Best School Best Professor – Best College Team
Renee Penalver and Women’s Soccer – CSU Monterey Bay
6013 General Jim Moore Blvd., Seaside
(831) 582-3000, csumb.edu
Adding new acts helps keep a circus and universities relevant. CSU Monterey Bay serves thousands of local students in the tri-county area. This year, it has new leadership with Carlos Vargas as interim president, new student housing and new programs for undergrads and graduates for the upcoming school year. Renee Penalver, an assistant psychology professor at CSUMB, doesn’t introduce acts in her classroom, but she’s its ringmaster, engaging and supporting her students and it shows because she won Best Professor for a second time in a row. Being a teammate is crucial in a circus itinerant’s life to produce a great performance. The women’s soccer team puts on great performances, particularly in recent years under head coach Laura VanWart. While the Otters may not win every match, their combined effort keeps them in every match.