Master's student helped establish Family Friendly group to provide support for parents at CSUMB

Bianca Estrada describes herself as not the kind of person who only dreams about things – she says, “Let’s go for it!”

That attitude has helped her advocate for fellow CSUMB students with children and achieve several changes on campus to make it more family-friendly. It’s also helped her achieve more than she ever thought she would academically.

Estrada grew up in San Diego and had the opportunity to relocate to Monterey and attend Monterey Peninsula College. Her goal was to get an associate’s degree. But staff in the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services program at MPC encouraged her to go for her bachelor’s degree at CSUMB.

“EOPS gave me support and motivation. They saw something in me I didn’t see in myself,” she said.

Estrada was accepted to the Collaborative Health and Human Services program and started attending classes. When she became pregnant during her first semester, it was a shock. She wasn’t sure what she would do, but she knew she wanted more for herself – and for her child.

Read the full story in CSUMB's magazine