Yearly STAR Awards

See the Yearly Star Awards Recipients

September 2025 STAR Awards

Saray Aguirre, El Centro Serna

I am honored to nominate Saray Aguirre, Program Coordinator for El Centro Serna, for the STAR of the Month Award. Saray embodies the divisional values of collaboration, service, inclusivity, and integrity in every aspect of her work. Saray joined the Serna Center as Interim Program Coordinator in April 2025 – just two weeks before our largest event, the Chicane/Latine Recognition Ceremony – and immediately stepped up to ensure its success. Her calm leadership, resourcefulness, and willingness to roll up her sleeves set the tone for the entire team. She officially earned the permanent Program Coordinator role in July 2025 and has quickly become an indispensable partner to me as Director, a trusted mentor to our Assistant Program Coordinator, and a supportive supervisor for our five student employees. Among her many contributions, Saray successfully launched the first annual Noche de Familia virtual summer program for incoming students and families, and proposed and implemented “Pásele y Pregunte,” an innovative drop-in support program during the first two weeks of the semester that guided students through course registration, campus navigation, and access to vital services. She has also been central to outreach efforts, center renovations, the name translation to “El Centro Serna,” and the coordination of Latine Heritage Month programming – while still meeting individually with students every day and building partnerships across campus and in the community. Saray’s commitment to collaboration, genuine care for students, and dedication to advancing equity make her an extraordinary colleague and a true STAR for our Division of Student Affairs.

August 2025 STAR Awards

Amy Brown, Student Affairs Business Resources

You cannot work in Student Affairs without being personally or professionally affected by Amy Brown and her legacy. Amy has served in Student Affairs for several years and continues to be a beacon of light and guidance for so many of us. While she has contributed to countless projects, tasks, and initiatives, I’d like to highlight a few that make her deserving not only of the STAR of the Month Award but also the Excellence in Student Service Award. During the roll-out of CHRS, Amy attended every training with the clear intention of sharing that knowledge with departments across Student Affairs, ensuring the transition was as smooth as possible. To this day, she continues to guide colleagues through the system, answering questions and walking them through each step with a smile—even if it’s the 110th time she’s been asked. Additionally, despite the campus-wide hiring freeze, Amy has been a steadfast source of support for departments actively (and even passively) recruiting. She has tirelessly completed the behind-the-scenes work needed to ease the burden on managers, ensuring that key positions—critical to the Division’s success and to the journeys of our students—were filled. Beyond her professional contributions, Amy has also become the one-woman welcoming committee for Student Affairs. She personally delivers cards and, at times, small welcome gifts—often creative leftovers from the holiday party, which she also helps plan—to new staff joining our division. Amy is incredible, and it’s about time we recognize her and her work.

July 2025 STAR Awards

Racquel Reber, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) & Summer Bridge

I am proud to nominate Racquel for the STAR Award, in recognition of her exceptional dedication to collaboration, integrity, service, and wellness within EOP. Racquel serves as the Senior Lead for Transitional Programs & Leadership and an EOP counselor. Throughout her time at Sac State with EOP, she has consistently gone above and beyond in every aspect in her role and has gained the respect and trust from faculty, staff, and students. Racquel coordinates Summer Bridge for first years, Sophomore Bridge, Transfer Bridge as well as assisting through leadership with Junior and Senior Bridge. Through these bridges, she has the ability to bring together faculty and staff to create a sense of community for our students. With her support in the summer programs, students have the opportunity to get ahead, foster relationships with their instructors, and create lifelong friendships through workshops and events. Racquel has the ability to easily form connections with other departments and faculty on our campus. Without these relationships, we would not be able to provide these college credit courses and books for FREE to our students in the summer. When she isn’t coordinating all the summer programs, she is impacting student lives in a positive way through advising and leading the Educational Opportunity Student Association (EOPSA). When students come into the EOP office, she is always willingly and makes herself available for students with questions and concerns. In her role as an advisor in EOPSA, she ensures all board members meet and coordinate events for the upcoming semesters as well as attending all their events. She always finds a way to give students an opportunity through leadership. This November, she is coordinating an EOP Student Leadership Conference and inviting other CSU EOP programs to our campus. Racquel is one of a kind and is a great example of balancing work, family, and her education. I am amazed by all the work she has put into our programs and our students all while concurrently completing her master’s degree in Educational Leadership in May 2025. It is her time to shine with a STAR award of the month!

May 2025 STAR Awards

Luis Cortes, Dreamer Resource Center (Interim)

I am nominating Luis Cortes for the STAR Award because he has exemplified exceptional leadership during one of the most challenging periods in recent history. During an intense political climate that particularly affected vulnerable communities, Luis courageously accepted the challenge of stepping into the interim DRC Coordinator role to support undocumented and mixed-status family communities at Sac State.

Luis's dedication went far beyond his job requirements. He uplifted student voices by providing comprehensive professional development opportunities for student leaders, successfully led the undocu-grad program, and was consistently available to meet with students during crisis situations. Additionally, he took on the demanding day-to-day operations of the DRC, ensuring continuity of services during a critical transition period.

What makes Luis's contributions even more remarkable is that he accomplished all of this while simultaneously completing his master's degree and working on his dissertation. As a first-generation professional and student himself, he understands the unique challenges our community faces and has shown true leadership by example.

Luis's commitment to our students and community during such a high-need time demonstrates the kind of selfless service and dedication that truly deserves recognition. I am incredibly proud of him and believe he is absolutely deserving of this award.

