[ Music ]
>> Alex Gallo: My name's Alex.
I'm the ASI Senator for Undergraduate and Graduate Affairs.
Today, we have a diverse group of panel students, and I'm going to introduce them.
Oh, and we have Tim Ryan, our president, who will be our moderator --
our ASI President, who will be moderating us today.
So first, we have Rafael Nino, who is a senior majoring in communication.
Next to him, we have Iliana Perez, who is an alumni, and she -- her --
she gained her Bachelor's degree in mathematics at Fresno State, a Master's degree in economics
from Claremont University, and is a doctoral student in education, policy,
evaluation, and reform at Claremont University.
Next to her, we have Ian Whitehead, who is a senior majoring in political science.
Following Ian, we have Ciara Armstead, who is a senior majoring
in health administration with a minor in Africana studies.
And finally, we have Hmong Lor, who is a junior majoring in nursing.
Thank you all, and if we can please give them a round of applause for coming out today.
[ Applause ]
>> Tim Ryan: Thank you, Alex, for the introductions.
So we'll just get into the first question here, but also if you wanted to speak a little bit more
about your experience or share a little bit more about yourself with the group before you go ahead and answer,
I think that would also be totally fine if you wanted to do that.
So the first question that we have is asking you to identify one major barrier
that you have faced, and what did you do to overcome it?
And, Iliana, also from your undergraduate experience.
>> Rafael Arizmendi: All right.
So --
>> Tim Ryan: We can start on this side.
>> Rafael Arizmendi: You know what?
Ladies first, right?
>> Iliana Perez: Okay.
Well, hello, everyone.
I'm so happy to be back here.
I'm a proud Fresno State alumna of class of 2009.
So by far, my number one barrier as a college student was being undocumented.
So I've navigated the educational system being undocumented all the way
up until 2013, when I became a DACA recipient.
So the way I was able to overcome that is 100% due to Fresno State.
I was fully funded by the Smittcamp Family Honors College when I applied back in 2004.
So I started Fresno State in 2005.
And in addition to the Smittcamp Family Honors College fully funding my education, I received so,
so much support from faculty, from staff, from administrators at Fresno State
that ultimately really gave me the research opportunities, the professional experiences
that have led me toward now pursue -- almost finalizing my PhD and doing many other advocacy efforts
to support undocumented students across the country.
[ Applause ]
>> Rafael Arizmendi: So before I get to the question, I'm a senior now, and I'm really -- I --
we're graduating in May, and I'm really looking forward to graduation day.
So I'm going to be participating in four commencement ceremonies, the university --
the main university one, the Comm Department, Chicano/Latino studies,
or Chicano/Latino commencement ceremony, and my college, which is Arts and Humanities.
So I'm really looking forward to that.
Also as a senior, and I don't know if I can share this view with some of the students here,
I learned a lot of stuff, but I learned it when I was a senior.
Like, let's see.
I learned how to do proper research until I was a senior.
And I wish I would have known that when I was a freshman.
And I kind of ran into a class that asked us to talk to a librarian
and learn the tools to do -- to do research.
And my life would have been a lot more easier had I known that since the beginning.
So it's so weird that you learn all these things when you're a senior.
You're about to leave, and then you learn them, right?
Anyway, so I'll just get to the question.
The hardest thing for me was getting here.
I transferred here from Fresno City.
I love the humanities.
I'd never been big on science or math.
So I really struggled trying to get that math out of the way to come in as a transfer student.
So what I did to overcome that barrier, I actually dropped all of my classes.
Well, I didn't drop them.
I decided to go to just that one class.
I dedicated the whole semester just for that math because I'm like really not good at it.
And so, I hired a tutor.
I ended up finding a job to help me pay for a tutor, and I was happy to pass the class.
And once I was able to do that, then I completed all the criteria to come to Fresno State.
So that was really, really hard for someone like me that struggles with math.
So, yeah, that tackles that question.
And then I'll hand it over.
>> Ian Whitehead: I would say for me coming as a transfer student, one of the things I really struggled
with was picking our division classes and having some of the professors just assume
that all the students knew how to do certain things, for example, Blackboard.
I was very unfamiliar with it.
So it'd be difficult when a professor said, "Oh, go on Blackboard
and print this document," or, "Review the assignment."
So to overcome that, I just had to speak with the professors and ask them.
And most of them were very accommodating and would show us how to do that.
>> Ciara Armstead: Hello.
I think my biggest obstacle was trying to learn how to be a college student.
I was -- I learned how to manage being a high school student with my learning disability,
but coming to this university, I had to completely learn, rewrite how to be a student.
I continuously -- are -- is -- sorry.
I'm continuously learning how to be a student and effectively manage my studies
and my social life, my financial successes.
