2019-05-13

GRAD GUIDE Class of 2019

Brought to you by: EXPLORE ARMY MEDICINE.

2

GRAD GUIDE 2019

CONTENTS LETTER FROM THE EDITOR..........3 GRADUATING FOR MOM..............4 FEAR OF LEAVING THE US............5 JUNIOR COLLEGES.........................6 HOPE UNIVERSITY VS CSUF.........7 COMMENCEMENT MAP................8 GRAD GRAMS................................10 FAMILY SACRIFICE........................15

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

GRAD GUIDE 2019

Letter to the Editor Dear Titans, As the semester comes to an end and commencement approaches, I would like to take a moment to thank Cal State Fullerton as a whole, and congratulate all of the graduates of the class of 2019.

Completing a degree, whether it is an undergraduate or master’s degree, is something to be proud of and should never be undermined.

Completing a degree at a university with so much diversity is something to be proud of. CSUF is full of students who come from different backgrounds, different countries and

different demographics.

The stories in this issue demonstrate that by touching on all the different experiences that can be part of the college experience. We, as students, immigrate to the United States, we go to junior colleges, we attend more than one university and we complete degrees, not just for ourselves but for the ones we love.

These stories and unique pathways to success compile the CSUF student body and it is this that makes CSUF unique.

As I complete my time at CSUF and as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Titan, I cannot help but be proud to

HERE TO

CHANGE THE FUTURE OF FOOD SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY. Earn your M.S. in Food Science

Chapman.edu/food-science ONE UNIVERSITY DRIVE, ORANGE, CALIFORNIA 92866

be a Titan.

I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve the student body and be a writer and an editor for the student voice of Cal State Fullerton.

As we graduate, it is strange to think that life at CSUF will go on.

But the continuation of the culture of CSUF, even without us, serves as a reminder that things are ever-changing and we should constantly be learning.

Thank you again CSUF, Korryn Sanchez Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Titan

3

4 Column: How I made my mom proud

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

GRAD GUIDE 2019

I overcame my academic struggles for my biggest supporter.

ANDRE SALAZAR Asst. News Editor

With the end of my time as a Cal State Fullerton student approaching on May 19, relieving the stress of seven years of mental labor is something that is getting harder to do as each day passes by.

Though I would like to say that my own need to finish school was the driving force to get me to the graduation ceremony, the person who has provided me with the most purpose to complete college is my mother.

From the moment I saw the look of happiness in her eyes while she adjusted my cap during my graduation pictures, I could tell that my mom’s excitement exceeded mine by leaps and bounds, especially when she began to well up with tears throughout the snapshots.

It was that reaction that made the time I have spent at CSUF worthwhile as my mother will soon be able to say that one of her children is a college graduate.

Considering my scholastic career has never been anything to praise, I certainly did not make it easy for her. I distinctly remember nights where I had to receive verbal lashings for underachieving from the same woman who happily wished me a good day at school that same morning.

It did not help that this underachievement would be a mainstay throughout both my elementary and middle school years. My mother even put me in Catholic school because she thought it would be better for me academically.

Whether it was failed tests she had to sign or bad progress reports, I always felt like I was disappointing her because I was not living up to the potential that she saw in

REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN

me.

It was not until high school that I was finally able to show her that potential in full force. When she saw the first report card of my freshman year that reflected a 3.9 GPA she shamelessly threw her hands in the air as if she had just won the lottery.

There was no better feeling I had seeing the look of pride on my mother’s face because it felt like I had finally validated what she saw in me as a student. That validation would continue as I averaged over a 3.0 GPA throughout high school.

It remains a topic of conversation my mom frequents when talking about my education, though my

time at CSUF certainly was not as stellar as I wanted it to be.

My first six years in college were spent trying to convince myself that I was the only person who was worth finishing college for. This was not because I had any resentment toward my family but the resentment of feeling like I was being dependent on them, and this would ultimately be to my detriment.

During that time, I began to wonder why I was in college at all.

The business degree I was originally working towards meant nothing to me and when I decided to switch my major to journalism, it became even harder as personal

issues and a lack of experience in writing would affect my confidence in doing what I thought I originally wanted to do.

