College of Health and Human Services Impact Report FY24-25

College of Health and Human Services

Fiscal Year 2024-2025

Dear Donor,

I write with deep gratitude. In a time of uncertainty in higher education, the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) is moving forward with purpose and impact, thanks to generous supporters like you.

Our programs are thriving. CHHS leads SDSU’s record-breaking applications, with our nursing program receiving over 10,000 applications for 160 seats. We launched our frst Doctorate in Public Health with 19 students—nearly double our target—each ready to redefne public health leadership.

In partnership with San Diego County Health and Human Services, we welcomed 675 students to our frst Career Week, reafrming our focus on career readiness.

We are expanding in Imperial Valley and Chula Vista, and through our new strategic plan, we are introducing an interprofessional minor, uniting students across health disciplines to strengthen communication and teamwork.

Moreover, CHHS continues to lead SDSU in grant funding and community-based research.

Thank you for your support, and I look forward to what we will continue to build together.

Amy Bonomi, Ph.D., MPH Dean and Professor of Public Health College of Health and Human Services

Propelling the SDSU Community Forward

Del Mar Healthcare, Inc. Fund for CEAL

This fund supports the operation of SDSU’s Center for Excellence in Aging and Longevity (CEAL), to include, but not limited to, infrastructure, research, and student support, as determined by the Director of CEAL.

CEAL leads initiatives to promote healthy aging through collaboration with healthcare providers, government agencies, nonprofts, philanthropy, and education partners, ensuring diverse, older adults remain socially, civically, and economically engaged.

Colwell Family Endowment for Nursing

The Colwell Family Endowment for Nursing was established to support the general operations of the SDSU nursing program in San Diego. The fund has a specifc focus on faculty support and current-use needs, therefore directing funds to the greatest needs of the program, including:

Infrastructure improvements for existing facilities, facility rental expenses, technology purchases, and equipment expenses.

Faculty and staf support such as faculty research/stipends, books and other equipment, travel/accommodations, professional development, and curriculum development. Student awards to alleviate out-of-pocket costs for scrubs, equipment, travel to healthcare facilities and conferences, research expenses, and collaborative community projects.

Drs. Jolene Koester and Ron Lustig Endowment for the Audiology White Coat Ceremony

The Drs. Jolene Koester and Ron Lustig Endowment for the Audiology White Coat Ceremony at San Diego State University signifes a profound commitment to the advancement and recognition of audiology students. This endowment is dedicated to supporting the annual White Coat Ceremony, a pivotal event that marks audiology students’ transition to clinical practice and underscores their dedication to providing exceptional patient care and service.

Thriving in the Aztec Experience

Kimberly Kritzer, Class of 2025

Class Level: Undergraduate Student

College: College of Health and Human Services

Major: Social Work

Kimberly Kritzer frst experienced grief at 19 after losing both parents and was the frst in her family to attend college. Her passion for social work began at 13, when she helped her family out of homelessness by fnding resources and advocating for their needs.

At SDSU, she served as president of the Social Action Committee, securing a grant for 40 students to attend the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Conference and leading social justice events, including a homelessness panel. As VP of the Latino Student Social Work Association, she led outreach events, a food drive, and raised $600 for holiday baskets. She engaged in voter outreach and served on the School of Social Work Curriculum Committee. Kimberly later interned at the Welcome Home City Program—the same program that once helped her—supporting housing-insecure students and contributing to a Safe Parking Program. She also worked on human trafcking research with Dr. Lianne Urada.

Kimberly mentors transfer students and volunteers with teens at the Copley-Price YMCA. Now pursuing her Master of Social Work through SDSU’s Advanced Standing program, she aims to become a licensed clinical social worker and advocate, using her lived experience to shape policy.

Driven by lived experience, Kimberly Kritzer rose from teen advocate to SDSU leader—fghting homelessness, advancing social justice, and shaping policy as a future clinical social worker.

