College of Health & Social Sciences

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 this fall to pursue a master’s degree in Social Work. On top of that, he recently earned one of the most prestigious student accolades. 

The California State University (CSU) has 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. 

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. 

Arredondo 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.” 

Are you passionate about social work and supporting marginalized communities? Learn more about how SF State’s School of Social Work can help you make a difference.

Carolyn Sideco gives a talk at a May 2024 Kinesiology Alumni Dinner at San Francisco State University.

Alumna used role in Netflix documentary series about diet to share views on public health and more

Carolyn Sideco (B.S., ’03) is no stranger to community advocacy. It’s something she learned as a Kinesiology student at San Francisco State University and later put into practice in her 20-plus-year career as a physical education teacher and athletic director at ICA Cristo Rey Academy in the Mission District and most recently as a coaching consultant. The health of her community is always top of mind. So when the opportunity arose to take part in the recent Netflix docuseries “You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment,” she was all in.

The Netflix show was based on a Stanford University clinical trial that followed 21 sets of genetically identical twins who changed their diets and lifestyles for eight weeks to discover how certain foods impact the body. One twin followed an omnivorous diet, the other ate vegan. (No spoilers on which diet earned better marks.) The streaming series focused on four sets of twins, including Carolyn Sideco and her sister Rosalyn.

Sideco carried that mindset to the field as a coach, athletic director and in her current role as the owner of her own consulting company, Coaching Kapwa (@coachingkapwa), where she provides professional development to coaches and athletic directors.

“The profession wants [coaches and administrators] to only think about wins or losses or developing elite programs. I think our profession has the capacity to be expansive,” she said. “I tend to the other aspects of the sports ecosystem that contribute to positive growth, social development and cultural deepening.”

Sideco sought out community her whole life. She found it in sports starting at the age of nine on the volleyball court. She discovered another community at SF State. In May, Sideco got a chance to thank the department that gave her so much when she was the keynote speaker at the Kinesiology Alumni Dinner.

“I was supported in community, and that became my community — the people there, my cohort, my colleagues and even the faculty and staff. That’s why I’m so involved and invested in the alumni program, because I take that as my responsibility to my community,” she said. “San Francisco State, its teachers and its school — that’s the handbook of how I want to live my life.”

Interested in a career in athletics? Learn more about SF State’s Kinesiology program.

Collaboration will grow the University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing Program by 25%

SAN FRANCISCO (May 8, 2024) – In a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing clinical education for nursing students, San Francisco State University (SF State) and Sutter Health have joined forces to expand clinical placement opportunities. With this move, Sutter’s California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco will provide eight clinical placement slots for SF State’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (BSNA), allowing the University to enroll 25% more students in the program.

“Sutter’s care for the local community starts with having enough skilled caregivers in place, and this collaboration speaks to how we’re working purposefully to grow our nurse pipeline,” said Sutter’s Greater San Francisco Market president Christina Oh. “The urgent need to expand the nursing workforce is undeniable, especially in the face of a rapidly aging population. We saw firsthand during the pandemic that nursing shortages strain hospitals and health care systems. Workforce shortages also lead to staff burnout. Immediate actions such as commitments from health care facilities and educational institutions, to recruit, train and retain more nurses is vital for patient well-being and helping ensure the long-term sustainability of health care systems.”

High Demand for Clinical Placement Slots

Securing clinical placement slots is an ongoing challenge for nursing programs due to high demand and limited availability. In addition, the need for more clinical instructors to provide oversight and training further exacerbates the issue. As a result, many nursing programs struggle to secure enough clinical placement slots to meet students’ educational needs. This leads to the rejection of thousands of qualified applicants each year. In 2022, nursing schools nationwide turned away 78,000 qualified applications due largely to the lack of nurse faculty and clinical training sites.

“Clinical placements are a crucial part of a nursing program, allowing students to use the knowledge and skills they learned in the classroom and apply it in the real world,” said Elaine Musselman, director of the SF State School of Nursing. “We are grateful to partner with Sutter’s CPMC to provide more of these sorely needed opportunities to our students.”