It was during this time that I realized trying to finish school for my own pride would not get me anywhere. My mom’s constant presence and her unrelenting encouragement gave me the drive to strive in school.

Whether it was her waking up at 6 a.m. to see me go to my first day of college, treating me like I was 12 years old again and loudly lecturing me when I nearly failed all of my exams during my third year or constantly asking me how my capstone was going when I took it

for the second time, her care and belief in me gave me the strength to succeed.

Comparing that to what my mom looked like during my graduation photos, it gives me that sense of pride, joy and accomplishment, validating the opinion of someone who never gave up on me.

Knowing she had to watch me struggle academically to get to this point, her ear to ear smile she showed me meant more than any accomplishment I could ever get for myself. I am proud that I will be the first of my mother’s children to graduate, but I am more proud that she will be able to say that for herself.

Opinion

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

GRAD GUIDE 2019

5

Column: My fear of leaving the United States

Photo Editor

It’s that time of the year again, when hundreds of thousands of students celebrate one of the greatest milestones of their lives: graduation.

College is a typical route that many people take. It’s the safest and most predictable path to follow in the U.S. You register yourself for a four-year college or university to get a degree in whatever field you’re passionate about, and then you graduate and prepare yourself to get a job with a decent salary, hoping it will lead to a rewarding career.

I came from Indonesia and for five years I’ve had to study, volunteer and work hard in school to prepare myself in hopes of getting an H-1B company sponsorship.

“

I’m broke, tired and angry, but I’m not going to let that stop me from achieving my long-term goal of creating a life here in the U.S.

“

Since the 2016 election, the heightened threat of political tension towards immigration has reached its boiling point.

“

Graduation is important for me because returning to Indonesia would be a step backwards.

“

JOSHUA ARIEF HALIM

President Trump and his administration seem to have endless temper tantrums in response to immigration issues, which scares aspiring U.S. immigrants everywhere.

The H-1B Visa for example, reached its lowest acceptance rate this year and 22.4%of the applications were denied in 2018 according to Forbes Magazine.

This type of visa is one of the most common ways for an international student to stay in the U.S. after their graduation. It’s also the most common method used to earn a “legal” pathway to citizenship.

The fact that H-1B Visas are increasingly getting rejected scares me, since this means that it’s more likely that I won’t be able to stay in the U.S. as an educated professional in my field of study.

In addition to the weight I feel from the uncertainty I’m facing with the visa process, my parents have gradually stopped supporting me financially.

I’m broke, tired and angry, but I’m not going to let that stop me from achieving my long-term goal of creating a life here in the U.S. Growing up in Indonesia, which is located in Southeast Asia, I’ve always wanted a better life.

In an area where strict Sharia law is in place, I found myself needing to be in an environment where I could practice my

beliefs freely.

I also feel the need to stay in the U.S. in order to escape racial segregation. As an ethnic Chinese minority, I’ve never truly felt safe because we tend to be an easy target whenever the economy or political environment doesn’t do well.

After the economic crisis hit Indonesia in the early ‘90s, a riot broke off on the streets of the capital city Jakarta in 1998.

During the riots, 1,000 people of ethnic Chinese descent were killed.

Roughly 87 women of ethnic Chinese groups were raped by groups of thugs who roamed the streets, robbing and rampaging stores owned by Chinese Indonesian people.

Fortunately, my family and I weren’t living in the capital at

the time but my grandmother was. She did not experience an altercation during the riots, but the tragedy still haunted her.

She left Indonesia and emigrated to the Netherlands the following year.

“

The will to escape prosecution of belief and ethnicity is what drives my ambition and courage to risk everything...

“

Moving back to Indonesia would halt my career growth.

It’s been more than a decade, but those brutal riots still haunt many Chinese Indonesian people, including myself.

I’m not surprised by the current mess in the U.S. of religiously charged identity politics

or its form of toxic nationalism, since I have struggled to cope with this condition of society throughout my whole life.

The will to escape prosecution of belief and ethnicity is what drives my ambition and courage to risk everything, and education has helped me find the most direct path towards a promising career.

Graduation is important for me because returning to Indonesia would be a step backwards. I know the U.S. isn’t perfect, but it still fares better than the condition at home, if I could ever call Indonesia home again in the first place.

