HSS

Student Earns Top CSU Award, Says “Education Radically Transformed” His Life

Juan Carlos Arredondo (B.A. ’24) returns to SFSU, pursues graduate degree to advance career in supporting migrant communities

Juan Carlos Arredondo faced challenges that profoundly disrupted his life. His father passed away when Arredondo was young, he had to navigate the United States education system as a child with very little guidance and he dropped in and out of college while pursuing an associate’s degree. 

Despite these challenges, Arredondo persevered and turned his life around. Last spring he earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from San Francisco State University, graduating with a 4.0 grade-point average. He returned to San Francisco State in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in Social Work. On top of that, he earned one of the most prestigious student accolades.

The California State University (CSU) awarded Arredondo the Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, the highest recognition of student achievement granted by the CSU. Each award provides a donor-funded scholarship to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and inspirational goals for the future. The awardees have demonstrated a deep commitment to making a positive impact on their generation, as well as those who come after them.

“Mr. Arredondo is an extraordinary person as well as a promising future professional who deserves the support provided by this award,” SF State President Lynn Mahoney said. “He possesses qualities of character, determination and personal excellence that’ll help him reach his goals and better our communities.”

Arredondo was born in the U.S., relocated to Mexico due to his father’s death and eventually moved back to the U.S. When he returned, he spent all of his time outside of school helping with food preparation for his mother’s food truck that catered to agricultural workers. While this experience shaped his strong worth ethic, it also took away his focus on school at times and prevented him from joining extracurricular activities.

“Through the visionary generosity of our donors, the CSU is able to uplift and support these diverse students and truly outstanding scholars who have overcome educational and personal hardships in pursuit of a college degree that will not only transform their lives, but will also elevate their families and strengthen their communities.”

—CSU Chancellor Mildred García

After a decade of financially insecure and high-pressure work, Arredondo committed to pursuing an undergraduate degree. At that time, he had learned about an agency at the U.S./Mexico border that provides counseling to migrants who are incarcerated and separated from their families. That’s when his dream of becoming a social worker came into focus. “I want to be a role model and catalyst for change and embody the representation and services that were not available during my youth,” he said.

While at SFSU, Arredondo worked hard toward his dream. He led a qualitative study that highlighted the voices of the unhoused population in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District and presented the findings at the 2024 Social Work Social Development Joint World Conference.

He was awarded the Vincent Costantino University Scholarship and also won the highly competitive Willie L. Brown , Jr. Fellowship, which landed him an internship with San Francisco’s Human Services Agency. There he helped connect emancipated foster youth to a guaranteed-income pilot program, shadowed social workers in the family maintenance and family reunification department and assisted with biopsychosocial assessments.

“Education radically transformed my life,” Arredondo said. “It has not only given me meaning and hope for the future, but it is also healing old wounds. It has made me aware that I have always been capable.”

Arredondo is also involved in helping the communities he deeply cares for. For example, he interns at Manzanita SEED Elementary School, where he provides bilingual behavioral therapy in Spanish and English.

“It is with tremendous joy and great pride that I celebrate the outstanding achievements and extraordinary perseverance of this year’s Trustees’ Scholars,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred García. “Through the visionary generosity of our donors, the CSU is able to uplift and support these diverse students and truly outstanding scholars who have overcome educational and personal hardships in pursuit of a college degree that will not only transform their lives, but will also elevate their families and strengthen their communities.”

 

Learn more about supporting SF State scholarships

For more information about donating to the College of Health & Social Sciences, contact:

Dafna Kapshud

Director of Development

College of Health & Social Sciences

dkapshud@sfsu.edu

(415) 338-7112

Read more about Dafna

The Power of Support: Megan Rogers’ Story of Resilience

Megan credits SF State and its donors for helping her emerge as a confident, capable leader, noting that SF State is ‘through the charts’ for rate of return

When Megan Rogers (B.S., Public Health, ’24) walked across the stage to receive her degree from San Francisco State University, it marked more than just the culmination of her academic journey. It symbolized resilience, transformation, and the impact of community.

A fourth-generation San Franciscan, Megan’s path to SF State was anything but straightforward. Accepted into a University of California school at 18, she soon found herself unprepared for the challenges of higher education. “I always enjoyed school. I loved learning, but I wasn’t fully ready to be present for my studies,” she recalls. After withdrawing from college at 19, Megan spent years in a cycle of returning to school, taking breaks, and navigating struggles like addiction, homelessness, and self-doubt.