So I think that was -- that has continuously been my biggest obstacle, is just kind of learning how
to be an adult and a student at the same time.
>> Hmong Lor: Good afternoon to faculty, staff, and students.
My name is Hmong, and I'm a nursing student attending here at Fresno State.
So to answer the question of what was my most difficult barriers and how to overcome it would be just seeing
to the life of being a Fresno State student.
It was tremendously difficult as a first year starting as a freshman,
as soon as a first-generation student here on campus with no one to guide, you know?
Even when you're leading to the right place, the questions starts to come into your head.
What do I even ask?
How do I even ask?
What is there?
All of these questions pop up, and now it's really --
it got frustrating to a point where, you know, you just say, "I'm stuck.
But, hey, I got to move."
So with that, how I overcame the situation was getting involved.
And when I'm talking about getting involved, it's not about volunteering at the Children's Hospital,
volunteering for the Food Community Bank.
But it's to be involved and engaged on what is available for you on campus.
And that is what I did, from volunteering with the University of Health Center,
from being in the Public Health Department.
From that point on, you start to build a network, and soon, my questions start to become answers,
and that was how I kind of fought what I have been stuck up on.
Thank you.
>> Story Robles: Good afternoon, everyone.
My name is Story Robles.
I am a graduate student on campus.
I am in the counseling program, specifically in marriage, child, and family counseling.
I think one of the biggest barriers for me as a college student has definitely been being an undocumented
college student.
I don't feel like I truly understood what it really meant to be undocumented until I entered college,
and I basically just kind of had to realize that a lot of the things
that were offered to students didn't apply to me.
And so, a lot of the scholarships that students were offered, I couldn't apply for, just having to struggle
with -- having to kind of just figure things out on my own, knowing that I was kind
of like this separate category from everyone else was really a struggle.
I had an older sister who graduated from Fresno State, and having her really helped me
because she was kind of that guide for me.
So I was able to kind of just see what she did and kind of just follow what she did.
And she was a lot more willing to ask questions than I was.
So she seeked [sic] a lot of different services, both on and off campus, that she was able to share with me,
and I was able to kind of just pick up on what she was basic receiving.
And so, that helped me out a lot, but I feel like I'm still currently kind of trying to overcome that.
As a graduate student, I feel like it's still really, really hard as an undocumented student.
And so, I'm still kind of in the middle of my struggle, trying to kind of just figure things out.
And I don't have kind of like a guide now being in grad school.
So I'm just kind of trying to figure stuff out on my own, but I definitely feel
like getting involved on campus has helped me a lot.
I currently work at the Cross-cultural and Gender Center, and I've been there for about four years now.
I started there my sophomore year.
And so, that really, really helped me to just feel accepted on campus and kind of find a place
where I can call home and have them support me in every way to just continue to do what I do
and continue to pursue my career and stuff.
So that was really helpful for me.
>> Tim Ryan: Great.
So as we talk about barriers that you've faced on campus, there are a lot of offices
and support services here at Fresno State that are here to help you
and all of our students face those barriers.
So I'd like to ask which of those offices have you found yourself turning
to more often, and why those offices in particular?
>> Rafael Arizmendi: Okay.
So for me, definitely the library research, right?
I feel like we spend -- students, like, yes, we go to class, and yes, we love lecture.
But we spend most of our days or most of our hours at the library doing research.
I feel like research is critical.
We have a lot of favors to do in all of our classes and getting good grades and graduating.
If you -- like, if you want to do those things, then we have to --
we have to do research, and so talking to librarians and learning how
to use the research website and finding our articles.
So, yes, that library, it's imperative.
The second thing that's been helpful for me is the Career Development Center.
They provide us -- and I feel like not everyone knows about it, but, yes, they help you.
They guide you.
Like, they kind of walk you through the things that you want to do in life once you graduate from here.
They're extremely helpful.
I've gotten some clothes from there to go to interviews.
So, yeah, I spend -- I spend some time to go in there for help.
And the Recreation Center, I currently have taken 16 units, and it's just like --
I'm sure you hear this on a daily basis, and it's probably like whatever.
It's just 16 units, right?
But going to the recreation center, I just let out all my stress.
I go there to work out, just let it all out.
And it really, really helps just to be focused and spend a lot of time on books and to go on out there,
working out, yeah, it releases a lot of stress.
The Recreation Center is important, and also the Student Cupboard.
I live across campus.
And I have to -- I don't have that much time to be buying groceries, and it really helps me to save money.
I go and by some groceries, but every time I go to the Cupboard, I come home with food
and also some hygiene like packets they have.
Like, I know this sounds mundane, but toilet paper and toothpaste
and beans make all the difference when you're a college student.
