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The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

Spring 2025 Staff

Danya Rodriguez
Editor in Chief

Danya Rodriguez

Danya Rodriguez is the Editor in Chief for The Cougar Chronicle. She is a third-year Business Marketing major and plans on pursuing a career in either journalism or social media. Her hobbies include reading romance novels, exploring new hiking trails, and scrolling on Pinterest for the latest fashion inspiration. She also loves listening to music, some of her favorite artists...

Nahomi Garcia Alarcon
A&E Editor

Nahomi Garcia Alarcon

Nahomi Garcia is a senior pursuing a B.A. in Business Marketing. This is her second year working with The Cougar Chronicle as the Arts & Entertainment Editor. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in the publishing industry or be a copywriter in a marketing firm. In her free time, she enjoys reading and reviewing books, watching horror movies, camping with her three ...

Hannah Crawford
Features Editor

Hannah Crawford

Hannah is the Features Editor for the Cougar Chronicle. She is a history major with anthropology and geography minors. She is graduating this semester and wants to be an archaeologist. Outside of school, she loves hiking, reading, working out, listening to music, and traveling.

Celeste Yanez
Opinion Editor

Celeste Yanez

Celeste Yanez is the Opinions Editor for the Cougar Chronicle. Celeste is a first year and is a Social Science major with a primary in Psychology and secondary's in Political Science and Sociology. She hopes to be a therapist in the future. In her free time, she enjoys reading her favorite books, listening to music, and spending time with the people she loves most. While w...

Saturn Salama
News Editor

Saturn Salama

Saturn is the News Editor for the Cougar Chronicle, previously the assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor and general staff member. He is a sophomore majoring in Theatre and Literature and Writing. He also works as the manager of CSUSM’s Climate to Action podcast. His career goals center around journalism and creative writing. Saturn also has a deep love for traveling, nat...

Amara Abaquin-Brown
Social Media Manager

Amara Abaquin-Brown

Amara is a second-year student majoring in Arts, Media, and Design. She has a passion for content creation and social media.

Angelina Parra
Graphic Designer/Photographer

Angelina Parra

Angelina Parra is a fourth-year Biotechnology student with minors in Visual Arts and Biological Sciences. She works as a graphic artist and photographer for The Chronicle and aspires to become a veterinarian or work in animal research

Casey Budlong
Staff Writer

Casey Budlong

Casey Budlong is a transfer student in her third year at CSUSM majoring in Marketing. This will be her first semester working for The Cougar Chronicle as a general staff member. In the future, she aspires to pursue a career in marketing within the sports industry. In her free time, she loves taking photos, volunteering, traveling and being in nature.

Alexzandra Valdez
Staff Writer

Alexzandra Valdez

Alexzandra Valdez is a general staff member in her first year at the Chronicle. She is also in her first year at CSUSM and is majoring in psychology as she plans to be an adolescent psychologist in the future. During her free time, she likes to spend it with her family and friends but when her social battery is low she enjoys listening to music, reading, and of course, sleeping...

Natalia Ortiz
Staff Writer

Natalia Ortiz

Natalia is a general staff member who helps support the Cougar Chronicle. She majors in Digital Art, Media, and Design and minors in Spanish and Video/Film Production. Outside of school, they love playing video games, photo editing, listening to music, reading, watching TV shows/movies, and cooking.

Emilio Serrano
Staff Writer

Emilio Serrano

Hello! Emilio Serrano, reporting for duty! He is the assistant features editor and producer of the CrashCast, and a general staff member. He is majoring in Communication studies. Emilio has a deep love for action figures, creative writing, and general pop culture. While working at the Chronicle, Emilio hopes to make even better and more entertaining episodes....

Justin Gans
Staff Writer

Justin Gans

Justin Gans is a staff writer and student worker organizer for the CSU Employees Union

Claudia Zepeda
Web Editor

Claudia Zepeda

Claudia Zepeda is a third-year transfer student. Majoring in Psychology and Sociology. She hopes to become a clinical neuroscientist. This is her first year serving as social media editor with The Cougar Chronicle. Her endeavors at Cal State San Marcos include UNIDOS, TRIO SSS, and the McNair program. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, ventu...