“Removing obstacles for aspiring nurses is vital for their quick integration into bedside roles,” said Hamila Kownacki, CEO of Sutter’s CPMC and also a registered nurse. “Nurses are a critical part of providing high-quality patient care, and hospitals could not function without them. At Sutter, we’re committed to building a strong workforce, and, for our nurses, this starts with making educational training opportunities available. Sutter’s CPMC works with more than two dozen nursing programs across California and beyond, and this recent collaboration with SF State can serve as an example for other hospitals to open up similar pathways to help get nurses to the field faster.”

First Cohort to Graduate in Spring ’25

The inaugural SF State BSNA cohort, set to graduate in spring 2025, is currently undergoing their fundamentals training at Sutter’s CPMC’s Mission Bernal Campus. These eight students will, over the next year, rotate through various hospital units including psychiatric and behavioral health, pediatrics and obstetrics, and medical-surgical at Sutter’s CPMC. Upon graduation and passing their national nurse exam, the students are eligible to apply for permanent positions at Sutter’s CPMC or another hospital or health care facility.  

“SF State has been an excellent opportunity for me to meet people who are like-minded, compassionate and excited to learn the nursing profession in an environment full of hands-on learning experiences,” said SF State nursing student Nate Challis.

Challis adds, “Nurses are in such high demand and that’s in large part because nurses at their core are fixers. We fix problems. I love what Sutter’s done by offering these [clinical placement] opportunities to SF State BSNA students to go directly to work. Not only are the clinical sites at Sutter’s CPMC incredible, but the nursing instructors are highly skilled. We’re fortunate to have access to Sutter’s cutting-edge facilities and cutting-edge technologies across different parts of San Francisco. We also get exposure working with many different populations and people who have different backgrounds and understandings, which will set us up for success in the future.”

Nursing at Sutter Health

Sutter’s more than 16,200 nurses represent the largest part of the organization’s workforce. These essential caregivers help deliver high quality, equitable and safe care to Sutter Health patients in communities big and small across Northern California.  

“Sutter’s nursing philosophy, which includes being a force for good, provides a framework to inspire nurses, reminds them why they entered the profession and highlights their unique role in their patients’ healing process,” said Sutter Health’s Chief Nurse Officer Anna Kiger. “Such a fulfilling work environment allows our organization to retain and attract the most talented nurses who are capable of reaching their unlimited potential while with us.”

Sutter Health is proud to partner with more than 80 nursing programs across its 22 hospitals. In 2023, the organization partnered with Samuel Merritt University to champion health equity through a new Health Equity Nursing Fellowship program, where new and future fellows hope to empower the next generation of nurses committed to narrowing health disparity gaps. Details on this fellowship and the application are available on the Samuel Merritt University website.

About Sutter Health

Sutter Health is a not-for-profit, people-centered health care system providing comprehensive care throughout California. Sutter Health is committed to health equity, community partnerships, and innovative, high-quality patient care. Today, Sutter Health is pursuing a bold new plan to reach more people and make excellent health care more connected and accessible. The health system’s 57,000+ staff and clinicians and 12,000+ affiliated physicians currently serve more than 3 million patients with a focus on expanding opportunities to serve patients, people and communities better. Sutter provides exceptional, affordable care through its hospitals, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care clinics, telehealth, home health and hospice services. Dedicated to transforming health care, at Sutter Health, getting better never stops.

Learn more about how Sutter Health is transforming health care at sutterhealth.org and vitals.sutterhealth.org.

About San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University is a public university serving students from the San Francisco Bay Area, across California and around the world, with nationally acclaimed programs that span a broad range of disciplines. More than 23,000 students enroll at the University each year, and its nearly 293,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond. Through them — and more than 1,800 world-class faculty members — SF State proudly embraces its legacy of academic excellence, community engagement and commitment to social justice. For more information, visit sfsu.edu.