So thank you, Mrs. Preston.
Thank you for all the offices and all the student support.
We appreciate it.
>> Iliana Perez: Oh, my gosh, there is an entire place, and as I look around the audience,
there are so many different people that have -- that helped me so much while I was an undergrad.
So many of you know who do know me personally, I kind of have a bit of academic ADD.
So took advantage of so many different opportunities while I was a Fresno State.
So aside from the Smittcamp Honors College providing just so much financial support, printing, copying,
parking, I mean the full package that they offered just really allowed me to take advantage
of so many other opportunities at Fresno State.
So just looking around the room, so the first year I was actually part of the Symphonic Band,
which not very many people know about except Dr. Olivares [assumed spelling],
who's sitting in the audience, who actually saw me play the bassoon in the bands.
I was part of the band briefly.
I was part of the camp program with Rodrigo [assumed spelling],
with Gaby [assumed spelling], with Ophelia [assumed spelling].
I was part of UMS with Armun Moreno [assumed spelling], who has done so much amazing work.
I got the opportunity to be involved in a lot of research.
So definitely what really helped me get into the PhD program that I'm
in now is all the research experience I was able to get as an undocumented student.
So again, as an undocumented student before DACA, before AB3131,
there weren't many opportunities for me to do research.
So I had to knock on professors' doors.
I was very fortunate to have done research through the LSAM pre-program,
which will allow me to do a project on math theory.
I did a paper on some complicated naught theory that ended up tying in the Fibonacci sequence.
It was presented at different conferences.
I got the opportunity to do research in the Economics Department,
thanks to Dean Gonzales, who is around here.
I got the opportunity to do research in the education and leadership program
with Dr. Margareno [assumed spelling], with Dr. Weiss, with so many different individuals.
So really I mean it's really the individuals at Fresno State that I can name
that are just so wonderful on so many levels.
Gaby offered her apartment to my brother, who later on came here as an undergraduate.
So I think that one of the most beautiful things about Fresno State is that it really feels like home.
It really feels like family.
Just coming in here today hugging everybody, I always felt that the entire time I was here.
So it's really that feeling that I think really my parents can resonate with that coming as parents
who had no idea how to communicate with staff, how to communicate with faculty members.
They were very fortunate to run into Raul Moreno even before, who spoke to them in Spanish,
who talked to them, who convinced that it was okay to let their daughter go off
into Fresno State and stay at the dorms.
So I think it's really those relationships, those individuals here at Fresno State that just provide
such an amazing educational experiences for all the students that come here.
>> Ian Whitehead: For me, I'd say there were two major things that I've taken advantage
of since I've been here that have been just instrument in my education.
First is the Writing Center here on campus.
I think it's a great service, and I think it's really cool
to have an opportunity to have work reviewed with students.
So it's not a professor necessarily, but it's a fellow student.
And I think that feedback is really helpful.
The other is Disability Services, and I think one of the best things about it is they don't --
it's very discreet, and I don't think that professors treat you any differently if you're a part
of that or if you're taking advantage.
And for me, that's a huge benefit to be able to take advantage of that
but know that professors don't see you differently or treat you any differently because of it.
>> Ciara Armstead: I definitely agree with that.
For me, I think -- well, resources on this campus is just -- they're wonderful.
And -- but from my personal experience, I didn't -- as -- I didn't personal --
I didn't feel like there was a space for African American students
on this campus, me and the other group of people.
So we formed an organization called ABC, which is the African Black Coalition, which made --
which presented a list of demands to the President and his cabinet saying these are the --
this is what Fresno State needs for their black students to help them grow and to help them graduate.
So alongside with ABC and the President and his cabinet, we came up with the office
of Black Student Success, which is -- which is I -- you know, just started this year.
But I feel like it is an amazing program on campus to really help students
of African and African American descent.
I also utilize mini-services on this campus, such as the Disability Services.
They help me a lot, as was a -- the services and programs in the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center.
I got my suit today from The Closet.
So just -- there's so -- it's --
[ Applause ]
An abundance of resources on this campus, and I feel like every student should take advantage of them
because I think it's really vital to the success that you will have on this campus.
If you don't take -- if you don't utilize the resources on campus, I really feel like you're missing out,
and you're also making -- you're making it harder on yourself as a student.
I -- yeah.
>> Hmong Lor: Wow.
I really agree with that as well, that Fresno State as a campus, you guys have so much resources for us
as students, and I have also utilized a lot of those resources as well.
That ranges from the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center all the way to the University Health Center.
But if I were to pinpoint specific resources that I myself use the most, is --
would be that University Health Center.
I use that so much that I don't even go to my own personal health provider no more.
