Spotlight: Pioneers for Change STEM Track Student Leaders

The Institute for STEM Education is fortunate enough to have four wonderful students working in the Institute this year.The Pioneer for Change (PfC) Student Leaders are working with the Institute to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) on and off campus.  PfC Student Leaders projects include: STEM outreach, teaching hands on science for an after school program in Emeryville, working STEM focused events on and off campus, and creating marketing tools for the Institute. Here is a bit about the PfC STEM Track Student Leaders.

Yesenia Corral
3rd Year 
Biological Science (Option Forensics)
Hobbies: Watching movies, playing different sports, watching my favorite teams, putting on make up, dancing, working out, baking, decorating, crafting, playing card games, listening to music, and volunteering.

There is no place like home. This school has the major that I want, which is biological science with an option of forensics. I ended up at CSUEB because I didn't want to leave the Bay Area. This is my favorite place to be because I know where everything is, I love drinking the best water, and I love this bipolar weather. It is not too close or too far from home.

Right now, I am in the Pioneers for Change: STEM track. Honestly, I was not sure if this is what I wanted to do. Then I went to the workshop to see what it was about and I fell in love with it. It sounded like a great opportunity and I went for it because I really like to teach and inspire middle school students that science is interesting and fun. I love every little minute of it and I knew that I would.

As for my future, I am not really sure what I want to do. I want to see where my path is going to take me. The main goal is to get my bachelors. Possibly, get a masters, maybe becoming a police officer, then start working on what I really want to do. 
I want to do something related to crime scene investigation or criminalist work. I know that with all this comes with hard work, training, and more hard work, but I cannot wait.

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Jasmine Hain
3rd Year
Biology 

Having grown up in the Bay Area, I have always loved being a part of the culture and the vibrancy of the local communities that compose it. I knew that I wanted to study along with those who have grown up in the area, but I also wanted a fresh perspective, and to meet new people from other parts of the country and even the world. I have found all of those things at Cal State East Bay, and over the past year have become a part of CSUEB’s community through the Pioneers for Change program in a way I previously thought not possible. 

As a Biology major, choosing to become a part of the STEM track seemed to me an easy decision, and once I came to know my coworkers and the nature of the work we would be doing, I was extremely happy with my decision. Learning that I would be co-teaching science at an after school program under the supervision of many who teach professionally, I feel very blessed. As a teacher in the local community who is working to spread the love of science I have to children who are in the position I was in not long ago, I feel as though I am not only gaining work experience, but the confidence to pursue a career in education and academia. It is the STEM program which has been the inspirational catalyst for me to actively pursue a teaching credential, which I plan to take underway in the coming spring. Under the tutelage of those in the STEM department, I am now actively working toward a career which I am already excited in being a part of.

Matthew Granados
2nd Year
Communications (Media Production) 
Hobbies: Poetry, Audio Production, Cinema-Film

I have always wanted to move out of East Los Angeles and start a new life in the Bay Area, so California State University, East Bay was a great choice for me. I became a PfC Student Leader for the Institute for STEM Education because I believe it is essential for the minds of all people to be interested in the concepts of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We experience these concepts every waking hour and to understand them in depth gives us a better understanding of ourselves and the universe. Following graduation, I plan to pursue entrepreneurial venture by encompassing my major and hobbies.

Victoria Grijalva
1st Year 
Psychology 
Hobbies: Swimming, dancing, traveling 

I chose to attend CSUEB because I’m from Southern California and wanted to go away for college but not too far away from home. When I started looking into attending colleges in Northern California, CSUEB is one of the schools I applied to. After applying, I started attending community events where CSUEB staff and students were present. I decided to attend CSUEB because the people were friendly and the campus was diverse. I wanted to become a pioneer for change STEM track leader because it would give me an opportunity to mentor and teach youth STEM. As psychology major, this opportunity would allow me to develop skills such as communication and interacting with people from various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. My goal is to become either a marriage and family therapist or a school psychologist/therapist. I have a bucket list of things I want to accomplish that include traveling the world.

If you are interested in the Pioneers for Change Program, hiring for Fall 2015 will be starting soon. For more information, please visit: Center for Community Engagement Website