Jessica Guerrero’s educational experiences at Cal State Fullerton, including as a McNair Scholar, set her on a path to a career in public service and to serve as the first Latina school board president in Anaheim.
“CSUF provided me with a strong sense of community while reinforcing my commitment to public service and educational equity,” said Guerrero, who earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration in 2018.
Guerrero is a senior policy adviser for the Orange County Board of Supervisors. She works alongside government agencies and nonprofit organizations to expand opportunities that connect communities to vital resources.
“What I enjoy most about my work is the ability to give back to the community,” said Guerrero, the first in her family to graduate from college.
In 2022, Guerrero made history as the youngest and first Latina elected to the Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees. She currently serves as the board president and oversees policies and initiatives for the same schools she attended as a child.
Since her election to the board, she has worked to address student food insecurity and to expand learning opportunities through internships.
“As a first-generation student, I understand the challenges many students face,” said Guerrero, who participated in CSUF’s GEAR UP, Educational Talent Search and Project MISS programs in high school to prepare for college.
Guerrero, who went on to earn a master’s degree in public policy at UC Irvine in 2020, shared that being a McNair Scholar gave her the drive to reach for the stars in her career and community.
“The most rewarding part of being a McNair Scholar was being surrounded by peers and mentors who believed in your potential and that the work you were doing would make a lasting impact,” she said.
“It affirmed that students from underrepresented and first-generation backgrounds belong in graduate school and leadership spaces, and that our perspectives are valuable in shaping research and policy.”
The university’s McNair Scholars Program provided Guerrero with mentorship, academic support, exposure to research and preparation for graduate school and her career. She built strong research, writing and critical-thinking skills while learning how to navigate higher education spaces with confidence.
“These experiences prepared me not only for graduate school but also for my career in public service, where analytical thinking and policy evaluation are essential,” she said.
Patricia Literte, director of the McNair Scholars Program, said that, like astronaut and physicist Ronald E. McNair — the program’s namesake — no matter where students like Guerrero come from or what they have been through, they can accomplish their goals.
“When McNair Scholars graduate from CSUF, they are, in Dr. McNair’s words, ‘better than enough.’ They have gone on to master’s and Ph.D. programs around the country and have become leaders in all fields and industries,” Literte said.
During her undergraduate education, Guerrero minored in Chicana and Chicano studies and women and gender studies and was also involved with the student organization, Hermanas Unidas de CSUF.
“These experiences further strengthened my understanding of equity and informed my approach to inclusive, thoughtful decision-making as I entered my career in government,” said Guerrero, who plans to continue her career in public service and hopes to one day make an impact on the field of political science.
“By combining my real-world experience with advanced academic training, I hope to contribute to research in political science and mentor future students interested in careers in public service.”