I don't go through -- I don't need no more to purchase the medications because, students,
if you guys don't know, a lot of the things that the University of Health
and Counseling Center, it's free, or it's very, very cheap.
[ Laughter ]
And that's the sad thing about, you know, as students, you know, on --
speak on the behalf of us is that I also agree with some of the panelists on here, is that, you know,
we have these resources, but students are not utilizing it to the maximal potential.
And also the Student Cupboard, the free food, and the Student Closet, really good.
I've used all of those myself as well.
So, yeah.
>> Story Robles: So, like, I mentioned a little earlier I don't feel like I really had a lot of resources
on campus that applied to me as an undocumented student.
But I think that we've made a lot of progress throughout the years.
At least when I first started here, my first year,
I don't remember really using any, like, type of resource.
But I did make a few connections.
I was able to connect with Raul Moreno as well.
He was one that really helped me in terms of being able to apply for jobs,
being able to just get job experience before I even started working.
And so, that really helped me in terms of resources off campus.
And from there, I was kind of able to make a little more of an effort to make connections on campus.
I kind of realized how much it really helped me to make connections off campus,
and I wanted to kind of bring that for myself on campus.
But I didn't really feel like I found a lot of resources that really kind of helped me in terms
of the perspective of an undocumented student.
But I did find other services, like the Student Health and Counseling Center I used a lot as well.
Like, that was really useful for me as an undergrad.
I also -- when I started working at the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center my sophomore year,
I was able to make a few more connections through the Center there.
And I really felt like I had a few more people that kind of helped me through the process
of just learning what college was like.
I really felt like I relied a lot on the people rather than like the services that I received.
I really appreciated the people that I met there.
And I kind of just used the advice that they had to give me.
And I still continue to do that now just to kind of just learn a little bit more about what it's like now
to be a grad student and things like that.
So I really feel like the people kind of --
we're the ones that kind of helped me through my college experience.
But I do feel like now as a grad student, I'm seeing a lot more for students who are undocumented.
We have the Dream Success Center, which I am a peer mentor at.
And I really enjoy my experience there.
I feel like now that we have that Center, I do have a place to belong
as an undocumented student, and I'm to get my questions answered.
I know Gaby works really hard to just provide different resources for us.
Right now, she's working on different kind of things for undocumented students.
And that's something that I really appreciated because as a grad student,
I felt like being undocumented, I was even more scared.
And so, having that support from Gaby, from the Dream Success Center, I'm able to just kind
of feel a little more relief because I know that regardless of what changes kind of go on,
I'm always like, you know, Gaby got us.
Like, she -- she's going to figure it out.
So I feel a little more like hope and just realizing that there's someone who cares about us and, you know,
the people who helped to bring on the Dream Success Center really did a great job in reaching out to all
of us who are undocumented who maybe before didn't feel like we had a place on campus.
So I really appreciate everyone's efforts to get that going.
>> Tim Ryan: So as we talk about the resources and student support services offered at Fresno State,
I wanted to talk about staff and faculty as individuals being there to support students.
And so, I wanted to ask the panel, in your experience, do you feel that faculty
and staff have been approachable if you have a question or concern?
And in what ways have you tried to make sure faculty and staff to take notice of you
if you do have that question or concern?
>> Rafael Arizmendi: Thank you.
So just to answer your question, yes, definitely, they're there for you.
Now, having said that, we shouldn't try to email staff or faculty, like, the day -- the day before.
That's not a good idea.
[ Laughter ]
I've done that in the past.
And it doesn't turn out that well.
So -- but, yes, so like two or three days before, if you have questions about assignments,
if you have questions about anything, I've been fortunate enough to get a response in a timely manner.
But it's extremely helpful.
Now having said before, trying to contact them during holidays, trying to contact them, like,
the night before the assignment is due, I mean you see the picture, right?
They will try to get back at you, but they're like, really, one day before the assignment is not even fair.
But, yes, they definitely -- they're there for us.
Staff, the same way, if I have to done -- if I have to do business and I have to enroll,
sometimes their phones are down or some -- like, some --
like, they might be at a meeting or they might be getting training.
I just leave a message, and then I hear from there.
So, yeah, my experiences have been a great experience as far as getting contact with faculty and staff.
And they always accommodate time for students in my view and in my experience.
So, thank you.
>> Iliana Perez: I think that in my experience, so it may be a little bit difficult to believe,
but I was very shy coming into Fresno State.
And I hate -- was just terrified of public speaking.
So I just -- it was something that I was not ready to do, and it's something that also
as an undocumented individual, I just grew up with a lot of fear.
So the entire time going through high school and even at the beginning of college here at Fresno State,
I was told to not talk about my status at all.