Finally, in her late thirties, Megan re-enrolled at SF State with a renewed purpose. “I really just wanted to complete school for myself — not just to get the degree or accolades, but to finish something,” she says. “The learning arena filled my soul.”

Returning to college, Megan discovered a vibrant and supportive community at SF State — a “sanctuary,” she recalls. It was the kind of university experience she “had always yearned to be a part of” and where she felt she really mattered and made a difference. Initially, she focused on earning a degree in Public Health, drawn to the field by her passion for accessible and affordable healthcare. Her public health internship at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School in San Francisco reaffirmed her commitment to community health.

“The learning arena filled my soul.” 
—Megan Rogers (B.S., Public Health, ’24)

However, it was a ceramics class that truly transformed her journey. “I just fell in love with ceramics,” Megan explains. “And I thought, ‘Oh, I could add this as a minor.” The creative environment of School of Art became a cornerstone of her University experience as she added double minors in Studio Art and Holistic Health. Through SF State’s pilot Art Handling program, Megan gained practical skills and found a cohort of “quirky and supportive” peers who shared her enthusiasm and amongst whom she could be herself. Megan reminisces, “It was one of the few programs with mandatory field trips to SFMOMA and the de Young. And, oh, my goodness, I just felt my spirit come alive!”

Scholarships played a pivotal role in Megan’s ability to thrive at SF State. As the recipient of multiple donor-funded scholarships and awards — including the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship, Vincent Costantino Endowed Scholarship, John Irwin Memorial Scholarship, Dr. Leslie and Phyllis Wong Endowed Scholarship, and the Donalida Merrilat Endowed Scholarship, among others — Megan was able to focus fully on her education. While she initially balanced two part-time jobs that totaled 40 hours/week and multiple side gigs, scholarships eventually allowed Megan to reduce her workload and concentrate on academics.

“At one point, scholarships meant the difference between working 40 hours a week or 10 hours on-call,” Megan recalls. “At another, it was the difference between living in a safe, clean environment versus facing potential homelessness.” Without scholarships, she believes she might have delayed her degree, accumulated significant debt, or put her education on hold altogether. The opportunities created by these scholarships, she explains, inevitably had a ripple effect that positively impacted multiple areas of her life: “Because I was able to work manageable hours and remain in San Francisco, I had access to life-changing opportunities, such as applying for a prestigious fellowship and joining the pilot Art Handling program,” Megan says.

“Because I was able to work manageable hours and remain in San Francisco, I had access to life-changing opportunities, such as applying for a prestigious fellowship and joining the pilot Art Handling program.”
—Megan Rogers (B.S., Public Health, ’24)

These scholarships didn’t just provide financial relief. Speaking directly to SF State donors, Megan says, “Your support creates opportunities for students at a public university who might otherwise feel unseen, unheard, or unsupported. I did not always believe in my ability to succeed or feel deserving of the opportunities I pursued. Being chosen as a scholarship recipient was a profound affirmation of my self-worth, shifting how I viewed myself and my potential.”

Megan’s experience at SF State inspired her to give back. She mentored fellow students through Project Rebound, encouraging them to pursue scholarships and their goals. In her final semester, she deepened her understanding of public policy, connecting it to her lived experiences of homelessness, her nonprofit work in housing, and community health. Her involvement in the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship led to an invitation for her to draft legislative policy. The bill passed, an accomplishment that boosted her self-confidence and solidified her belief in the power of education to create change. Now a proud San Francisco State University graduate, Megan credits SF State and its donors for helping her emerge as a confident, capable leader.

Megan Rogers - alum

Megan Rogers during the SFSU Art Handling pilot program (summer 2024)

Megan Rogers - alum

Megan Rogers participating in the Willie Brown Fellowship — District 5, CCSF Board of Supervisors (spring 2024)

Megan Rogers - alum

Megan Rogers at Commencement 2024

“Your support creates opportunities for students at a public university who might otherwise feel unseen, unheard, or unsupported. Being chosen as a scholarship recipient was a profound affirmation of my self-worth, shifting how I viewed myself and my potential.” 
—Megan Rogers (B.S., Public Health, ’24)

With 70% of SF State students relying on financial aid, contributions to scholarships create opportunities for those who need it most. Megan has a heartfelt message for past and prospective SF State donors: “Extending far beyond the classroom, your generosity touches the hearts and shapes the futures of students striving to achieve their dreams,” she says. “By investing in scholarships, you are not just supporting education; you are fostering a long-lasting effect of growth and progress that extends far beyond the University. […] So, for rate of return and what to invest in, SF State is through the charts,” Megan concludes.