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The student hood recipients will represent their academic colleges at the University’s 123rd graduation ceremony May 24

A dozen outstanding graduates will be honored during San Francisco State University’s 123rd Commencement ceremony, to be held at Oracle Park Friday, May 24. They will represent 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 selects 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, will each deliver a Commencement address.

More details about the ceremony are available on the Commencement website. 

It’s never been easier to complete bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice Studies and Psychology

According to the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the six-year graduation rate for U.S. college students is 64%. That means more than a third of students don’t finish their degrees within six years of starting college.

That’s a lot of dreams put on hold. And it’s why San Francisco State University’s College of Professional & Global Education (CPaGE) has launched three new online degree completion programs that make it easier than ever for former students to get back on the path to graduation.

Created in collaboration with San Francisco State’s Lam Family College of Business, College of Science & Engineering and College of Health & Social Sciences, the online programs — for bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice Studies and Psychology — will begin in the fall. Anyone with 60 college credits can enroll, no matter what their previous major was or what school they attended. Applications for the Business Administration and Criminal Justice Studies programs are currently being accepted, with a deadline of April 15. The Psychology program began accepting applications earlier this spring and quickly filled to capacity — an indication of the demand for online degree completion, which accommodates the busy schedules of former students looking to further their careers with the power of a bachelor’s degree.

“Research shows lifetime earnings for college degree-holders are up to 41% higher than for those with just an associate’s degree, and up to 52% higher than those with only some college credits under their belt,” said Eugene Sivadas, dean of SF State’s Lam Family College of Business, citing a study by the Center on Education and the Workforce. “So completing their degrees fully online is a fast, easy and effective way for former students to significantly boost their earning potential.”

The online courses — such as “Starting a Small Business” in the Business Administration program, “Crime, Data and Analysis” in the Criminal Justice Studies program and “Future Directions for Psychology Majors” in the Psychology program — will be taught by SF State professors. Students will have access to a CPaGE online success coach as well as advising from faculty program directors. Financial aid is also available to those who qualify.

“This is a great opportunity for anyone who had to interrupt their educational journey,” said CPaGE Dean Alex Hwu. “Thanks to the flexible online options this program makes possible, former students can continue their journey — all the way to a degree.”

Learn more about CPaGE’s online degree completion options.

Sexologist Rebecca Alvarez Story is the founder and CEO of Bloomi, which specializes in intimate health products for a bilingual audience

San Francisco State University alumna Rebecca Alvarez Story (M.A., ’17) didn’t get much sex education growing up. She went to an all-girl high school with an abstinence-only approach to sex ed, and her parents weren’t comfortable stepping in to explain the birds and the bees.

“In my home, we didn’t talk about sex education,” Story said. “My parents did try to have one awkward sex talk.”

Today, however, sex talk is far from awkward for Story. In fact, it’s both her business and her mission.

Story is the founder and CEO of Bloomi, a company offering intimate health products — oils, personal lubricants, sex aids and more — with an emphasis on bilingual marketing. The Bloomi line can be found in local spas and boutiques as well as national retailers like Target and Saks Fifth Avenue. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Story says she hopes to use Bloomi to bring quality sex education to a billion people around the globe, with an emphasis on expansion in Latin America.

Unfortunately, Story’s own sex education journey included a traumatic detour. A Bay Area native, Story originally went to Southern California to attend college. While there, she was sexually assaulted.

“That experience made me return home to reground myself,” Story said. “After that, I was very apprehensive about intimacy. I actually feared intimacy.”

Back in the Bay Area, Story became inspired to use her experiences as a way to heal, and she enrolled in the Women’s Health and Sexuality program at UC Berkeley.

“That was the beginning of me starting to understand the power of education in the category,” said Story.

Following graduation, Story worked with startups in sexual wellness focused on intimacy products, sex coaching and sex education. Eventually she decided to continue her education in the field at San Francisco State, where she enrolled in pursuit of a master’s degree in Sexuality Studies.

“I was a single mom when I started the program. My daughter was 3,” said Story. “She actually came to a few courses and was on the side with her headphones.”

On top of being a single mom and a graduate student, Story was working full-time as a sexologist.