After graduation, my search for true independence will continue, especially since it’s better than giving up and wondering what life could have been.

LET’S CELEBRATE CLASS OF 2019!

Book your Graduation Party at CSUF’s favorite local spot

EMBASSY SUITES BREA

For more information, please contact our Catering Sales Manager, Courtney Urquiza

714.510.2981

•

courtney.urquiza@hilton.com

6

Opinion

GRAD GUIDE 2019

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

Column: I dismissed community college

Asst. Sports Editor

As memories of high school faded into the background of my mind and thoughts of attending my first year at fouryear university engulfed the final days of summer leading up to my first year at Cal State Fullerton, I never stopped to consider the possibility of how attending a community college might have greatly impacted my education.

The thought never seemed to cross my mind. After I finished high school, under whispers and muttered breaths, my family had created a stigma surrounding community college which dissuaded the possibility of me going anywhere near a campus that “sucked you in for several years,” or “didn’t prepare you for a university,” or, “I was too smart for.”

After having spent the latter half of high school listening to my parents condemn community colleges through gentle nudges and dated anecdotes, my mind had been made up for me — junior college was not an option.

Little did I know that I was ignoring the fact that many of my family members and friends had been inextricably linked to junior college in one way or another. I had friends who

“

Listening to my parents condemn community colleges through gentle nudges and dated anecdotes...

“

DEMETRIOUS HERRERA

were beginning as junior college students, family members (including both of my parents) who were community college products, and a myriad of juco transfer colleagues and acquaintances I would soon meet, that might have convinced me to reconsider community college all together.

In the final stretch of my collegiate career, the unconventional path which I took into the CSUF College of Communications led me directly into a scenario where I was faced with taking a handful of junior college classes if I wanted to graduate with a minor in journalism within a year’s time.

There I was, standing face-toface with the made-up monster that my parents had helped plant in my head years ago.

However, having spent four years assimilating to a campus community composed of a number of junior college transfers, I had no reservations about going to community college for the first time in my collegiate career.

I went headfirst into two community college courses at Fullerton College last fall, not knowing what to expect, and came out with the epiphany that I could have used my local community college as a resource to enhance my university experience, instead of shying away from it.

Aside from generally

spending thousands less on tuition community colleges offer several unique advantages to students who are considering to supplement a university education with junior college classes.

Firstly, junior college courses are generally easily accessible to anyone and often grant admission fairly quickly without the hassle of submitting standardized test scores.

Coming from an impacted university campus like CSUF, students who can’t gain access to necessary classes might have more success looking for a comparable class at a junior college.

Secondly, community college campuses can often afford to give students a more intimate learning experience since class

sizes are typically smaller than commensurate courses at public four-year universities.

“

There I was, standing face-toface with the madeup monster that my parents had helped plant in my head...

“

My parent’s value of an associate’s degree clouded my decision.

And lastly, junior college classes may be less strenuous and easier to pass than equivalent courses at public four-year universities because classes are meant to be geared toward transitioning college students, or students who are seeking an associate degree.

As I prepare to finish my

collegiate career as a Titan, I cannot help but debunk my own preconceived ideas about the type of people or education that junior colleges offer.

Firsthand experience with seasoned educators and inspired students helped reshape my thoughts about an institution of education that can be as beneficial to students attending fouryear universities.

As I envision throwing my cap into the air amidst a sea of peers on graduation day, I never would have imagined that taking junior college classes during my final stint at CSUF would have played a part in me getting my degree.

Having gone through it myself, however, I can no longer imagine it happening any other way.

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

GRAD GUIDE 2019

Column: A tale of two universities

SUMMER SESSION California State University, Fullerton

Make the most of your summer!

Did you know you can enroll now and pay later? Enroll now through Titan Online and you have until May 23 to make your payment. Summer Session can help you get the classes you need to stay on track to graduation: GE classes Pre-requisites Impacted classes that you couldn’t get into in Spring or Fall Online and hybrid classes

SUMMER SESSION 2019 DATES:

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA PIHL

Dual enrollment at CSUF and Hope International University was a challenge.

JULIA PIHL

Asst. Social Media Editor

As a student at both Cal State Fullerton and Hope International University, I believe I have had one of the most unique college experiences that life can offer.