Omari Shelton, Class of 2025

Class

Level: Undergraduate Student

College: College of Health and Human Services

Major: Nursing

I recently graduated summa cum laude from San Diego State University’s accelerated BSN program and was honored with awards for overall academic achievement and nursing leadership.

During the program, I built a strong foundation in clinical skills, leadership, and academia. My clinical rotations exposed me to diverse patient populations and cultures, which deepened my passion for providing safe, high-quality, and compassionate care. I completed externships in both the emergency department and pediatrics, where I developed confdence, adaptability, and clinical judgment in fastpaced settings. I also served as president and secretary of the Student Nurses Association, Imperial Valley, advocating for student success and helping build a supportive community among our student nurses.

I am excited to have recently accepted an ER nurse resident position at El Centro Regional Medical Center. I look forward to growing into my role as a future emergency room nurse, committed to delivering excellent care to patients and families in all situations.

“

I

look forward to growing into my role as a future emergency room nurse, committed to delivering excellent care to patients and families in all situations.

Loretta Sosa Ortiz, Class of 2025

Class Level: Graduate Student

College: College of Health and Human Services

Major: Master of Public Health - Health Promotion and Behavioral Science

Loretta is a Latina and frst-generation graduate student. Her drive to advocate for medically underserved communities strengthened as a master’s student at San Diego State University.

Loretta worked as a graduate research assistant for the Aceves Health Equity Research Lab under Dr. Benjamín Aceves. She co-led the ACCESS study with San Ysidro Health, a Federally Qualifed Health Center, to assess how social needs and healthcare access afect chronic disease risk in rural eastern San Diego County. She conducted in-depth interviews to capture participants’ experiences with limited access and failing public health infrastructure. This work advanced health equity initiatives for underserved communities. Loretta was awarded the CSU Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Health Professions Scholarship and the Summer Research Experience Stipend.

She will work with Dr. Barbara Baquero at the University of Washington on the R01 project, Nuestro Valor She also received the NAPCRG Trainee Award Stipend and joined a fully funded global health course in Vietnam. She thanks Dr. Aceves, Dr. Schmied, Dr. Felner, Dr. Bloom, and Gary Rotto for their support.

Loretta, a frst-gen Latina scholar, champions health equity through research on chronic disease and healthcare access in underserved communities—from San Diego to global work in Vietnam.

Celebrating Shared Success

Recent Rankings

SDSU’s master’s in speech-language pathology rose to No. 11—its highest-ever ranking No. 27 for the public health program, up from No. 29 last year No. 50 for the highly competitive nursing master’s program, up from No. 55 last year No. 50 for physical therapy, up from No. 53 last year

Statistics of Interest

Students contribute approximately 350,000 service hours annually. Eight programs are ranked in the top 100 by U.S. News & World Report.

Recent Highlights

Individuals at SDSU are on the front lines of the South Bay air pollution crisis. SDSU’s R1 status will open new doors to groundbreaking projects.

Rankings

Highachieving

SDSU graduate programs climb in national rankings: Speech-language pathology hits No. 11, public health No. 27, nursing and physical therapy both break into the top 50.

SDSU students give 350,000 hours in service yearly. With 8 top-ranked programs and R1 status, they’re driving innovation and tackling crises like South Bay air pollution.

Transforming Lives

Achievements:

Shawn O'Connor, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering

Title: Associate Professor, School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences

College: College of Health and Human Services

I was honored to receive the S³ Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Mentor Award for guiding undergraduate students in a rehabilitation knee-brace project that culminated in presentations at the SDSU Student Symposium.

I mentored three students through the research process: recruiting and screening subjects with moderate to severe medial knee osteoarthritis; designing and conducting laboratory and overground gait assessments; analyzing muscle activity and metabolic data; and presenting fndings to peers.

Their work compared two unloading knee braces—Guardian (rehabilitative design) and Össur (standard)—across three key outcomes:

1. Muscle Activation: Guardian use led to signifcantly greater quadriceps engagement, indicating enhanced muscle recruitment.

2. Gait Kinematics: Guardian users exhibited larger increases in step length and more extended limb positioning at heel strike, refecting improved knee mechanics.