The higher education ratings certainly agree with her: SF State’s 2024 ranking as 8th in the nation* for social mobility underscores our students’ potential to create meaningful change, their long-lasting contributions to our communities, and the transformative power of donor support.

“By investing in scholarships, you are fostering a long-lasting effect of growth and progress that extends far beyond the University. So, for rate of return and what to invest in, SF State is through the charts.” 
—Megan Rogers (B.S., Public Health, ’24)

* U.S. News & World Report ranked SF State 8th in the nation for social mobility in its 2024 Best Colleges list.

 

Learn more about supporting SF State scholarships

For more information about donating to scholarships, contact:

Anjali Billa

Associate Vice President of University Development

anjalibilla@sfsu.edu

(415) 405-3625

Read more about Anjali

Scholarship awardees amongst the outstanding graduates honored at 2024 Commencement

Four of the graduates were awardees of donor-funded scholarships while studying at San Francisco State University

A dozen outstanding graduates were honored during San Francisco State University’s 123rd Commencement ceremony, held at Oracle Park on May 24. They represented their more than 7,300 graduating peers in the Class of 2024.

As part of a longstanding tradition, each of the University’s six academic colleges selected an undergraduate and a graduate student to represent their classmates and wear their college’s academic hood during the ceremony. Additionally, two of the hood recipients, one undergraduate and one graduate student, delivered a Commencement address. Four of the students were awardees of donor-funded scholarships while studying at San Francisco State University: Jazz Monique Hudson, Zen Lewis, Su Ilayada Ozcan, and Monique Scott. Click on each of the students' names below to learn more about them.

Jazz Hudson - student

Jazz Monique Hudson

Zen Lewis - student

Zen Lewis

Su Ilayada Ozcan - student

Su Ilayada Ozcan

Monique Scott - student

Monique Scott

Jazz Monique Hudson: Undergraduate Hood Recipient

B.A., Africana Studies
College of Ethnic Studies

Jazz Monique Hudson, an Oakland native with over 15 years of expertise in youth development, educational arts, social justice and organizational change, epitomizes resilience and commitment to societal transformation. Despite the challenges she faced early in her life as a former foster youth and teenage mother, Hudson has overcome them and is now dedicating her life to being an advocate, artist and educator.

For example, Hudson was involved with organizations like the National Black Women’s Justice Institute, Black Youth Project 100 (where she was a founding member) and the Guardian Scholars Program. She was also a program director and founding member of the EMERGE Reentry Program, which focuses on supporting young women of color reintegrating into society after incarceration and academic pushout. Additionally, Hudson was a victim advocate for the San Francisco District Attorney and has had residencies, workshops and performances at universities like UC Berkeley and Princeton.

While studying at SF State, Jazz was awarded the Sylvan and Donna Kline Guardian Scholars Memorial Scholarship, a named scholarship to honor the memory of Joanne Rae Kline, the daughter of Sylvan and Donna Kline, who empowered others through her advocacy of education. The endowed scholarship strengthens and permanently supports SF State’s Guardian Scholars Program, which empowers college students who are transitioning out of the foster care system.

Serendipitously, her son’s 17th birthday coincides with the SF State 2024 Commencement, which Hudson says is a reminder of the strength and resilience found in the journey of motherhood. After graduation, she plans to pursue SF State’s Pre-Health Professions Post-Baccalaureate Certificate program, which will help her take the next step toward pursuing a career in health care as an osteopathic doctor specializing in allergy and immunology.

Zen Lewis: Undergraduate Hood Recipient

B.A., International Relations/Political Science
College of Liberal & Creative Arts

In 2019, Zen Lewis’ journey to SF State began with her emigration from Serbia with the vision of achieving the American dream. As an 18-year-old in a new country with no financial support, she faced daunting challenges with housing and food insecurity, while attempting to find full-time employment with limited English fluency and work experience.