I started my journey at HIU in 2015 after high school on a basketball scholarship, but like many small private universities,

Hope International did not offer my major.

After talking with the basketball coach Bill Crammer, he explained that although HIU did not have my major, the school across the street, CSUF, did.

The contract program allowed me to take all of my major courses at CSUF as long as I was a California resident, earned my first 60 college credits at HIU and maintained a GPA above 2.5.

I SEE SCHOOL 14

Session A

May 28 - June 28

5 weeks

Session B

July 1 - August 2

5 weeks

Session C

June 24 - August 2

6 weeks

Session D

May 28 - July 19

8 weeks

Session E

May 28 - August 2

10 weeks

Campus Closed: Monday, May 27 and Thursday, July 4

For more information visit summer.fullerton.edu

Not a current CSUF student?

Visit Open University at ou.fullerton.edu

7

COMMENCEMENT

FRIDAY, MAY 17 THROUGH SUNDAY MAY 19, 2019

DEGREE LISTINGS AND CEREMONY LOCATIONS IF Accounting/Accountancy

(See corresponding orange dots for locations.)

IF Electrical Engineering

IF MBA (Business Administration Master’s)

TG African American Studies

EL Elementary and Bilingual Education

IF Mechanical Engineering

TG American Studies

EL Elementary Curriculum and Instruction

TS Music

TG Anthropology

EL English

EL Nursing

TG Asian American Studies

IF Entertainment and Hospitality Management

IF Operations and Supply Chain Management

IF Athletic Training

IF Entrepreneurship

TG Philosophy

TS Biochemistry

IF Environmental Engineering

TS Physics

TS Biological Science

TS Environmental Studies

TS Political Science

TS Biotechnology

TG European Studies

IF Professional Business

IF Business Analytics

IF Finance

TS Psychology

IF Business Economics

TG French

TS Public Administration

TS Chemistry

TG Geography

IF Public Health

TG Chicana and Chicano Studies

TS Geological Sciences

EL Reading Education

IF Health Science

TG Religious Studies

IF Child and Adolescent Development TG Cinema and Television Arts IF Civil Engineering

EL Higher Education

IF Risk Management & Insurance

TG History

TS Science Education

EL Communication Studies

IF Human Services

TG Screenwriting

TS Communications

IF Information Systems and Decision Science

EL Secondary Education

EL Communicative Disorders

IF Information Technology

TG Social Work

TG Comparative Literature

EL Instructional Design and Technology

EL Sociology

IF International Business

IF Software Engineering

IF Computer Engineering IF Computer Science TG Counseling TS Criminal Justice TS Dance

TG Japanese IF Kinesiology TG Latin American Studies

TG Spanish EL Special Education IF Taxation

IF Legal Studies

EL TESOL

TS Earth Science

TG Liberal Studies

TS Theatre

IF Economics

TG Linguistics

TS Visual Art

EL Educational Administration

IF Management

EL Educational Leadership

IF Marketing

EL Educational Technology

TS Mathematics

TG Women and Gender Studies

COMMENCEMENT

Ceremony Sites TS IF TG

Y

O

R

B

A

L

I

N

D

A

B

L

V

D

N

A

Intramural Field Graduate line up: Titan Track

EAST CAMPUS DRIVE

G

PARKING

W

PARKING

?

E S

A

8

FULLER TON AR BOR ETUM

Engineering and Computer Science Lawn Graduate line up: Engineering and Computer Science Courtyard

TS

G

D

L

? Information

L UP

O

Wheelchair (check out/return)

+

A W ?

+

First Aid

TG

SRC

? ?

C

Food/Beverage

STATE COLLEGE PARKING STRUCTURE

T

?

?

I

PARKING

PL

T

Restrooms are available on the first floor of all buildings except for the Student Health and Counseling Center and Kinesiology and Health Science.

E

PARKING

7

E

DOROTHY LANE s

B

TSU

?

A

Cooling Center/Stations

STUDENT UNION WAY s

ECS

EL

L Lost and Found Gift/Programs

E

6

?

GYMNASIUM DRIVE

R

Yorba Linda at Lot A Lots A and G

IF

L

9

E

PARKING

E

E

SPORTS DRIVE

QUAD

?

