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Jennifer Galinato
Using her voice
When Sacramento State was seeking a new president, Jennifer Galinato ’24 (Political Science, Journalism) stood in front of a panel of 26 people representing the search committee, which was made up of the California State University Board of Trustees and Sacramento State faculty, staff, students, alums, and the extended community.
Fearless, she stated her expectations for a new President — and why.
“I’m a second-generation Hornet, so for me, this place is my home. When I think of who the next president is for this campus and what they'll embody, I have a lot to consider because I'm only here for a short time. I'm also setting up for whoever comes after me, and that happens to be a younger brother who's currently at Sacramento City right now, looking to transfer within the next year or so. Something that my family and I are very excited about.”
Paving the way
Resilience is the cornerstone of Jennifer's student career. She recognized the need to use her voice to champion equity and inclusion in higher education, not just for herself and her brother, but for every student yearning for a sense of belonging on their college campus.
As a Filipino-American student, Jennifer faced the challenge of finding relatable experiences in her higher education journey. This struggle ignited her passion to develop and amplify her voice, advocating for equity in higher education, for the Filipino community, and for other marginalized groups.
And change she made.
Throughout her academic journey, Jennifer has amassed an impressive list of achievements. From her time at Sacramento City College to her time at Sacramento State, she consistently demonstrated her commitment to student welfare and educational equity.
A few highlights of her impact:
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A member of the California Intersegmental Working Group on Student Basic Needs convened by the Governor’s Council for Post-Secondary Education to analyze students’ basic needs challenges.
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Elected as the 2021-2022 student trustee for the Los Rios Community College District Board
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Co-authored a resolution to promote menstrual health and equity as a member of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, positioning herself as a subject matter expert quoted by CalMatters on the Menstrual Equity Bill passed by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2021
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Wrote an op-ed highlighting the importance of internet access in low-income communities published in Capitol Weekly
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Elected as an Education Trust-West 2023 FIERCE Fellow to bring educational justice to campus
Sustaining student success
During her time at Sac State, Jennifer relied on the Transfer Resource Center and the APIDA Center. She hopes that her heavy lifting will make her brother's transition easier.
One thing Sac State has to offer is a deep interest in sustaining student success. Jennifer notes that the mentors and educators who took an interest in her academic and non-academic career left an impact. That interest in her success left such an impact that she hopes to one day do the same for someone else, ultimately sponsoring a student and setting up a scholarship for them.
“I don’t think I’d be here without donor support. You can see what donating has done for students like me. I’d like to give that to someone someday.”
Her brother is now on the same path as her, attending community college and planning to transfer to Sacramento State.
But Jennifer can now gift him something she didn’t have: experience.
By Tracie Popma and Victoria Juarez Rocha
How you can help
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