So when it came to asking about, as the student mentions, about the different services
that were available -- that were available to me, I really had to lose that fear of having
to tell somebody, well, I'm asking this particular question because I don't qualify
for this particular service or because I'm undocumented.
So it really took a long time to sort of let go of that fear and let go
of that stigma of having to say I'm undocumented.
And I think that one of the things that really helped as I was looking
for research experiences specifically was that for some individuals that -- such as, like I mentioned before,
Raul and Hernan [assumed spelling], who's also in the back over there, that, you know,
really gave me that confidence to just talk about my status when it was needed.
However, when I needed to look for research experience as a --
or other things, I didn't have to say I wasn't documented.
I mean I literally knocked on a math professor's door, didn't mention anything about being undocumented.
I just said, "You know, I think your research looks really interesting."
He was doing economics and math.
"You know, are you interested in doing some summer research?
You know, are you interested in looking for a research assistant to help you with your research?"
And he was brand-new into the college.
This is Professor Tomas Burgosh [assumed spelling] in the Math Department, and he said yes.
I mean again, nothing to do with being undocumented.
I just wanted to do research in math, and I wanted to do trade models, and he said yes.
So we ended up working on a research project over the summer that culminated in an article
that was also presented at a research conference.
So even with that experience, I think that oftentimes for students, it's really just letting go of that fear
of just knocking on a professor's door, very similar instances with Professor Antonio Avalos
in the Economics Department where it just -- it is very difficult.
Like I said, it took a very long time for me to get over so many different fears, having,
you know, grown up being undocumented.
But later on, it was just losing that fear that maybe professors wouldn't want to talk to me.
Maybe they're too busy.
Maybe -- I mean it's just kind of --
you know, professors and faculty members can be a little scary sometimes when you're just coming in
and wanting to help them out with their research.
So really, my suggestion and what helped me as an undergraduate student was to just lose that fear
and not be afraid to just knock on somebody's door.
The worst they could say is say no, and then you just bother them again the next semester,
or the next summer, and just keep asking, which is what I did to get many of my experiences.
>> Iliana Perez: Sorry.
Thank you so much.
To answer the question, I would say, yes, definitely.
I think they're very approachable, and I think that professors care
about your success in and out of the classroom.
I was applying to law school this semester, and one of the law schools I was applying
to needed an additional letter of rec, and I had two days to get it in.
I went to a professor, and I said, "Look, I know this is last minute and really unprofessional."
And he said, "No worries.
Come to my office.
We'll get it taken care of."
And I was just blown away that the professors care that much and take time
for an out-of-the-classroom issue, take care of it that quickly.
And I've just been really impressed, my time at state,
that professors really do care and take the time to help you.
>> Ciara Armstead: In my experience, I've had a really good experience talking --
having conversations with professors.
I know it is all -- I know I always have to muster up some courage to talk to professors, and, you know,
because when you hear, "Oh, he -- Dr. So-and-so, Ms. So-and --
Professor So-and-So," I think it's some type -- I think it's a stigma that -- a fear that we get as students,
especially freshmen and sophomore students to where we think that they're just way up here.
And like, they're people too.
They go through the same things or went through the same things that we have as students.
So I think definitely it's about trying to just realize that, you know, they're people too and that they care.
I know that the black faculty and staff here on campus are just amazing to me.
They've helped me out so much and just always there to just push me to grow and just to seed on this campus.
So I'm very thankful to them.
>> Hmong Lor: I too agree as well that a lot of --
a lot of professors here on campus is very approachable from my experiences.
My experiences were both good, and some of them were so-so.
So looking into my past, into my three years attending Fresno State, I've actually seen a professor that,
you know, encouraged students to attend their office hours.
But the fact that, you know, students don't really use that a lot as well.
When I myself went inside, you know, to meet with an officer, to meet with a professor, I truly saw that,
you know, the professor was happy that I'm actually utilizing the professor out of the class.
And this also varies between the class size.
For example, if this is a huge class, then probably asking a question might not be the best choice
in my perspective.
I've tried it.
You know, it doesn't really work as well as you think it will.
But then they're very supportive.
If you know what you want and you have the courage to just go and ask,
they will help you the same as they helped me as well.
And I really appreciate that on campus we have professors that care
about that, especially in the nursing program.
I can't believe that we have such amazing professors here that actually will not let you go.
Every single class you go into, they will literally hold onto my hand and say, "I will not let you fail."
And that's what I need.
That's what all student needs.
>> Story Robles: I can definitely say that as a college student in the beginning, my first and second year,
I had a really rough time connecting with staff and faculty.
And as I mentioned earlier, I made a lot of connections off campus before I kind of moved
to making those same connections on campus.
So my first and second year of college, I struggled a lot with just kind of feeling like Fresno State was,
you know, a place where I could actually hang out and not just come to my classes and go home.
