Azeneth Jauregui

22 February 2021

As a first generation college student, participating in the CSULB Honors Program would provide

me with resources and opportunities to better navigate higher education and my future career

field. The scholarship opportunities offered would greatly benefit my family since I come from a

low-income, single-parent household. Academic advising and professional development would

also be essential because STEM, Engineering in particular, requires an extensive focus and time.

Thus, this resource would allow me to build an individualized curriculum to academically

succeed, graduate within my timeline, and gain valuable professional skills.

I am choosing to major in Civil Engineering because of my annual attendance to the

Women in STEM Conference. Men are primarily associated with STEM, and thus being able to

hear from solely women in this field and listen to their challenges that they endured cemented

what this identity holds in this career choice. During the first conference, I was able to have

lunch with a woman who is an Aerospace Engineer, and in our short 30 minute conversation she

explained the obstacles she endured as a first generation college student and walked me through

her average work day. Although my experience was with an Aerospace Engineer, I was still able

to gain insight into the Engineering field. Ultimately, this event has influenced my identity as a

proud young woman of color in STEM, my self confidence to fully take my education into my

hands, and becoming a role model for future generations.

With this newfound inspiration, I developed my leadership experience through my annual

participation in the Carson High School Showcase. The purpose of this event was to invite

hundreds of eighth grade students to learn about the three different academies they can enroll

into. I was a representative for the Environmental Science Engineering and Technology (ESET)

academy, led the Biology booth at our Showcase, and became a tour guide over the span of three

years. As a tour guide, I along with three of my peers, were tasked with guiding a group of 75
students through each academy showcase, helping them fill out their scavenger hunts, and

answering any specific questions. Time management and coordinating with my peers was

challenging, but we ensured that groups were transitioning smoothly through effective

communication. I took part in this event since I myself did not have the opportunity to attend

when I was in eighth grade, so it was important for me to influence these eighth graders to join

my high school because of the tailored options to their interests and career goals.

These experiences are a strong foundation for UHP’s diverse community and social

justice aims. I was further influenced to become more civically engaged in my own community

when learning about police violence, detention camps, and the Black Lives Matter Movement

last year. This sparked my decision to become an election official because I wanted to decrease

the statistics of non-voting in my community, specifically the underrepresented communities. I

was able to use my bilingual skills to translate the voting process for Spanish-speaking voters. I

have learned the power of my voice and agency to make changes within my own community

which I hope to implement as a UHP scholar. Overall, I am eager to continue learning about

social justice issues and organizing with the UHP community to increase civic engagement at

CSULB.