S

F

PARKING

?

EASTSIDE PARKING STRUCTURE

ARTS DRIVE

NUTWOOD PARKING STRUCTURE

C PARKING

SO UTH CA MP US D RI VE

1501

U

T

W

O

O

CBE

D

A

V

E

T I TA N

N

F

State College Blvd at Lot A Lots A and G

+

1

COLLEGE PARK PARKING

5

8

PARKING

FO L I N O DR IV E

State College Blvd at Gymnasium Dr State College Parking Structure

A SOUTH

TT W E ST CA MP US D RI VE

6

?

?

L

Nutwood Ave at Folino Dr Eastside Parking Structure, Lots E, F and I

B

1

V

Parking Entrances

Y

D

EL

9

Titan Stadium Graduate line up: Parking Lot A South

Titan Gymnasium Graduate line up: South Entrance of the Titan Gymnasium

A S S OC I ATE D

MAY 17 – 19, 2019

GRAD GRAMS

Congratulations Class of 2019!

ALAYAH BYERS College of Communications Well Layah you did it!!! Top 10% of your class with a bright future ahead of you.

Your family is extremely proud of you and your accomplishments. We love you very very much and can’t wait to see what’s next for you!

Love Always, Mom, Dad and Big Sis Kaila. XOXOXO

ERIN NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN SANTIAGO CHILLY MILLIGAN College of Humanities and Social Sciences Erin, We are so proud of you. The world is waiting for you. Never stop exploring or learning.

KORRYN SANCHEZ College of Communications - Journalism You being EIC has been a win.

Without you our lives would be rather dim.

You’ll always be part of our heart and kin.

We love you so much Korryn.

Always soaring, never boring, bright like the sun in the morning.

As majestic as the moon at night, Congratulations and hold on tight.

Love, Hosam and Bernie

MACY BARTHOLOMEW College of Health and Human Development Congratulations Macy! You can achieve whatever you want in life. All you have to do is believe that you can. We believe in you, now and forever, happy graduation day.

Love, Dad and Cindy

Love, Dad & Kurstin

AMANDA HODGIN

MEGAN GARCIA

College of Communications

College of Communications

Our Dearest Amanda, We are so proud of you and the young amazing woman you have become. Congratulations on achieving this monumental milestone in your life.

Nothing will stop you, aim for the stars! May God continue to bless you in all your endeavors in life.

I’m so proud of you. You are a dedicated, hardworking, brilliant woman I look up to.

We can’t wait to see the amazing things you’ll do.

Love you forever, Mom, Dad, Brookelynn, Justin, Benji & Lexi

Love, Sophia & DT Staff

HELEN NEWTON

SALVADOR RIVERA

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

College of Communications

We are so proud! Bravo! Follow your dreams and believe in yourself. We thank God for you!

My love, I’m so thrilled to see you graduate! I met you during your first semester at CSUF and you’ve come a long way since then. We’ve been through so many things but just know that I love you more and more each day. I can’t wait to see what other great things you’ll get to do after you graduate.

Just know that I’ll be here when you need anything.

I love you.

Love, Mom & Dad

Moni Money

AMANDA LEIGH BLUNK

BRIANNA HALSTIED

College of Health and Human Development

College of Communications

Punky - I am so proud of you! All of your hard work has paid off! You are an amazing woman! Congratulations!

Brianna, we are so very proud of you!

All these years of hard work have paid off, you’re a real goal digger. We’re looking forward to watching you take on the world.

Love, Mom

SARAH A. MURCIA

HANNAH HAEGER

College of Health and Human Development

College of Communications

Sarah, You never cease to amaze me. Since the day you were born, I had so many dreams for you, and with your love, strength and wit, you’re making your own and my dreams for you come true. Congratulations on your college graduation.

I am so very proud of you. Love you mucho!

We are so proud of you for reaching your goals, especially when you are doing it in a foreign language on a different continent.

Congratulations, well done.

Love, Your Parents and Brother

Mom

ANTHONY RAMIREZ College of Communications We are so proud of you. It brings tears to our eyes every time we think about how blessed we are to call you our son. You have grown up to become a wonderful young man. A person with great respect for others. An awesome role model, friend, brother, and son. We know you are destined to do great things in your life. You have a heart of gold. We love you and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you are going to accomplish!