And so, I really just kind of spent my first and second year of college just coming to class, going home.
It wasn't really -- it wasn't really an experience where I was engaged at Fresno State.
I was just kind of just coming to class just because I knew that that's what I had to do.
But for my third and fourth year of college, that's when I kind of said,
"You know, I want to get more involved."
Starting my second year at the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center, starting to get my job experience there,
I was able to make different connections, both with my coworkers as well
as with the people that were my supervisors at the time.
And they really encouraged me to just find other opportunities on campus,
not just at the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center.
But I do feel like that was kind of my home
for a while before I was confidence enough to just branch out of there.
And I feel like just my fourth year and now as a grad student is
when I've kind of made more of those connections.
I've made connections with the Dream Success Center, with Gaby.
I made connections with the person who was my supervisor, Jessica Adams.
And she really pushed me to just kind of really like get out there, participate in different events.
She told me about this panel.
And so, she was like I need you to, you know, do this.
And so, it really helps me to just kind of get different people just telling me, hey,
like there's opportunities for you to get experience here.
And I really appreciate that because I felt like it's helped me a lot in terms of just getting
that confidence and that courage to go up and speak in front of a crowd,
to just let people know what my experience is like, and allowing myself to connect with other people
who maybe feel the same way, who maybe started off not being able to make connections on campus either.
And I feel like it just overall helps me to feel like Fresno State is more of my home.
And I definitely feel like I spend a lot of time on campus now in comparison
to my first and second year of college.
And I can definitely say that it feels a little more like my home.
Like, I actually come on campus, and I know a lot of people.
I walk around, and I have people, you know, saying, "Hey, like, I saw you at this panel."
And, you know, it really -- it makes me feel good because I know that people are listening,
that people are feeling like they can connect with me, and I'm able to get a lot
of experience both volunteering and job experience.
I'm able to do all of that now.
But I definitely feel like the struggle with my first and second year
of college just kind of like connecting.
And I think it's just the new experience overall.
So it's definitely scary.
But I think that just kind of reaching out and seeing what services we had, what, you know,
people were on campus, both staff, faculty, was able to kind of push me to just do a little bit more.
So I'm definitely feeling a lot more confident now.
And I feel like I can do a lot more now than I could in the past because I didn't have those connections.
So they have definitely helped me a lot.
>> Tim Ryan: Great.
So as we talk about your interactions with faculty and staff, this next question is --
has two parts to it, the first being in what ways do you think faculty, staff,
and students could be more inclusive in their interactions with each other
so that everyone feels more comfortable on campus?
And two, how do you personally contribute to the university's efforts in making sure that students,
faculty, and staff feel a sense of belonging on campus?
>> Rafael Arizmendi: Yeah, for sure.
So just to answer your first question, I have a professor, Dr. Makowi [assumed spelling].
Let's just say that, like, so he holds regular business hours.
He does -- he does the conventional approach, but he also has -- he kind of tweaks it a little bit.
Sometimes he holds office hours at Starbucks on campus.
So it's not like you feel pressure, right?
You're like, oh, my gosh, I'm going to go see Doug.
Like, he's probably going to chew me out or something.
So you cannot like -- you're like totally free.
You come up.
You get your cup of coffee and sit down, chat and talk about -- you talk about academics.
So I really like his approach.
Sometimes I -- that fear someone mentioned in the panel, having the fear,
that, you know, this person has a PhD.
It's like I'm just an undergrad, right?
But having that -- having that unconventional approach I think gives you some easiness
to just come up and talk to them.
To answer your second question, the second question is really simple.
I just wear my Fresno State gear really, and I have a Fresno State license plate.
And so, I feel like when people get -- people see that, people who get the message,
they're like, hey, I want to be part of this club.
I want to -- I want to feel like I belong here.
Having said that, I remember applying or trying to transfer to --
when I was trying to transfer out of Fresno City and trying to get into a four-year university,
I remember applying to big schools, and I was fortunate enough to be accepted at Cal Poly and, like,
San Francisco State and Point Loma in San Diego.
I really didn't think -- because I live here, I was like, mmm, Fresno State, you know,
I'm not so sure I want to go to Fresno State.
But now that I'm here, it's mind blowing.
I think Fresno State doesn't get the credit that Fresno State deserves.
I think Fresno State is one of the biggest -- and I'm pretty sure I'm being biased here,
but Fresno State is one of the best schools, even better and cheaper.
Like, you get more for your money, I believe.
So all right.
[Inaudible].
[ Applause ]
>> Iliana Perez: Well, I think that one of the things I think about is the previous panel that was here
and really talking about the humanist part of being an educator, being an administrator, a staff member.
