San Bernardino>>Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes selected and honored 30 people under age 30 who have made considerable contributions to the 47th Assembly District at her 30 Under 30 Award Ceremony and Art Showcase on July 22. Out of the 30 individuals awarded, 12 were Cal State San Bernardino students or alumni.
“These 30 young men and women under the age of 30 exemplify dedication, innovation and service in the 47th Assembly District,” Reyes announced on her website. “They are the entrepreneurs, innovators, public servants and community members that will define the Inland Empire in the years to come.”
In order to be considered for the award, an individual must live, volunteer or work in the 47th Assembly District, which includes all or portions of Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto, San Bernardino and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.
Assemblymember Reyes is continuing the 30 Under 30 program, which was initially established by former Assemblymember Wilmer “Amina” Carter, a CSUSB alumna and retired CSUSB staff member.
The CSUSB alumni who were honored are Jackie Aboud, Sarah Arechiga, Rick Cordova Jr., Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez, Monica McMahon, Arbazz Mohammad, Vanessa Perez, Sendy Sanchez and Monica Stockhausen.
The CSUSB students who were honored are Ana Gonzalez, Amanda Monroy and Asia Pham.
Jackie Aboud graduated from CSUSB in 2016 with her bachelor’s in political science and Arabic. She is now enrolled in the CSUSB National Security Studies program to pursue her master’s. Aboud has held numerous positions at CSUSB, including vice president of finance for Associated Students, Inc., vice president of operations for Kappa Delta Sorority, president of the College Democrats Club, president of University Village Housing, a member of the CSUSB debate team and several honor societies. Aboud has also volunteered at several organizations, including CSUSB’s Children’s Center, CSUSB’s Cares Day, and events for Sorority and Fraternity Life at San Antonio Community Hospital. She has even volunteered her time at various elementary schools in the Inland Empire to help Arabic-speaking students learn English. Today she volunteers as a representative of council member Michael Tahan on the Fontana City General Plan Advisory Committee.
Sarah Arechiga earned her associate’s degree in business administration from San Bernardino Valley College in 2015 and her bachelor’s in financial planning from CSUSB in 2017. She volunteered as a student ambassador for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) in October 2016. As soon as she graduated in June, she went to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. to serve in a HACU internship as a procurement technician.
Rick Cordova Jr. earned his bachelor’s from CSUSB in 2014 in biology, pre-med option. He created a student organization at CSUSB where he champions medical conferences that provide healthcare services to the community. He is also a member of several organizations that are engaged with voter registration and voter turnout. In fact, he has worked with several leaders in the San Bernardino County Young Democrats organization to get young democrats involved in the Inland Empire. Additionally, Cordova will be part of the community advisory board for the California University of Science and Medicine.
Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez is a first-generation Mexican-American who in 2017 earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration supply chain management from CSUSB. While in college, Chavez was heavily involved in leadership roles and even received the president’s volunteer service award. He served as community service chair for his fraternity, president of the APICS Logistics & Supply Chain Management Club, vice president of finance for Associated Students, Inc. and student body president. He was also a member of the Forensic Debate Team and the Model United Nations program. For the next two years, Chavez will serve as an AmeriCorps member for Teach for America in Jacksonville.
Monica McMahon, who graduated from CSUSB in 2015 with her bachelor’s in biochemistry, works with CSUSB’s LEAD Organization and the Association of Latino Faculty, Staff, and Students. McMahon has been a member and volunteer for LEAD and ALFSS for nearly a decade, as she began volunteering as a high school student. She helped disseminate ALFSS scholarship information to her high school and fellow students in the AVID program while volunteering her time with the LEAD hospitality team. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including the prestigious Presidential Volunteer Service Award by former President Barack Obama. McMahon works directly with students, most first-generation in college and members of historically underserved communities. As a program coordinator for CSUSB’s Office of Student Engagement since February 2016, she advises students involved with both National Student Exchange and Student Union Program Board.
Arbazz Mohammad founded a nonprofit at 17, served as the director of the Nonprofit Resource Center at 22 and became the youngest board member with the Shura Council of Southern California at 23, all while completing his bachelor’s in public relations at CSUSB. His organization, Sahaba Initiative, seeks to address the challenges of poverty, and serves the general community through direct service, mentorship and mental health for low-income families. Sahaba Initiative has opened a food pantry, which has served more than 3,000 people, a community garden where families can learn about nutrition and grow their own food, and a resource center for families who need mentorship.
Vanessa Perez, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication, is associate director at Time for Change Foundation where she focuses on the implementation of the foundation’s strategic plans and policies. She also provides leadership and management to all staff in the areas of planning, programming, fund development, marketing and administration. In 2012, Perez received the League of Women Voters’ Citizens of Achievement Award, and in 2014, she completed the Women’s Foundation of California’s Women’s Policy Institute. This gave her the skills to navigate the California legislative process and influence decision makers to create policies that better the quality of life in her local community and for all Californians. She was also recognized along with Time for Change Foundation when founder Kim Carter was recognized as a 2015 Top 10 CNN Hero.
Sendy Sanchez, who graduated from CSUSB in 2011 with her bachelor’s in pre-med and Spanish, is a healthcare policy and advocacy professional committed to advancing healthcare in underserved and underrepresented communities. She is the director of policy and projects at the Community Health Association Inland Southern Region where she works with staff from 42 community clinics and health centers in the region to analyze local, state and federal healthcare legislation. She has been heavily involved in the area of healthcare since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Sanchez was a Covered California master trainer and played an instrumental role in training and certifying enrollment counselors throughout the Inland Empire.
Monica Stockhausen, who graduated from CSUSB in 2012 with her bachelor’s in psychology, is a public speaker and professor of business at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. Her passion for socioeconomic issues combined with nine years of nonprofit experience led her to accept an appointment to faculty at Long Island Business Institute in New York City. One of Stockhausen’s projects is called NerdyGirlsRock, which looks to closing the gender pay gap. With NerdyGirlsRock, she created an online resource and community designed to inspire “nerdy” women to be confident, skillful and economically independent.
Ana Gonzalez, who is studying at CSUSB to be a teacher, has been active in the community, mentoring and tutoring high-risk youth, English learners and students with disabilities. She has also helped and guided high school seniors in applying for college. Gonzalez is currently involved in advocating for her community and serves as a 47th Assembly District delegate for the California Democratic Party, one of the regional directors for the San Bernardino County Young Democrats, and San Bernardino Count Democratic Central Committee member.
Amanda Monroy is majoring in sociology with an emphasis in community organizing at CSUSB. She served as the director of external affairs for CSUSB’s Associated Students, Inc., where she advocated for CSUSB students on the local, state and federal level. For instance, she served as chair of Lobby Corps where she trained student leaders to advocate for higher education policy for the Inland Empire at the State Capitol in Sacramento and in Washington D.C. She organized several events on campus for local and state offices, such as the Future Forum with Congressman Pete Aguilar and Eric Swalwell. Additionally, Monroy served as a state-wide level representative as the social justice and equity council speaker for the California State Student Association where she engaged in progressive efforts to promote social justice and equity multiculturalism through education. Monroy aspires to work in positions in government and human services to reshape communities and give back as a leader and mentor for future generations.
Asia Pham, an aspiring marriage and family therapist who is majoring in clinical psychology, is interning at Rebirth Homes, a faith-based nonprofit whose mission is about redeeming the lives of human trafficking survivors in the city of Riverside through a holistic healing approach that integrates spiritual, physical, emotional and mental healing in a 24-month program.