Love, Mom & Dad

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES We are so proud of you!

“You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.” -Tom Brokaw

Diversity Initiatives & Resource Centers Shrestha Aiyar Mel Mateo Barrios Joshua Borjas Inderpal Dhindsa Pooja Gajjar Vy Le James Leassear Edgar Najera Deborah Ochei Iman Roberts Meilssa Valdovinos Bleu Vargas Educational Partnerships Alejandra Adame Erick Aguinaldo Jonathan Arellanes Alejandra Avila Judith Avila Darnell Calderon Karen Cazares Shirley Chikuhwa Vanessa Dominguez Sevastian Duran Ulisses Esparza Natalie Gonzalez Miguel Hernandez Shayna La Scala Cesar Lopez Kimberly Madrigal Giselle Meza Bryana Mondorf Desiree Montes Christina Mu

Tammy Nguyen Mimi Nguyen Maite Palacios Jeffrey Pizano Marcos Resendiz Clarissa Rodriguez Vanessa Sanchez Eloy Santiago Zachary Vlastnik Marialexia Zaragoza Housing and Residential Engagement Brittani Ables Jesus Bueno Jessica De Jesus Rodriguez Paola Delgado Inder Dhindsa Claudia Figueroa Esmeralda Garcia Imani Garner Dylan Goecks Alex Jackson Jessica Leon Rachel Mak Katie Minshew Vishnu Moka Kaitlin Page Taylor Slater Lane Stutsman Michelle Su Maddy Tucker Brenda Valls Steven White Joyce Yang

Office of Admissions Joshua Burgueno Ariana Magana Stephanie Rodriguez Office of Financial Aid Quetzalli Gonzalez Briana Jimenez Jonathan Soria Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs Katie Cullum Outreach, Recruitment & Orientation Karina Bataz Karen Flores Michael Gandara Imani Garner Aaron Gutierrez Jeremy Hernandez Kimberly Macias Vy Pham Noel Quinones Asia Scott Anthea Shih Claudia Villasenor Student Life & Leadership Fabian Aguilar Jordan Bierbower Cristina Dypiangco Zachary Fenter Kimia Firoozi Nickolas Howe

800 N STATE COLLEGE BLVD, FULLERTON, CA 92831 | (657) 278-3221 | WWW.FULLERTON.EDU | @CSUFSTUDENTS

Michael Jamshidi Braden Jow Demetrius Knight Ruby Rodriguez Valerie Schlieder Akash Singh Brianna Stempniak Nicholas Tangsouvanh Albert Tran Christopher Vasquez Ethan Young WoMen’s Center Shreshta Aiyar Alejandra Becerril Kimberly Blanks Chelsea Harrinson Jessica Leon Claudia Lua Junely Merwin Christina Mikesell Jasia Morrison Annette Munoz Sandra Rangel Alberto Sanchez Maribel Valerio Tessa White Kimberly Zazueta Katherine Zertuche

STUDENT AFFAIRS

14

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

GRAD GUIDE 2019

School: From the Royals to Titans 1 I thought as long as I did well in my first couple of years at HIU I would be well on my way to earning my degree and finish out my last two years predominantly at CSUF. What I did not take into consideration were the huge differences in the two schools, which included things like class size and the weeklong spring break.

I will never forget the first time I walked into a lecture hall at the Ruby Gerontology Center for one of my classes.

I was overwhelmed by the class size since I was used to having around 10 students in every class and all of my professors knowing me by name.

At HIU, everyone knows everyone, kind of like a small community or a high school.

All of the students live on campus, attend the dining hall at the same time, have classes with the same professors and attend chapel together every Thursday morning.

At CSUF I saw new people every day, and initially, I knew nobody. I felt as if I had started over.

I was able to have a personalized education at Hope International as it was an environment that I became comfortable in.

With CSUF, I had to put myself outside of my comfort zone, work to form new relationships and adapt my learning style.

All students dread registration for classes, and I was no exception.

CONTINUED FROM

Each semester I sat watching CSUF classes fill hoping that the few I needed would not fill up.

I had to be careful of which courses I selected as I only had four semesters to finish my journalism curriculum if I wanted to graduate on time.