3. Functional Performance: Over repeated trials, Guardian users achieved faster walking speeds and longer strides without increasing energy expenditure.

Beyond technical results, this project immersed students in hands-on clinical research—interacting with orthopedic patients, learning recruitment protocols, operating biomechanical and strength-measurement equipment, and translating complex datasets into clinically meaningful insights. This experience not only equipped the students for future clinical roles but also honed their critical thinking, technical profciency, and professional communication skills beyond typical volunteer opportunities.

As an associate professor at SDSU, I study walking biomechanics to enhance balance and mobility in older adults. My work involves developing systems to assess muscle health, metabolic cost, and balance. Current projects include fall-risk assessment through walking analysis and evaluating knee brace rehab in osteoarthritis and ACL recovery. Honors include the Most Infuential Faculty Award, S³ RSCA Mentor Award, and Mortar Board Outstanding Faculty Award.

Achievements:

Hatun Zengin-Bolatkale, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Title: Assisant Professor, School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

College: College of Health and Human Services

My research program focuses on understanding what causes stuttering and why some children recover while others persist into adulthood.

To investigate these questions, I have used neuroscience and psychophysiological methods (Eventrelated potentials (ERP), heart rate, skin conductance) in controlled laboratory settings to examine emotional and cognitive contributors to stuttering and its variability. However, to fully understand the processes that contribute to the persistence of stuttering, we must study children in real-world contexts where communication happens.

With support from a recent HealthLINK Center Pilot Project Award, I launched a new study that takes this work out of the lab and into everyday settings. Children who stutter are six times more likely to develop anxiety disorders than their fuent peers, and this study aims to better understand the mechanisms— especially the role of communication stress and the fght-or-fight response—that may underlie both stuttering persistence and associated social-emotional challenges.

In this study, children wear a biosensor-equipped watch that continuously measures physiological indicators of stress, such as heart rate and skin conductance, as they engage in their daily interactions with peers, parents, and teachers. These data are paired with acoustic and linguistic recordings to examine how stress varies across diferent social and linguistic contexts. Further, the study includes both monolingual and bilingual children, helping to address a critical gap in the literature. By capturing ecologically valid, multimodal data, my goal is to uncover early risk markers for persistent stuttering and to develop clinical interventions that are guided by the lived experiences of children who stutter.

It’s such an exciting time to be doing this work. With recent advances in wearable technology, I can fnally study what individuals who stutter have been telling us for years—that everyday conversations can trigger overwhelming stress. For the frst time, I’m able to observe that in children’s real environments, as those moments unfold. I’m hopeful this work will deepen our understanding of why stuttering becomes chronic—and help translate that knowledge into more meaningful, personalized support. I’m deeply grateful to the fantastic students in my lab and the local stuttering community, whose support makes this work possible.

Achievements:

Antoinette Domingo, PT, Ph.D.

Title: Associate Professor, School of Physical Therapy

College: College of Health and Human Services

Dr. Antoinette Domingo, faculty in the School of Physical Therapy (SPT), was honored with the 2025 CHHS Unity Award, alongside collaborators Dr. Kyle Kusunose, PT (SPT), and Alison Meagher, MS, RDNAP, CSO, CPT (School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences).

The CHHS Unity Award honors cross-school teams that creatively embody CHHS core values to advance equity, collaboration, and well-being across the college and broader community.

Their partnership brings together two recognized student organizations—Adapted Sports Physical Therapy Clinic (ASPT) and Sports Nutrition Cooperative (SNC)—to support the SDSU Adapted Athletics Program (student-athletes with physical disabilities who play competitive sports). ASPT, co-advised by Drs. Domingo and Kusunose, provides free, personalized physical therapy services to adaptive athletes through hands-on learning opportunities for Doctor of Physical Therapy students. In parallel, SNC— advised by Meagher—ofers tailored nutrition education and performance-focused dietary strategies led by graduate students in nutrition and dietetics.

