Andrea Grijalva

HI! My name is Andrea Grijalva, and I am currently in my third year here at Chico State University. My hometown is Los Angeles, CA. I come specifically from Koreatown. Which is essentially in the heart of Los Angeles. As a first-generation, low-income Latina my goal as a high school student was to get out of my city, to expand my network and gain new experiences. I started my journey here at Chico State back in 2019, which was altered by COVID in 2020. I had originally come to Chico State as an Animal Science major, however after having my daughter I realized the love I have for children's education. Therefore, my major now is Liberal Studies with the Bilingual Option. Growing up in a Latinx community, I’ve experienced many unfortunate events in which children who lack educational resources or support have given up. I’ve seen parents feel uncomfortable involving themselves in their children's education due to the linguistic barriers my community carries. This has caused many children to stop believing in themselves and in their future careers at such a young age. My goal is to help combat these issues through my education. I want to become a teacher in order to grow and inspire the minds of young children. I will be a teacher that is able to communicate and build relationships with students' parents in order to create more involvement. Which is why I am expanding my knowledge here at Chico State to be able to beat these educational barriers many carry in the community. My hope is to one day teach at a Dual Immersion school. Until then I am a student receptionist here at the Liberal Studies office. In which I am working closely with advisors and coordinators who are just as passionate about their community and students' success in all aspects of life.