I think that one of the things that resonates the most with me is really every single person at Fresno State
that I got the opportunity to interact with that supported me took the time to listen to my story.
That really just didn't -- I mean even just having that conversation at what I call Smittcamp didn't just look
at me and say, "Oh, you're undocumented?
Well, okay, that throws you off this list."
No one ever did that.
Every single person that I spoke with really took the time to listen, to ask questions.
Well, where did you grow up?
Where did you come from?
How old were you when you came here?
I mean I think all those different interactions are what really help all students really to succeed.
When you get to know the students, when you get to know their stories, when you have shared,
lived experiences with your students, with the administrators, with the faculty, the staff members,
that really is what makes a difference I think in any educational setting.
So that's why, again, I just have this feeling of really just coming home when I come to Fresno State.
And I think what I do in my part, so I'm big on social media.
I have the opportunity to speak at multiple events, multiple conferences throughout the country.
And I talk about Fresno State just so much.
I talk about the different individuals, Dean Gonzales, who helped me,
who found innovative ways to support me when no one else would.
I mean I really mean that, that I -- coming out of high school and trying to figure out how I was going to get
to school being undocumented just was so extremely challenging, emotionally draining.
So the fact that I got the opportunity to be here, and again, all these experiences that I share
with you today, I share across the country, and I write on my biographies.
I talk about it in every single event I go to.
So again, so happy to be here again today, and I'm more than happy to support Fresno State,
to support the different programs and services that are offered here at Fresno State in any way I can.
>> Ian Whitehead: Speaking of being inclusive, I think it's natural anywhere, including Fresno State,
that there's often this division between majors.
You hang out with your major.
You socialize with people in your major.
And sometimes it's hard to kind of get outside those circles.
I know in political science, I know that the first year I was here,
like the only people I spoke to were political science majors.
And it was hard to just kind of break that divide.
But I think professors do a good job at bringing up events, supporting things on campus, panels like this,
just events where you get to interact with people outside your major, which I think is a big part
of building that inclusive attitude and spirit on campus.
Something that I'm very blessed to do, I'm the current Vice President of Student Leadership
for Sigma Alpha Lambda, which is an honor society here on campus.
It's a great opportunity.
I get to work with just many majors and see people from different walks of life.
And I think that's really important here on campus for all the majors
to kind of work together and come together.
>> Ciara Armstead: I feel that a better way for students and professors to just get a --
not necessary get along, but to better interact with one --
each other is kind of like how he was saying about meeting outside of the classroom.
I think most of the time, we -- when we see our professors, it's either --
you know, it's in the classroom or during office hours.
And I think our professors have a lot to offer us other than, you know, teaching us the curriculum.
So I think a better way to utilize time is to just find ways outside the classroom to interact
with our professors, with -- you know, because they do -- they have research.
They do other things.
So I think that's one of the main things.
I know how I get involved at -- with the campus is that I am one
of the Executive Board Members on the Black Students United.
I've been the past President for the past two years.
I am a part of the African Black Coalition, which works heavily with trying to recruit and with -- sorry --
with -- to recruit and to retain students of color, especially -- well, black students of color.
So I think that's how I kind of -- I contribute to the campus and just going to events
and supporting everyone's events, not just people in my major or people that look like me.
I think the big thing is to, like you said, going outside of our comfort zone and really just interacting
with the whole campus because it's a very diverse campus.
And everyone should go out and just experience every different culture
or just -- this campus has so much to offer.
And, you know, you're just limiting yourself if you don't take advantage of it.
>> Hmong Lor: Like I've said before about Fresno State, we all have amount of a great
and tremendous resources that is given to us.
But as a student myself, I can see there's one simple thing that a lot of us faculties, staff,
student assistance, that we are missing.
And I think -- let me rephrase that.
I can see that we are missing the power of the smile, really honest.
We don't know longer ask, "How are you today?
How are you doing?"
In order to feel belong, in order to feel like you're a part of community, and in order to feel respected,
acknowledged, that simple thing that you can do, that all of us can do, will change a lot of things.
I am proud to be a Fresno State student.
I am proud to walk into those resources.
And when I walk in there, I go stand at that line, and I stare at the student assistant
or the front desk person, and I'm like, "Um, I -- I have a question.
Why? Why? You know?"
I immediately then feel awkward.
Why is that?
I am proud to be a part of the College of Human Health and Services, Advising and Career Development Center,
that my supervisor, Schmoe [assumed spelling], taught us to say, "Welcome.
How can I help you today?
Welcome. How can I be of service?"
And that makes a difference.
And in order to reach out to our students, we need to provide them that service.
But in order to provide them that service, we need to reach out to them, not just by social media,
but by treating them right, because then they will tell their friends, "Hey, come check this out."