These teams coordinate care through regular interdisciplinary meetings with coaches and support staf, fostering a real-world model of inclusive, team-based health care. The partnership not only enhances the physical well-being and performance of SDSU’s adaptive athletes but also develops future health professionals committed to collaboration, equity, and service.

"Supporting SDSU Adapted Athletics through the partnership of the Schools of Physical Therapy and Exercise and Nutritional Sciences has been one of the most meaningful parts of my career. It’s an opportunity to mentor students while advancing inclusive, team-based care for adaptive athletes. I’m proud to see our student-led organizations—ASPT and SNC—collaborate across disciplines to support athlete wellness and growth. This work not only refects the values of CHHS, but also prepares future health professionals to lead with empathy, equity, and a commitment to the greater good." - Dr. Domingo

Adaptive Fitness Clinic

The SDSU Adaptive Fitness Clinic is a community outreach program through the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University.

Founded by Dr. Peter M. Aufsesser in 1983 with a federal grant, the Fitness Clinic educates over 500 students per academic year, including Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (ENS) 437A students, ENS 440 interns, Psychology (PSY) 395 interns, and student volunteers from SDSU and surrounding universities. The Clinic also serves individuals from the San Diego region with a wide variety of physical disabilities, ofering them the opportunity to reach their ftness and exercise goals and develop management skills for their disabilities.

The Fitness Clinic also serves as an educational experience for SDSU kinesiology students, including those majoring in pre-physical therapy, exercise science generalist, and ftness specialist. Students, under the direct guidance and supervision of faculty and staf, work directly with clients—ranging in age from 2 to 98 years old—on a variety of exercises and activities.

Our proftable program has served over 1,000 individual clients from the disabled community over our 40 years of service. Currently, we serve 125 clients via our in-person clinic and Zoom classes.

The San Diego State University Adaptive Fitness Clinic is one of several service-learning programs at the university level that allows students to achieve hands-on training in a supervised lab class and also serves as a valuable resource for those with physical and intellectual disabilities who need long-term adaptive ftness and rehabilitation.

Live Well Center

The Live Well Center for Innovation & Leadership (LWCIL) represents the bold and visionary collaboration between San Diego State University (SDSU), the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) to create a sustainable, high-impact Academic Health and Human Services Department (AHHSD) for San Diego County that serves as a national model of excellence.

LWCIL’s mission is to strengthen the partnership between academia and health and human services practice through integrated education, research, workforce development, and service that advances equity in San Diego County.

LWCIL’s movement from concept to creation over the past year has resulted in impactful experiences for students, alumni, faculty, staf, and our community:

Inspiring, preparing, and connecting students and alumni to health and human services careers in our region is a LWCIL priority. More than 675 students and alumni benefted from the inaugural Health and Human Services Careers Week on SDSU’s campus. The three-day event included career readiness workshops, career fairs, and a “Meet the People” networking dinner with 40 HHSA staf members and nearly 225 students and alumni.

Catalyzing collaboration and knowledge sharing, LWCIL is facilitating greater integration of students, faculty, and practitioners through research-based events and initiating healthequity research, addressing oral health, food insecurity, and housing stability for San Diego County’s older adult population. Committed to community impact, LWCIL is bringing students, faculty, and practitioners together to support the health and wellness priorities of local communities, as identifed by regional community leadership teams, including community members and community-serving organizations. Emerging projects will provide students with community engagement, leadership, and project management opportunities.

LWCIL Co-Chairs: Dr. Amy Bonomi, Dean of the College of Health and Human Services at SDSU, and Dr. Kimberly Giardina, Deputy Chief Administrative Ofcer for the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.

