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Titan Voices: CSUF’s impact starts before arrival on campus

April 3, 2023

By Oscar O. Garcia Ortiz, contributing writer

Cal State Fullerton’s impact on my college and career development began nearly 10 years before I became a CSUF student and employee.

Throughout my time at Anaheim High School, I participated in CSUF’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. Established to increase high school graduation rates and encourage postsecondary education among middle or high school students in low-income communities, GEAR UP offers a variety of college prep services and support. As a student, the mentorship and skill-building opportunities I was afforded propelled me through high school with a focus on my future.

Proudly, I became a GEAR UP success story, graduating from high school and going on to UC Santa Cruz. Despite my wonderful time as a Banana Slug, my earlier experiences had played a pivotal role in shaping my educational journey and I returned home with a bachelor’s degree and invitation to work for CSUF’s GEAR UP program. As an alumnus and academic coordinator for the program, I recognized the solutions required to advance the local community in an ever-changing work environment. In this role, I coordinated services and activities that engaged students, parents, teachers, faculty and administrators while cultivating a college-going culture and equipping students for success.

While I have painted houses for the elderly, beautified poverty-stricken neighborhoods and served meals to the homeless, I feel the direct service programs offered by CSUF’s GEAR UP are far more effective in creating sustainable change by fostering positive educational experiences for local youth. My understandings of educational activism, civic engagement and ways to bridge the gap between private and public sectors through collaborative relationships stem from CSUF’s commitment to serving the underserved.

Inspiring youth on their academic endeavors only fueled my own motivation for increased public service and I enrolled in Cal State Fullerton’s Master of Public Administration program in fall 2021.

Shortly after becoming an official Titan, I was encouraged by an MPA classmate to apply for the position of senior coordinator of Parent & Family Relations at Cal State Fullerton. In this new role, I manage the delivery of services, communication, resources, scholarships and events to CSUF families so they can better participate in and support their student’s college journey. Most recently, our team raised $6,000 for scholarships that will provide three Titans with financial support this spring.

The diverse connections I’ve made with CSUF over the last decade have amplified my knowledge and empowered me to develop effective policies and programs that serve others in meaningful ways. As I strive to improve the quality of service and support I bring to CSUF students and families, it is rewarding to combine the skills I derive from my new position with the theories and models I learn in the classroom. Likewise, ongoing engagement in the Municipal Management Association of Southern California enhances my research and analytical skills and expands my leadership abilities as I prepare myself for a managerial position in public service.

The CSUF MPA program maintains deep-rooted values that foster government leaders with an emphasis on “a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.” Inspired by this, my professional dreams continue to flourish at Cal State Fullerton. After graduation, I aspire to become an associate professor in political psychology and link my passions as an educator and administrator. If education serves as a tool for social mobility, CSUF is a guiding blueprint that plans, prepares and transforms dreams into reality. Go Titans!

Oscar O. Garcia Ortiz is a graduate student in Cal State Fullerton’s master of public administration program and serves as senior coordinator for the Parent & Family Relations team within the Department of Central Development at CSUF. He is a member of the Anaheim High School Alumni Association, Municipal Management Association of Southern California, Psi Chi honor society and the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships’ Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs Alumni Association.

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Titan Voices: CSUF’s impact starts before arrival on campus

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