Don't be fooled by the words of people because they will go far and fast.
And I'm sure a lot of you guys know that.
But last and not least, some of the things that I have done in the Fresno State community to give
to the students, to give to my own ethnicity, the Hmong community as well, and other race,
is being a peer mentor, being a Vice President, being a peer ambassador of wellness to advocate, to reach out.
And not -- and it doesn't matter if not everyone does it, but as long as you reach out to one person
that can change, as long as you can change one person, their mind,
and they will influence not only one, but all those who surround them.
>> Story Robles: I really feel like one of the things that helped me in feeling more connected
to different staff and faculty on campus was just feeling like they were more relatable to me
and just kind of like having them just connect with me on different ways that were personal to me
and not just telling me, "Oh, we have these services,"
but actually saying, "Like, I know what your struggle is.
Like, I understand it.
I'm sorry that you're having to deal with that specific struggle."
And just basically kind of showing that they cared versus just telling me what we had on campus,
and I really felt like I got that from a few different people on campus.
And that allowed me to feel a little more just safe in knowing that there were places that cared
about me versus just providing me services.
And I really felt like being a part of the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center
and working specifically with Dr. Huda, with Jessica, I was able to find that support,
and I wasn't feeling like these are just my supervisors.
I was feeling like these are people who I can relate with.
These are people who truly care about my future, who really want to just help me get out there
and don't just say things because they feel like it's their job
to say it, but they actually do genuinely care.
And that really helped me in feeling more confident in myself,
in knowing that people did understand my struggle, and they did care.
And in terms of my identity as undocumented, I felt that a lot with Gaby as well.
Sharing with all of her peer mentors that she struggled being undocumented really helped me, you know,
feel like, oh, this is someone who's been through the struggle, who understands,
who maybe even had it, like, harder than I did.
And so, I was able to just kind of appreciate the fact that she wasn't just there helping us just
because it was her job, but that she genuinely cared about us.
And she could relate to us personally, really helped me, you know, understand a little more of what it feels
like to have a stronger connection with people.
And I felt that way as well with my supervisor, Jessica, because she really just kind of like talked
to us in a way that wasn't like a supervisor.
It was more like a friend.
It was more like someone who genuinely cared about what we have to say on campus.
And she rally encourages us all the time to just have a voice and just --
pretty much just speak up for ourselves.
And I feel like that has really helped me personally because I didn't feel like I could always do that.
And so, that really helped me.
And I also feel like I'm still kind of learning the different services that we have on campus.
And one of the new connections that I was able to make was with Rima, actually, who works at the Students
with Disabilities Center, and having a younger sibling who's trying to come to Fresno State
who has a disability, I was able to connect with her and just learn a little bit more about the services
that we have for students with disabilities.
And one of the things she said to me that really stuck with me was she said,
"You know, here at Fresno State, we're a family.
We look out for each other."
And I really appreciated that because I felt like as an undocumented student, I didn't feel like I had that.
And I didn't feel like I truly understood that I could have a family here at Fresno State.
And so, that really helped me feel more confident in knowing that if my sister were to come to Fresno State
that I could help her in feeling a part of Fresno State a lot more, and that she has different services
that she can take advantage of as well.
So specifically with what I feel I contribute to campus is with my work that I do
at the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center.
I work as a graduate student coordinator there, and I work specifically
with the LGBTQ+ programs and services.
And I really feel like I work with a completely different group that is not as well represented
on campus, and I'm trying to just work to allow them to feel like they have a sense of unity here on campus.
And I want them to feel that they're welcome, that they're represented.
And I feel like I am still continuing to do that work, and as Fresno State, we're still continuing to grow
in terms of the services that we do provide for the LGBTQ+ community.
So I am trying to just basically divide myself through different kind of programs on campus.
So, like I mentioned earlier, I do work at the Dream Success Center as a peer mentor as well.
And I feel like that is very beneficial for a lot of undocumented students because they're able to see us
and see that there are people who are undocumented who have graduated, who are in a graduate program,
and they kind of see like, oh, it's not impossible.
And so, I do feel like I try to get myself involved there as well.
And I try to just basically look for other programs that I can get involved
in where I can share my experience and just basically tell students, you know, this is what we have to offer
that maybe I didn't know about when I was a first- or second-year college student.
So I definitely try to share the resources that I do know about with other students so that they can start
to make those connections a lot earlier than I was able to do it, so kind of just pushing them
to get a little more out there the way that I felt a lot of people pushed me.
>> Tim Ryan: Thank you.
So that concludes the panel.
So I'd just like to ask if everyone could join me
in thanking our panelists for sharing their stories with us.
[ Applause ]