“It made me feel good that I was doing things I love,” said Story. “My daughter learned a lot about me at such a young age. It was an important time in my development, and it was all things that I loved.”

Being a single mother and working full-time while pursuing a graduate degree is no small feat, and Story was fortunate to have support from her family and professors.

“All of the professors in the Human Sexuality program were incredible,” said Story. “They are very passionate about the work, which comes through in what they’re teaching.”

It wasn’t just the teaching that Story found inspiring. Thanks to her time working with startups, she also knew there were untapped audiences for sexual wellness products. 

“I had a lot of experience seeing what worked well and not so well with products in the category,” said Story. “The way that products were being marketed was very binary and stereotypical. I felt there was a world where we could be more inclusive about that.”

Story had also seen brands undervalue the Latinx market. She created Bloomi to be a bilingual brand, carving out an inclusive space within the sexual wellness industry and making the brand both unique and, for her, personal.

Despite her parents’ reluctance to discuss sex when she was younger, Story says her family has been supportive of Bloomi from the beginning. Now it gives her a deep feeling of satisfaction when, for instance, she and her father pass her company’s products for sale at Target.

“The feeling is incredible, but it’s hard to explain to people who aren’t children of immigrants,” said Story. “It’s very emotional because it’s not just another product on the shelf. It’s the realization of several generations of people striving to get ahead and get a better education and the American dream of starting this business.”

Learn more about SF State’s Sexuality Studies Program.

Students across campus have been sharing their research at various student project showcases

As the academic year comes to a close, SF State’s colleges are celebrating the scholarship, research and creative activities of the University community with multiple student project showcases. In April and early May, undergraduate and graduate students from across campus shared their work through research posters, presentations and performances. Students, staff, faculty and community members saw everything from student-built prototypes of engineering projects to the exploration of evolution through dance to presentations on the history of global fashion.

This year, the Colleges of Liberal & Creative Arts (LCA), Science & Engineering (CoSE), Ethnic Studies (CoES) and Health & Social Sciences (CHSS) all had research events. While the LCA and CoSE showcases have become annual campus traditions, CHSS’ Research & Creative Works Showcase (held at the Seven Hills Conference Center Thursday, May 4) was the college’s first. The College of Ethnic Studies Student Showcase, also on the newer side, was held Thursday, May 11, on the fifth floor of the Administration Building.

“When I found out about the CHSS Undergraduate Research & Creative Works Showcase I knew I had to participate. Research has been such a key component of my SF State experience,” said Nathan Burns, who is graduating this semester with a degree in Sociology and a minor in LGBTQ Studies. “For my senior seminar last semester I created ‘SURV(IO)LANCE,’ a textual and visual zine where I incorporated academic research and my personal experience as a queer, trans, disabled person to discuss surveillance. For the CHSS Showcase I was able to print a few copies of the zine to share with people in attendance. It was so exciting to be able to not only share my research with other campus members, but get to see just how much incredible work is being done across campus that I otherwise might not have heard about.”

Eduardo Hernandez, a senior Criminal Justice Studies major, also participated in the CHSS showcase. His work explores how the overlapping interests of the prison industrial complex, the U.S. military establishment and law enforcement lead to mass incarceration. He says that his project represents his solidarity with individuals who have been exploited in prisons.

“My research experience at SF State enabled my academic potential to be significantly developed by showcasing my research project for fellow peers, scholars and visitors. I am honored to have been recognized and have granted the privilege to participate in the CHHS Undergraduate Showcase with scholars at SF State. Presenting at the event, I experienced a great sense of joy and relief knowing nearly six months of research and preparation allowed me to represent SF State in its highest light possible: an incredible research facility in the SF Bay Area,” he said.

In total, hundreds of students participated in these college showcases. The College of Science & Engineering — which has been holding showcases since 1999 — had approximately 230 posters presented by more than 400 students, with more than 80 judges from academia, industry, government and other fields participating.

