San Diego State University
Weber Honors College Fiscal Year 2025-2026
Message from Leadership
Dear Donor, Thank you for your continued generosity and commitment to the Weber Honors College. Because of your support, our students are engaging in transformative experiences beyond the classroom, including undergraduate research, global learning, and community-engaged projects that address realworld challenges. This year, we expanded interdisciplinary learning and student success through new research, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities. Key initiatives included the development of SDSU’s Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (URSCA) Handbook, which supports broader access to research and contributes to SDSU’s R1 classification. We also launched new student mentoring programs, strengthened faculty engagement through our new Faculty Engagement Board, and increased national visibility through conference presentations and publications. Our graduates continue to pursue advanced degrees and impactful careers across diverse fields. We are grateful for your partnership in shaping the next generation of leaders. With sincere appreciation,
Stacey Sinclair, Ph.D. Director, Weber Honors College
Philanthropy
Propelling the SDSU Community Forward Stephen L. Weber AVID Alumni Scholarship The Stephen L. Weber AVID Alumni Scholarship expands access to the Weber Honors College by supporting Honors students who participated in AVID during high school—many of whom are firstgeneration college students. This scholarship helps remove financial barriers, providing recipients with the stability and confidence to focus on their academic and professional goals. As one recipient shared, it represents “those who believe in me” and serves as powerful motivation to pursue ambitious paths, including graduate education. By easing financial burdens, the scholarship allows students to fully engage in the Honors experience, explore opportunities, and build a strong foundation for future success. In doing so, it not only supports individual achievement but also strengthens the bridge between AVID and SDSU, advancing the university’s commitment to equity, access, and excellence while empowering students to reach their full potential as scholars and future leaders. Marjorie T. and Henry L. Janssen Honors Council Endowment Fund The Marjorie T. and Henry L. Janssen Honors Council Endowment Fund provides scholarship support to Weber Honors College students who have evidenced how their experience in Honors has expanded their learning beyond their major, and exposed them to perspectives and skills they may not have otherwise encountered. One recipient demonstrated impact by developing HeartLink, an app that provides real-time updates on services for individuals experiencing housing insecurity in San Diego. The project streamlined how community organizations share information and improved coordination and access to critical resources. Another recipient served as Membership and Outreach Officer for a student organization dedicated to exploring San Diego’s biodiversity and increasing awareness of native plants and animals. Through partnerships with the SDSU Biodiversity Museum, students get connected to environmental resources and career pathways, advancing education and stewardship in environmental fields. These outcomes reflect the WHC emphasis on applied problem-solving and meaningful community impact. SDSU BRIDGES Susan K. Weber Scholarship The SDSU BRIDGES Susan K. Weber Scholarship provides scholarships to honors students and supports lifelong learning by bridging the community to the university. This scholarship enables the SDSU BRIDGES scholars to participate in undergraduate research, community service, creative arts, and study abroad. For example, with support from this scholarship this year, one SDSU BRIDGES scholars studied anatomy and the arts in Italy, while another participated in an immersive faculty- led program exploring poverty, gender issues, and colonialism in Ghana. SDSU BRIDGES community members and student scholars enjoy gathering each semester to share knowledge, showcase programs, and support a legacy of academic excellence and service.
Student Spotlight
Thriving in the Aztec Experience Penelope Dalton, Class of 2026 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: Weber Honors College Major: Chemistry Penelope Dalton graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with an Emphasis in Biochemistry. She was President of the Aztec Professional Pre-Health Organization and founded the Pre-Medical Advising Club, where she was Vice President. In the Gustafson Lab, she presented award-winning research on organic chemistry and was named second author on a publication. She presented and published research through the Women on the Street Project, an initiative centered on the needs of unhoused women. She studied abroad during a clinical internship in Kenya and has extensive experience working with the unhoused community. In the fall, she will attend the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
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Penelope Dalton paired award-winning chemistry research, advocacy for unhoused women, and clinical work in Kenya on her path to University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine..
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Student Spotlight
Brooklyn Hicks, Class of 2026 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: Weber Honors College Major: Environmental Health Brooklyn Hicks graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health. She was the Social Chair of Beta Psi Omega, a research assistant in the SHAN Lab focusing on affective neuroscience and clinical psychology, and a member of Kappa Delta, serving as Director of Scholarship and Academics. She worked as a residential advisor in Zacatepec & Chapultepec Halls, a dermatology medical assistant, a volunteer in the Sharp Emergency Department, an intern at the California Department of Public Health, and an Organismal Biology Learning Assistant. She was awarded the Henry Janssen Prize for the most outstanding Honors graduate at the honors graduation ceremony. After graduation, she will pursue a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and a doctorate in Environmental Health. She shared the following on her experience at Weber Honors College: "In the Weber Honors College, I developed my leadership, conflict resolution, and time management skills. It allowed me to develop a strong sense of self, responsibility, and confidence in my abilities that have molded me into the future healthcare provider I am today."
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Weber Honors College shaped Brooklyn Hicks into a leader and future healthcare provider, earning her the Henry Janssen Prize and launching her path to graduate study.
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Student Spotlight
Dean Benner, Class of 2027 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: Weber Honors College Major: International Business Dean Benner was the San Diego State University awardee for the 2025 Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Internship where he quickly discovered he would learn by doing. The competitive annual program sends students to Washington, D.C., where they work with representatives of the California delegation in a life-changing internship experience. Benner spent nearly three months working for Congressman Jim Costa of the 21st Congressional District. Benner’s internship work involved hosting tours, pulling press clippings, sorting mail, attending briefings, and giving summaries of bills coming up for a vote. “It’s balancing all that, and while being in session — so everything's moving very fast.” This experience deepened his understanding of the federal legislative process and strengthened his skills in research, communication, and public service —reinforcing his commitment to meaningful policy work.
