Jennifer Nessary '20

My time at Long Beach State was incredibly special to me. I transferred from another university as a first-generation student and was surprised to find that I was able to join the Women's rugby team. Everyone I encountered from the transfer office to faculty and staff were incredibly kind and genuinely cared about my education and experience. It made me feel like I belonged. I had a couple influential professors who encouraged my academic pursuits and helped me realize could do something really impactful with my career life, which is why I decided to go to law school after graduation from Cal State Long Beach. During my time at Long Beach State, I was able to grow and change as a person. I had previously felt like just another number at my old university, but Long Beach State made me feel like I could make an impact in my own community. I also made lifelong friendships with my classmates and professors who were very influential in my time there. I'm still friends with many of the people I met there, and I recently attended a wedding for one of my best friends from the CSULB chess club. My life has been enriched by my time at Long Beach State and I'm so grateful for the experience. Long Beach State changed the trajectory of my life for the better and helped me become the American Dream my parents wanted and achieve the goal of why they came to America.