April 2025 STAR Awards

Erin Gallagher, Academic Advising Center

This is a long-overdue nomination for Erin Gallagher for the STAR Award. As a vital member of the Academic Advising Team, Erin consistently delivers exceptional service that not only supports our department and division but also creates a positive ripple effect across the entire university community. Her leadership in organizing and overseeing student assistants and the front desk team has helped cultivate an inclusive, student-centered environment that exemplifies Sac State’s values of student service, inclusivity, and integrity. Thanks to her guidance, students and staff who visit Lassen 1012 leave either assisted or correctly directed; positively impacting the rest of their campus experience.

This April, Erin played an instrumental role during Sac State’s registration period, a particularly stressful time that underscores the importance of effectively supporting both prospective and current students. She proactively shared campus-wide policy updates and helped elevate the visibility of the AAC. She coordinates collaborative meetings and events that brings advisors, students, and faculty together from departments beyond Student Affairs, fostering stronger campus-wide partnerships and enhancing the reach of student support services.

Erin's compassion and dedication are especially evident when supporting students and colleagues facing complex personal or academic challenges. Whether she’s guiding a student through a crisis or stepping in to assist an overwhelmed colleague at the front desk, Erin approaches every interaction with empathy, patience, and respect. She maintains professionalism even during the busiest office hours and consistently makes those around her feel genuinely supported.

Colleagues often praise her warm demeanor, reliability, and integrity. Erin doesn't just complete tasks, she builds relationships and earns trust. She is such a valued presence that her name auto fills when I type “e” in Teams or Outlook. Her everyday actions foster a welcoming environment where students and staff feel heard, respected, and empowered.

While this nomination is specifically for her contributions in April, I believe Erin is the kind of colleague deserving of the STAR Award every month. I think I can speak on behalf of the AAC Team, that we support her nomination. Her contributions truly embody what the STAR Award represents.

March 2025 STAR Awards

Stephanie Reyes Alcala, Women’s Resource Center

I nominate Stephanie for this month's Star Award. Over her two years as Coordinator of the Women's Resource Center, Stephanie has exemplified core values of Wellness, Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Service in remarkable ways. Stephanie has transformed the WRC into a genuinely inclusive and welcoming space for all students. Her approach to leadership centers on compassion and empowerment, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. While simultaneously coordinating the parents and families program, a significant responsibility in itself, she has led with innovation. Stephanie's commitment to wellness is shown in her creation of "Wellness Wednesdays" which provides students with regular opportunities to prioritize self-care. The "Sista's Brunch" and "Women Empowering Women" group are testaments to Stephanie's dedication to fostering community and inclusivity. These programs create safe spaces for connection, mentorship, and personal growth. Stephanie ensures that these initiatives are accessible to all! Every interaction with Steph leaves me feeling empowered by her compassion and leadership. Stephanie has become a role model for many, including myself. I aspire to one day embody the qualities she has as a mentor, parent, and wellness advocate.

Stephanie is a great example of balancing work, family, and being true to oneself. She always has a positive attitude and brings her best, and an attitude of finding the silver lining in any situation, to work. She shares openly about her goals as she nears completion for her master's program, her dreams for her professional future, and for her family. I love hearing about her daughter and hearing her proud mama moments as they make her more human and whole. She is also a model for wellness, talking daily walks, bringing lunch from home, and making time for friends and colleagues on campus. Steph is also doing a lot to collaborate with other departments. She is working with Women and Gender Studies, the Serna Center, the Multicultural Center, Housing, the WELL, and many other campus departments and programs to plan Women's Herstory Month events. Despite her busy schedule she is never too busy to provide excellent service to students who come into the Women's Resource Center, making them feel welcome from greeting them, answering questions, and inviting them to participate in arts and crafts or Wellness Wednesday activities and discussions. Steph is a great part of our campus social safety net and I am happy to have her helping shape our community. Join me in celebrating and acknowledging her contributions to our inclusive and welcoming campus culture.

February 2025 STAR Awards

Ruby Espinoza, SA-IT

Ruby consistently exemplifies dedication, attention to detail, and a remarkable commitment to excellence in her role. Ruby stands out for her exceptional ability to go above and beyond in every task she undertakes. She goes out of her way to support her colleagues and students alike, always with a caring and compassionate approach. Ruby demonstrates a deep concern for the division's well-being and fiscal responsibility. Ruby's positive energy and infectious smile create a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for everyone around her. She approaches each day with enthusiasm and a can-do attitude, consistently maintaining a friendly and efficient demeanor. Her ability to foster teamwork and collaboration is commendable, making her not only a great team member but also a source of inspiration to others. Ruby embodies the qualities of an exceptional staff member: detail-oriented, proactive, compassionate, and dedicated to excellence.

Ruby is an incredible team player who goes above and beyond with anything and everything that comes her way. She is one of the most dependable people I know and is always willing to lend a helping hand. She has been key in identifying ways to improve the SA-IT processes to benefit everyone in the division. This includes taking the lead on restructuring the SA-IT services page, pivoting to help create Qualtrics forms to meet crucial deadlines, and establishing standards for hybrid events to ensure our students can provide the best experience possible. She also takes the time to meet with student workers and help them with their career goals, from reviewing resumes to running mock interviews. Ruby is and has been a powerhouse and a cornerstone of the team, which is why I believe she is deserving of the STAR Award.