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Dean Benner’s congressional internship in Washington, D.C., gave him firsthand experience in fast-paced policy work and reinforced his commitment to public service.
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Points of Pride
Celebrating Shared Success Recent Highlights This year, the Weber Honors College hosted a joint National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC)/California State University (CSU) meeting, positioning SDSU as a leader in honors education within the CSU system and beyond. Honors initiatives and innovations were also presented at both the NCHC national conference and the Western Regional Honors Council conference. This May, the Weber Honors College celebrated its largest graduating cohort in program history, with 240 students graduating and completing the Honors Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies. Of these graduates, 21% are first-generation college students, and the average GPA for the honors graduating cohort was 3.7. The Weber Honors College led the development of a university-wide Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (URSCA) manual, in close collaboration with the Division of Research and Innovation, expanding access to undergraduate research opportunities across campus. This initiative expands equitable access to high-impact experiences while strengthening SDSU’s research infrastructure and supporting its recent R1 classification by fostering a culture of undergraduate research and scholarly excellence. The college also launched a new, multi-layered mentoring program designed to support first-year commuting Honors students and strengthen their sense of belonging. This innovative model connects commuter students with both first-year residential peers and upper-division mentors, creating a dynamic support network. In its inaugural year, the program engaged approximately 50 mentors and 150 mentees. Evaluation results demonstrate the program’s impact: commuter students who actively participated reported a stronger sense of belonging, formed more meaningful peer relationships, and experienced lower levels of isolation compared to those with limited participation. These findings underscore the value of intentional, relationship-based programming and reflect the Honors College’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and student success, ensuring that all students— regardless of their living situation—can fully engage in and benefit from the Honors experience.
Honors Rising
Record 240 graduates, 21% first-gen students, and a 3.7 average GPA signal Weber Honors College’s momentum.
Faculty and Staff Achievements
Adam Pine, Ph.D. Title: Weber Honors College Faculty Fellow College: Weber Honors College & College of Arts and Letters Achievement: Dr. Adam Pine was awarded the Darlene Shiley Honors Faculty Fellowship Award in recognition of his outstanding and innovative teaching in the Weber Honors College. His two honors courses, The Global Housing Crisis and U.S. Urban Problems, emphasize interdisciplinary thinking, experiential learning, and civic responsibility. Dr. Pine brings extensive expertise in urban geography, housing policy, and community-engaged research to the Weber Honors College classroom. His teaching centers on connecting students with real-world social challenges, particularly issues of housing insecurity, urban inequality, and community development. Through hands-on partnerships with local organizations such as Uptown Community Services Center and Wesley House, Adam creates meaningful opportunities for students to engage directly with the communities they study. His teaching has led to measurable student impact, including the creation of the student organization HumanKind, which extends course-based community engagement into ongoing service and advocacy. Adam will use the fellowship award to support his continued professional development, including attending the Progressive Planners Network conference in Toronto this summer. This conference focuses on how planners are implementing solutions to urban challenges such as the housing crisis and includes field visits to community-based projects where attendees engage directly with residents and practitioners. This experience is closely aligned with his Honors teaching and will allow him to bring contemporary, practice-based insights into the classroom, further deepening student engagement with pressing global and local issues.
Faculty and Staff Achievements
Mary Stout, M.A. Title: Weber Honors College Faculty Fellow College: Weber Honors College & College of Arts and Letters Achievement: Professor Mary Stout continues to advance the Weber Honors College’s commitment to innovative, interdisciplinary teaching through her work in comics studies, U.S. history, and social justice. Her Honors courses explore topics such as the history of feminism in comics, women comic creators, and the use of graphic narratives to teach complex and difficult subjects. In March, Professor Stout was featured as a panelist at the San Diego Comic-Con Museum, where she contributed to a discussion titled “Graphic Novel Adaptations from Literature.” The panel examined the long tradition of comics reinterpreting literary classics—from Will Eisner’s Moby Dick to contemporary adaptations of 1984—and explored what makes these adaptations effective and meaningful. This summer, she will be presenting at Comic-Con International about her Honors course on Feminism in Comics and the use of the Comics Archive for student research. Through her teaching, scholarship, and public engagement, Professor Stout brings creative, accessible approaches to learning that deepen student understanding of history, culture, and social issues while expanding the reach and impact of the Honors experience.
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Through comics, history, and social justice, Professor Mary Stout brings creative and accessible teaching to the Honors classroom while expanding student engagement beyond campus.
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Faculty and Staff Achievements
Sara Adibi, Ph.D. Title: Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering College: Weber Honors College & College of Engineering Achievement: Assistant Professor Dr. Sara Adibi was selected as a Weber Honors College Research Fellow and exemplifies the Weber Honors College's commitment to high-impact, interdisciplinary learning. As part of the Weber Honors College Research Fellows program, Dr. Adibi was paired with an honors student to assist with her research on data-driven and physics-based multiscale material modeling, using advanced computational methods to design more efficient and sustainable materials. Under her mentorship, an Honors student gained hands-on experience in programming, data analysis, and material simulation while contributing to work with real-world engineering applications. This collaboration resulted in a coauthored peer-reviewed publication with her honors student and a student-led presentation at the International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition 2025 conference. Dr. Adibi’s work reflects the Honors College’s emphasis on faculty-student research partnerships that extend learning beyond the classroom and prepare students to contribute meaningfully to emerging fields.
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Congratulations to Dr. Sara Adibi, selected as a Weber Honors College Research Fellow, for advancing interdisciplinary research and mentoring students in sustainable materials innovation.
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Thank you for your generous support.
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