Supporting Aztecs in Perpetuity

New Endowments

Colwell Family Endowment for Nursing

The Baytop MPH Fellowship Endowment

Endowments (Active)

Alumni Endowed Scholarship for Nursing

Alvarado Health Foundation Nursing Endowed Scholarship

AMI Award Endowment

AMN Nursing Endowed Scholarship

Barbara K. Rosenblatt Endowment

Baronofsky Memorial Endowment

Barry Jones Endowment

Betty Broom Endowed Faculty Research Fund

Beverly Butcher and Erin Ballard Memorial Scholarship Endowment

Center on Substance Abuse Endowment

Charles E. and Marie S. Curtright Endowed Scholarship for Nursing

Charles E. and Marie S. Curtright School of Nursing Endowment

Community Health Group Endowment

Cynthia J. Hooker Memorial Endowed Scholarship

David C. Pritchard Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Dorothea Lambert Endowment

Dorothy Lee Elliott Endowment

Dr. Abram S. Benenson Endowment

Dr. J’s Student Club Endowment

Drs. Jolene Koester and Ron Lustig Endowment for the Audiology White Coat Ceremony

Dr. Michael Buono Endowed Scholarship - True

Dr. Sue Earnest Endowed Scholarship

Eldred George Mugford in Memory of Clare Helen Mugford, RN Endowed Scholarship

Emma Lora Johnson Memorial Endowed Scholarship

ENS Emeritus Professorship Endowed Scholarship

Ernest Witte Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Exercise & Nutrional Sciences Endowment

Fitness Clinic Endowment

Fitness Clinic Operations Endowment

Florence Bacong Choe Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Frances Shimp Tidwell Endowment

Frank Parodi Endowment

Funderburk Center for Substance Abuse Endowment

G. W. Ellis Memorial Endowment

George and Ruth Warwick Endowment

Gregory Voigt and Robert Moore Scholarship in Athletic Training

Hanlon Endowed Chair

Hanlon GSPH Award Endowment

Harriet Green Kopp Doctorial Dissertation Award

Hebbel Gerontology Internship

Hilda and Colonel Robert L. Dodge Endowed Scholarship for Nursing

Hoffer-Riedman Endowed Scholarship

J.E. Lindsay Carter Endowed Scholarship

Jamie B. Geller Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Jane Beers School of Social Work Endowed Scholarship

Jeri and Elliot Hirshman Nursing Endowment

John Anderson Bequest-Public Health Endowment

John E. Floodberg Endowment for the SDSU Adaptive Fitness Clinic

Kala Singh Endowed Scholarship

Kasch-Boyer Endowment

Katherine R. Foley Endowed Scholarship

Kathleen Kopels Celebration Endowment

Kathy Rahe Memorial Nursing Endowed Scholarship

Koch-Pollak Endowed Scholarship

Language, Learning, and Literacy Endowed Scholarship

Lauretta S. Wenc Endowment

Lori Lemas Memorial Endowment

Lorraine Sears Bryant Memorial Endowed Scholarship

M.Q. Hawkins Memorial Dietetic Program Endowment

M.T. Sandways Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Maria Sardinas Behavioral Health Institute Endowment

Mariana Churchill Endowment

Marianne Kochanski Scholarship Endowment

Marilyn E. Newhoff Endowed Fellowship

Marlene Ruiz Endowed Nursing Scholarship

Mary Cave Endowed Scholarship

Mary Quam Hawkins Endowed Scholarship

Michael and Nua Shores Endowed Scholarship

Michele J. Crisafulli Endowed Scholarship

Paul Pfaff Memorial Endowment

Petra Steinhauser Endowment

Reet Howell Memorial Endowment

Robert Gamble Bowers, Sr. Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Sadanand Singh Endowed Professorship in Speech and Language Sciences

Sam Foshee Memorial Endowed Scholarship

School of Nursing Endowed Scholarship

Sharon Burt Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Sharp HealthCare Endowed Scholarship

To learn more, please contact Stacy Carota at scarota@sdsu.edu

Supporting Aztecs in Perpetuity

Endowments (Active) Continued

Sheila and Jeffrey Lipinsky Language and Cognitive

Neuroscience Lab Endowment

Social Work Endowment

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Scholarship Endowment

Stumpf/Wedemeyer Child Advocacy Endowment

Tom Carter Endowed Scholarship

William H. Schutte Memorial Endowed Scholarship

To learn more, please contact Stacy Carota at scarota@sdsu.edu