Students Ryan Scott and Fazliddin Hotamov demonstrate their gesture-controlled robot arm to a judge and alumnus Robert Gray (B.S., '98) at the CoSE showcase. Photo by Paul Asper

While the Lam College of Business doesn’t have a project showcase, its students were able to showcase research in a different way: at the college’s annual Innovative Pitch Competition in April. Students developed and pitched business projects to seasoned entrepreneurs, investors and faculty, and three teams shared $10,000 in cash prizes. Earlier this year, students from all colleges also participated in the campus-level San Francisco State University student research competition for a chance to participate in the CSU-wide student research competition.

“San Francisco State provides amazing opportunities for students and faculty to work together on research and creative projects. Participating in these collaborations — whether it is a course-based research project or an independent study builds career skills — creates community and contributes to improving life on campus, in the Bay Area and beyond.” said Biology Professor Gretchen LeBuhn, who is Chair of the University Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Council. She is also co-director of SF State Creates, an undergraduate research office launching this fall to facilitate these types of hands-on student opportunities.

Learn more about Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities at SF State.

A new report highlights the detrimental discrepancies between child neglect laws and child development research

For children, being allowed to walk to a playground or to school by themselves is an exciting achievement — a sign they’re becoming “big kids.” Developmental scientists agree: They say such moments are critical milestones in a child’s development. Yet there are many child neglect laws in the United States that conflict with research about childhood and may actually interfere with development.

A new Social Policy Report paper by San Francisco State University Assistant Professor Rachel Flynn and collaborators explores this conflict and asks at what age can a child perform tasks without adult supervision. The answer is tricky, the authors explain, but reducing the answer to an age range (usually in preteens to early teens) can have serious consequences. It can lead to parents and guardians being unfairly prosecuted and be harmful for families and children. To complicate matters more, broad child neglect laws dramatically vary across the nation.

“I like to think [the laws are] well-intentioned and meant to keep kids safe. But the fact that there are places in the country where it is illegal for a child to be alone at 10 or 12 or babysit for their younger siblings … most developmental [scientists] would never guess that,” said Flynn, an assistant professor in the Department of Child & Adolescent Development at San Francisco State.

These child neglect laws often do not align with developmental science research, the authors explain. Previous research in the United States and internationally suggest children undergo a shift to taking on more responsibilities around 5 to 7 years. To participate in independent activities, children need to reach developmental milestones in physical, cognitive and social abilities, and most children achieve these skills by 6 or 7 through experiences. A child’s ability to achieve these milestones are also dependent on many factors, so guidelines based on age alone without context are not effective.

“I think the other really big thing is remembering to keep this in the social justice lens … ,” Flynn said. “We’re really trying to drive home the idea that these child neglect laws can impact anyone anywhere, but children of color are particularly impacted …  They’re more likely to have touch points with child protective services than white children as a result.”

Well-meaning but misplaced reports of child neglect due to lack of supervision can strain child protective systems that are intended to protect children. Flynn hopes everyone — policymakers, developmental science researchers, grade-school educators, pediatricians, parents and social work hotline moderators — look at the research paper’s recommendations to begin mitigating the negative impacts of some laws.

“Hotlines were meant to help children,” Flynn said. “They’re not helpful when every person calls because of every situation that they personally disagree with, for example a child walking their dog around the block alone. That clogs up resources and keeps the true neglect and abuse cases from getting the attention.”

Flynn was surprised to see the lack of developmental research on this topic but attributes this to a lack of awareness. There are psychologists, educational researchers and health researchers doing relevant research, but they don’t all talk together.

While her own research usually focuses on the media’s impact on children and how it affects play, Flynn plans to take the lessons of her recent paper into her advocacy work. She has already talked to some policy makers and hopes to help educate hotline workers and others.

“The question always is what age can kids be unsupervised? There’s no straightforward answer. It’s rooted in individual differences in context and cultures and variations,” Flynn said. “But we can provide some guidelines to really say that children are very capable at a very young age, and with experience children can be even more capable.”

Learn more about SF State’s Department of Child & Adolescent Development.