Today, Lewis is graduating with a double major in International Relations and Political Science with the highest honors, accompanied by Sigma Iota Rho and Pi Sigma Alpha societal honors. She represents the will and determination of young immigrant women who hail from war-torn nations to forge a new path, both for themselves and their home countries, so that those wars never occur again.

Lewis is a force of nature who speaks three languages, works full time in the wedding industry and serves as managing editor of the International Relations Journal. While earning the Migration and Refugee Studies certificate, she has demonstrated an exemplary work ethic, enthusiasm for global politics and resilience in the face of obstacles.

As president of the International Relations Student Association, Lewis has been a driving force, encouraging her fellow students and others in her community to get involved in domestic and international politics. She has represented SF State at Model United Nations and Model European Union conferences, where she received the Outstanding Head of Government Award. 

Lewis won the David Jenkins Scholarship for Political Activism for her impactful advocacy of student rights in a political uprising. She used her senior thesis to expand the discussion and analysis of new regime changes, using Serbia as a case study. Off campus, she has organized pop-up events for local artists and fundraisers for nonprofits.

After graduation, Lewis plans to seek a full-time position in San Francisco municipal government and pursue a law degree.

Su Ilayada Ozcan: Graduate Hood Recipient

M.S., Chemistry (Biochemistry)
College of Science & Engineering

Su Ozcan wants to develop new treatments without side effects. It’s a passion that stems from her early exposure to her grandfather’s battle with cancer. As an undergraduate in Turkey, she explored innovative therapies and gained two years of professional experience working with pharmaceutical companies. With women being relegated to the background and the value placed on science decreasing in her country, Ozcan decided to leave Turkey and pursue her academic goals in the United States.

As an international student at SF State, Ozcan focused on groundbreaking research in enzymology and medicinal chemistry to develop a novel side effect-free treatment for tuberculosis. She published these discoveries in scientific journals. She demonstrated her commitment to making a positive impact beyond the lab by serving as a teaching associate for two years. Accolades for her academic performance and commitment to science include the Henry Bertin Jr. Scholarship, the Agents of Change Build Merck Scholarship, the Bill Plachy TA (teaching assistant) Award and the CSU Trustees Award.

After SF State, Ozcan’s next step is to begin a Chemistry Ph.D. program at the University of Southern California, where she’s already been offered a graduate fellowship. Looking ahead, Ozcan is excited to continue her quest to develop new therapeutics and treatment strategies that will make an impact. She is eager to translate her academic research into practical applications and hopes to eventually establish a pharmaceutical company. Beyond medicine, she aspires to continue being a teacher and create educational opportunities for underprivileged children. She also hopes to provide financial and moral support for others, especially women in science.

Monique Scott: Graduate Hood Recipient

MPH
College of Health & Social Sciences

Monique Scott decided to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at SF State after seeing structural and systemic health disparities affect her community. She began her career as a social worker, caregiver and care coordinator, assisting people navigating governmental and nonprofit assistance programs and managing medical conditions.

During the pandemic, she became a resource navigator and case manager for individuals exposed to COVID-19. Seeing how disparities impacted marginalized residents, she wanted to make a larger impact. She became interested in the social determinants of health and how prevention programs could more effectively help communities. 

At SF State, she explored her passion for research with the Health Equity Institute. Her assessment of participation of food establishments in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) in urban university settings significantly influenced a statewide campaign to enhance access to SNAP benefits at CSU campuses.

She also published research on navigating nutrition inequities among pregnant and postpartum mothers and children in BIPOC communities. The Oakland native’s projects also included studies on how urban agriculture can use mutual aid practices and how built environment contributes to the adverse health outcomes of environmental injustices.

While at SF State, she was a Climate Action Fellow, a Graduate Equity Fellow and a President’s Leadership Fellow. She was also awarded the Vincent Costantino University Scholarship. She authored, published and presented her research at multiple local and national conferences. She also participated in the University’s Earth Week 2024.

After graduation, she will continue learning and applying her skills in research, writing and coordination to address health equity in the Bay Area. She plans to continue participating in strategies for community and policy-level interventions for marginalized communities of color. She is grateful for the SF State connections that contributed to her accomplishments.

Learn more about supporting SF State scholarships
Subscribe to HSS