Psychology Student's Work Leads to Inclusive Excellence Award

Psychology Student's Work Leads to Inclusive Excellence Award

By Sam Stenroos

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Yolotzin Aquino originally came to Cal State San Marcos with little knowledge of what she wanted her time at the university to look like. Like many students, she had doubts aligned with her major and how being a self-described introvert would impact her transition into college life.

But after finding support and a community to feed her interests, she quickly became an accomplished psychology student, activist, leader and researcher.

Aquino's work was recognized this month as she was presented with the President's Student Champion Award for Inclusive Excellence and Diversity at the 14th annual All Peoples Luncheon on Oct. 27. CSUSM annually honors a student with this award, which is given to an individual who has advanced diversity, educational equity and social justice to create a more inclusive and empowering campus.

"What stands out about Yolotzin is her commitment to using her education and leadership to create opportunities for others," CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. "She came to CSUSM wondering where she belonged. Today, she is helping other students find their place and their voice."

Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán, also known as MEChA, is a Chicanx- and Latinx-based student organization that advocates for political consciousness, cultural awareness, history and higher education. After some encouragement from a faculty mentor, Marcelo Garzo Montalvo, Aquino founded and is now co-president of MEChA de CSUSM.

Through MEChA, Aquino has helped inform campus policy development involving immigration-impacted students and held cultural and political education workshops to inform others and build a sense of belonging in the community through volunteer work and support. MEChA has helped mixed status and undocumented students through college life while advocating for them when they need support. Many students are aware of wanting or needing help, but struggle to find out how to do it on their own. Aquino, with a little help from the people around her, created this community to make a difference on campus and in the community around her.

"MEChA has become the definition of what CSUSM hopes that students achieve," Aquino said. "We have advanced the university's goals in social justice by bringing to light social inequities among students and we follow through by helping guide new university policy. We have brought various underserved student groups together by collaborating on events and workshops. We have provided leadership to local high school students and have encouraged and guided them in their college applications, and we have promoted and upheld inclusive excellence not only through our existence as an organization but by also standing up for students who did not feel that their voice would be listened to."

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MEChA was not only the thing that allowed Aquino to break out of her shell. Through her involvement in MEChA, Aquino was offered positions on the Rapid Response Team at CSUSM and as an Undergraduate Representative for the Hispanic-Serving Institute Planning Committee. The Rapid Response Team is a presidentially appointed team that develops campus policy to support and advocate for undocumented and mixed-status students. Aquino helped develop campus alerts for immigration enforcement on campus and contributed to the creation of the HSI summit agenda, events and a student panel.

Aquino is also a lead student researcher in the Community Well-being and Prevention Research Lab. While guiding other students, she develops her own research, which is centered around the Hispanic population and underserved communities. Her research is her own found way to fuel her power to change and advocate for those who cannot themselves. She puts her role as a student and leader toward her work and uses her voice to speak out and bring awareness.

Aquino has been involved in extensive research through her role as an undergraduate student researcher at the National Latino Research Center and she is a McNair Scholar, which is helping her to prepare to apply to Ph.D. programs. She also has experience as an EMT working night shifts during her sophomore year, all while balancing full-time coursework, family and friends, advocacy work and well-being.

After Aquino graduates in May, she plans to pursue her doctorate as she works toward her goal of becoming a professor and having her own community and health psychology research lab. But her impact on CSUSM will be deeply remembered, valued and built upon even after her graduation.

"I don't think I would be where I am now without going to CSUSM," Aquino said.

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