Despite a childhood rocked by trauma, Theresa Gamboa (B.A., ’21) and her twin sister Alexandria Singh (B.A., ’22) are facing the future with optimism, determination and forgiveness

When she was 15 years old, Theresa Gamboa made a phone call that changed her life. It was a change for the better ... eventually. But it also led to consequences and chaos she had to deal with for years.

Gamboa’s call was to the police. She was reporting her father — a meth addict and gang member — for abuse.

Gamboa ended up in the foster care system. Her father ended up in prison.

It’s a story most people might be anxious to put behind them. But Gamboa — who graduated from SF State in 2021 with a degree in Business Administration — isn’t most people. She’s committed to telling her story again and again, even hiring a speech coach to help her develop it into a TEDx talk.

“I’m not going to let any of my pain go to waste,” she says. “I’m going to use my business skills and what I’ve been through to make an impact. That’s my calling now.”

That doesn’t mean telling her story is easy. Recalling the details can be difficult.

“It goes blank due to all the trauma,” she says.

But she does remember the optimism she felt walking onto the campus of San Jose City College at the age of 16. Despite the disarray of her life — bouncing from one foster home to another after turning in her father — she’d managed to graduate early from high school. She recalls thinking of education as her “golden ticket out,” and she was anxious to use it.

“There were so many issues in high school. I just wanted to be somewhere where people were there because they wanted to be, not because they were forced to with a chip on their shoulder, ready to fight,” she says. “I didn’t want any of that. I was already experiencing that at home.”

SF State and Some Pivotal Help

Unfortunately, though the desire to get an education was there, the skills weren’t. Neither was the support she needed.

“There was nothing good going for me,” she says. “I just had negative news after negative news — moving from foster home to foster home, and I couldn’t see my parents legally.”

Things turned around for Gamboa when she began getting academic and life skills support from Pivotal, a San Jose-based nonprofit that serves youth in the foster care system. Though Gamboa aged out of the system at 18, Pivotal continued to provide support — including help applying to SF State when Gamboa realized she wasn’t connecting to the nursing classes she’d been taking at San Jose City College.

“What drew me to San Francisco State was the business program,” says Gamboa, who also received scholarship support from Pivotal for her switch to SF State. “I fell in love with business. It ignited a real passion. … My motivation went from a five to a 10.”

Gamboa particularly responded to the teaching of Smita Trivedi, an associate professor in the Lam Family College of Business whose specialties include sustainable business practices and female entrepreneurs from impoverished backgrounds.

“I’m passionate about helping other people. So it’s really important to me [for business] to make a benefit to me and the person on the other side,” Gamboa says. “She showed me the importance of doing business the right way.”

After graduating, Gamboa landed a job as a marketing coordinator at Afero, a Silicon Valley tech company that develops internet connection software for clients like Home Depot. Gamboa says she loves it.

“I am pumped,” she says. “I literally couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

She shares that happy ending with others through the talks she regularly gives on behalf of Pivotal. Reliving her childhood isn’t exactly fun, but she’s determined to show other foster youth they can change their lives. She can already point to one who followed in her footsteps: her twin sister, Alexandria Singh.

Double Trouble

Singh (who got married and took her husband’s last name last year) graduated from SF State with a B.A. in Criminal Justice in December. Singh says she and her sister were inseparable as children.

“We were just double trouble. Always together,” she says.

That changed dramatically when Gamboa called the police on their father. For a time, Singh remained in their parents’ household after Gamboa was removed.

“I was stuck at the house alone with a lot of abuse and neglect,” Singh remembers. “I was like, ‘Hey! Call the cops on me! I don’t want to be here!’ So I eventually made that happen.”

Years later, Singh followed in her sister’s footsteps once again — on the path to SF State. Though Singh finished her degree from Miami, where her doctor husband began his residency last year, she and Gamboa have begun another important journey together — the one to forgiveness. Both sisters have been in contact with their parents and say they bear them no ill will.

“When we tell people our story, people tend to hate our parents,” Singh says. “We don’t want that at all. Me and my sister, we don’t want to harvest bitterness. That’s like a stone that drags you down. We genuinely love our parents, and we forgive them.”