Abigail Dominguez
Long Beach born and raised, The Beach’s iconic blue pyramid used to be something I passed by without a thought or special meaning. Now as an Alumni of California State University Long Beach I pass by it with nothing but pride and fond memories of my college experience. CSULB is an institution that supported my education and career aspirations which was reflected through my professor’s passion for their students as well as the campus’s active support through informational fairs, social media, events, and various activities. Attending school soon after my mother’s passing was difficult, but the passion that I felt from my professors and the many fun events and activities that the University had to offer inspired and encouraged me to succeed and enjoy my time in college. I give all credit to God and would like to thank my parents for their loving support. I would also like to thank my mother who is watching over me in Heaven and inspires me to pursue a career in Clinical Social Work to one day work with others whose lives have been affected by cancer.
The majority of my days growing up were spent in the hospital visiting my mother who battled cancer since I was 14 years old up until my last year of high school when she passed. High School was a balance of trying to keep my grades up, helping out my parents at home or the hospital, and trying to have a normal teenage social life. Despite these circumstances I was able to succeed academically and was accepted into all the colleges I applied to. To be honest, attending Cal State Long Beach was not on my mind as I was growing up. Being a Long Beach resident I had always attended a school within the area and had wanted a change of scenery. Little did I know that choosing to attend CSULB was the best decision I could have ever made as the University and all that the campus offered was just the change of scenery I needed and has given me more pride in the city that I live in!
Before I decided on my major, I had went through many changes to my major before finally landing on the one that was the right fit. Majoring in Human Development and minoring in Health Science allowed me to study a variety of courses that strengthened my critical thinking skills and broadened my knowledge of each stage of human life. These courses emphasized the importance of approaching problems by looking at all the factors that may contribute to an issue. In addition, my minor in Health science similarly emphasizes this approach to health specific issues in the community through program intervention. My major and minor catered to my interests in human behavior and the complexities that contribute to the choice people make as well as the subject of health. Naturally, I became involved in the Human Development Student Association where I was able fulfill my passion in volunteering for various nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Susan G. Komen.
Outside of school I became very involved with my church’s youth ministry as a leader where I lead a small group of teenage girls in discussions concerning the Bible for the purpose of spiritual growth as well as work with other leaders to plan events and determine the curriculum for the youth ministry. In addition, I am involved in volunteering at a hospital by providing support to patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment. I also help promote the hospital’s Image of Hope Center which is closely involved with the American Cancer Society and I also assist the social workers within the department by updating and collecting patient related resources.
My college experience has allowed me to learn about my strengths and weaknesses in and out of the classroom but most of all, I learned that I have a passion to help others who are going through or have a loved one who is going through a serious illness. Now that I am a Alumni of The Beach, I work and continue to volunteer my time at the hospital by providing support to patients and the social workers in the Oncology Department. I also continue to serve my church as a Youth Leader. I am looking forward to continuing my education this coming Fall as a graduate student in CSUDH’s Master of Social Work Program!
