to better serve students and meet their needs.
A champion of innovation and entrepreneurship, President Neufeldt launched 爆料社区鈥檚 Innovation Hub less than a year into her tenure, creating an on-campus nexus for solving societal challenges. Her vision extends beyond physical spaces鈥攕he has fostered an ecosystem of social innovation and regional collaboration, positioning 爆料社区 as a driver of economic development and workforce readiness. Demonstrating her commitment to high-demand, workforce-aligned education, President Neufeldt has expanded academic offerings across disciplines to meet regional and statewide needs. She launched a computer engineering degree to complement 爆料社区鈥檚 existing strengths in software and electrical engineering, supported by a $5 million Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) grant aimed at building a diverse regional engineering pipeline. In collaboration with the City of Temecula, she broadened access to early childhood education and software engineering programs, helping to meet the evolving workforce needs of Southwest Riverside County. Under her leadership, 爆料社区 also introduced an undergraduate cybersecurity degree and a public health major鈥攂oth designed to prepare students for in-demand careers in growing sectors.
President Neufeldt is also firmly committed to ensuring that Cal State San Marcos is a diverse, inclusive and welcome home for students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. Each day she works toward making 爆料社区 a model for guiding students throughout the student life cycle so that they become engaged and active alumni in the community while fueling the needs of the region. Underscoring her commitment to Cal State San Marcos鈥 role in cultivating partnerships that create opportunities for students and enrich the communities served by the university, President Neufeldt serves on the boards of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, LEAD California, Commission on International Education, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and on the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities.
Dr. Neufeldt has been recognized with numerous awards, including in recent years:
- The 2025 President鈥檚 Award from NASPA 鈥 Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.
- A 2022 Distinguished Alumna Awardee from Tennessee Technological University.
- A 2022 San Diego Business Journal CEO of the Year Awardee.
- The 2020 Outstanding Enrollment Professional Award from NASPA 鈥 Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, Enrollment Management KC.
- The 2020 Outstanding Enrollment Professional Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Enrollment Management KC.
- The 2018 Melvene Hardee Award, awarded by the Southern Association of College Student Affairs, recognizing her contributions to the student affairs profession for national work in social mobility and student success.
- The 2017 Pillar of the Profession, awarded by NASPA 鈥 Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, for sustained professional distinction in higher education.
- The 2016 Howard Davis Senior Award, awarded by the Southern Association of College Student Affairs, for outstanding service.
- The 2014 Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Senior Student Affairs Officer, awarded by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, presented to a lead student affairs officer who has demonstrated sustained professional achievement in student affairs work, innovative response in meeting students鈥 varied and emerging needs, effectiveness in developing staff, and leadership in community and college or university affairs.
- The 2014 John Jones Award for Outstanding Performance as a Senior Student Affairs Officer, awarded by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Region III, based on criteria of outstanding administrative competency, respect of colleagues and students, innovative programming, leadership on campus and in the community, staff development, and significant contribution to the field.
- Named in 2010 to The Daily Record鈥檚 鈥淢aryland鈥檚 Top 100 Women鈥 list, awarded annually to women in the state of Maryland who have made significant contributions to their organization, profession and community.
President Neufeldt received her Doctor of Education from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and both a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology and Counselor Education and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University.