Cal State Fullerton’s Vision & Visionaries Awards celebrate the university’s most distinguished alumni and friends, honoring those whose achievements have made a lasting impact on the Titan community. As the highest honor given by the university, the awards recognize individuals whose leadership, innovation and dedication reflect CSUF’s mission to support its campus and students.
“It’s a way for us to recognize the best and brightest that the university has produced,” said CSUF Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Executive Director of the Alumni Association Bill Cole. “Those alumni that are making a difference in our world, changing the lives of people in medicine, in business, in education, in the arts, in athletics … they’re making a difference, they’re changing lives and they’re bringing distinction to the campus.”
First established in 1994, the biennial program honors recipients in up to three categories each awards cycle. The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes CSUF alumni; the Honorary Alumni Award is presented to those who did not attend or graduate from CSUF, but who have made a significant impact on the university; and the Recent Graduate Achievement Award honors CSUF alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years of the start of the nomination period.
Unlike CSU Trustees’ honorary doctorates, CSUF’s Vision & Visionaries Awards are unique to the university, honoring individuals who have significantly advanced CSUF’s vision and stand out as visionaries in their industries, communities and beyond.
Of the nearly 344,000 Titan alumni, only 160 have earned this prestigious honor. It is a list that includes recognizable names such as Elizabeth G. Macias, judge of the Superior Court of Orange County (2019), former professional baseball player Kurt Suzuki (2010) and former veteran reporter and NBC4 Orange County bureau chief Vikki Vargas (1996).
The nomination period includes an open call for submissions, with most nominations coming through CSUF’s colleges and deans’ offices. The CSUF Alumni Association Board of Directors then appoints a committee to review the nominations and recommend recipients. Final selections are made by the university president based on the committee’s recommendations.
In his first experience with the Vision & Visionaries Awards, CSUF President Ronald Roshon carried on the tradition of phoning each of the 2026 honorees, informing them of their selection.
The 2026 Vision & Visionaries Award recipients are:
Kristin Crellin, senior vice president of Community and Membership Development for SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1995 at CSUF. In her more than 35 years at SchoolsFirst FCU, Crellin serves as the primary spokesperson for the educational community, leading initiatives in School and Community Relations, Financial Literacy, Membership Development and Advocacy across California.
Robin Holmes-Sullivan, president of Lewis & Clark College, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s in psychology in 1986 and 1990 at CSUF. Her appointment in July 2022 marked the institution’s first woman and person of color in this role. Prior to her presidency, Holmes-Sullivan served as vice president for student life and dean of students at Lewis & Clark, vice president for student affairs for the University of California’s 10-campus system and vice president of student life at the University of Oregon.
Michael Losquadro, who earned a bachelor’s in business administration-management in 1986 at CSUF. He had a 35+ year professional career that included roles as senior advisor for Campus Advancement, University Relations & Advancement, Office of the Chancellor for the CSU system and executive director of development at UC Irvine. Losquadro was also a member of CSUF’s Gay Student Union during his time as a student and served on the board and as treasurer of the Elections Committee of the County of Orange, the first nonpartisan LGBTQ PAC in the U.S.
Peter Mitchell is the president, CEO and founder of PM Consulting Inc., a recognized “top 100 political consultant” firm. Mitchell also serves as an advocacy consultant for the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, is actively involved with the CSUF Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors and played a significant role in reinstating the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Cal Pi chapter at CSUF.
Gregory Wright, senior vice president of research and development at Edwards Life Sciences, who earned a bachelor’s in biological science in 2000 and a master’s in biology in 2008 at CSU. Wright has been instrumental in developing and co-inventing Edwards’ next-generation tissue RESILIA and launching the KONECT RESILIA aortic valve conduit. He also serves on the Dean’s Philanthropic Board for CSUF’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and was appointed to the board of directors for Goodwill Orange County.
The 2026 Vision & Visionaries Awards reception and dinner, honoring these five individuals, will be held Feb. 28, 2026.
“These are the types of people that are being produced at Cal State Fullerton,” Cole said, “… and it’s a way for us to keep our best and our brightest connected to our campus by making sure that they know that we recognize what they’ve done and that they’re bringing us distinction.”