Making Waves: December 2024

For Alayna Cosores ‘03, supporting students goes far beyond her job title as administrative services coordinator for Student Health Services (SHS). In fact, November’s Employee of the Month has become virtually indispensable to a variety of campus initiatives — from coordinating COVID-19 contact tracing to organizing the first CSU-wide mental health conference. Her exceptional event planning — which included the design of an impeccably organized volunteer orientation program — earned her high praise from Melissa Norrbom Kawamoto, executive director of strategic initiatives in Student Affairs, who described Cosores’ skillset as “exceptional.” Ben Brown, associate director of Budget and Facilities for SHS, agreed, saying: “She’s a Swiss army knife, she does a little bit of everything.” A CSULB alumna with a degree in family and consumer sciences, Cosores has made a lasting impact on campus wellness and student support. 

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Celia Mejia, associate director of the Women’s and Gender Equity Center, was recently awarded the Coalition Builder Award by the Women’s Centers Committee of the National Women’s Studies Association at its annual conference in November. The recognition celebrates Mejia’s commitment to fostering partnerships that advance racial justice and gender equity. Indeed, Mejia’s work exemplifies the values of intersectional feminism through innovative collaboration across campus departments, community agencies and professional organizations. The annual conference gathers feminist educators, activists and thought leaders. Mejia’s leadership underscores the vital role women’s centers play in creating inclusive, transformative spaces on college campuses.