In addition to all of the other struggles, the solace that most students find in spring break did not apply to me. The different schools meant staggered spring break schedules.

While I watched everyone from HIU go on vacation and enjoy their week off, I was still stuck in my CSUF classes and vice versa three weeks later when CSUF went on break.

With graduation this Saturday, I face one more obstacle with my education. I was notified that my diploma will be delayed until June 30 because HIU has to wait for CSUF to report my final grades to administration.

Despite the roadblocks I faced while attending two very different universities, I am thankful for the experience I gained these last four years.

I learned how to balance the schedule of a student, an athlete and a part-time worker through managing my time.

Even though life gets hectic, there will always be positive lessons and outcomes. Looking back on my four years at CSUF and HIU, there is not much I would change and I am proud of the person this process helped me become.

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019

GRAD GUIDE 2019

15

Column: I reached higher for my family My relatives’ hard work influenced me to keep pursuing my goals.

MEGAN GARCIA Senior Editor

My five year journey to obtaining a bachelor’s degree has come to an end as I’ll walk across a stage on May 19, and move my tassel from right to left with a diploma in hand.

Cal State Fullerton’s Chicano/ Latino Faculty and Staff Association held a ceremony for Hispanic and Native American graduates on May 4. The day of my grandfather’s 91st birthday, my parents and I celebrated a prolonged journey that started with him.

My family roots in the United States does not run deep. January 1963 saw the entry of the Garcia family in California from Zacatecas, Zacatecas in Mexico. In the pursuit of the American dream, my family’s sacrifices have gifted me a future with potential success.

During World War II, there was a shortage of labor workers because a large portion of the U.S. population was battling overseas.

Through the Bracero program, workers and their immediate families were allowed to apply for residency.

While my grandpa worked in the fields of Northern California, my grandmother and mother lived in Mexico City as their citizenship status was being processed.

My mom’s upbringing was not all sunshine and roses, and her path to a degree was not easy.

A later jump-start to her college education was not a shortcoming.

My bedtime stories were her lecture readings about anything regarding human resources. It was not the “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” but she was able to spend time with her infant daughter while working

toward a brighter future.

Just like her father, my mom spent extraneous hours every day working to provide for her family.

Her work ethic is her superpower, and she has jumped through obstacles to get to where she is.

As her daughter, I have wanted to put in the same amount of work to reach her level of success. As my grandfather’s granddaughter, I did not want his sacrifice to be in vain.

College can test a person’s determination to succeed, and I have failed that test more times than I would like to admit. With less than 30 units to complete, I almost left CSUF to attend culinary school because I thought that was where I would find clarity.

After my mom knocked some sense into me, I decided to stay in college.

The feeling of being adrift has been a constant since I started my undergraduate education at Cal State Long Beach. I left the university and decided to come to grips with my understanding of a degree at a junior college.

I had a better idea of the career I wanted when I was admitted to CSUF, but the doubt overpowered me yet again.

I tried everything in my power to avoid classes that challenged me, but eventually I had to bite the bullet and buck up. If I stayed on the path of least resistance, I would never graduate.

The only reason I was able to power through the deadlines and meltdowns was my mom’s support as she fought alongside me.

My name has been attached to midterm papers and scribbled on tests. I have raised my hands during lectures and wanted to scream at the top of my lungs as the workload piled on, but my family’s sacrifices have helped me as I have reached the finish line.

If my grandfather did not want to provide for his family, he would

not have participated in the Bracero program or immigrated with his wife and daughter. If my mom settled for a life without success, she would not have the career she has battled for as she raised me on her own.

While my grandfather died when I was 2-years-old, I do still have my mom. Cancer tried to beat her out of the game, but she pulled through.

In a few days, I will be wearing a decorated cap and gown with probably too many sashes because my family has sacrificed more than I ever thought possible. My family will celebrate the accomplishment of obtaining a degree on May 19, but I will celebrate them as I am forever indebted to people who came before me as they made this journey possible.

REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN

PREPARE

CONFIDENTLY PREPARE FOR THE CPA EXAM at a top ranked school.

GMAT waivers available.

Earn your MS in Accounting in as few as 10 months in Orange County.

CHAPMAN.EDU/MSA