Brenda Guzman-Hernandez

Meet Brenda

Pronouns: She/Her/Ella

Major: Psychology

Year: Third Year

Hometown: Bay Point, CA

What is your favorite memory or experience at SSU?

Being able to come to campus for the first time after being fully online my first year at SSU was rewarding. I thought I was lost, the instant welcome and the instant feeling of being "at home" was brought up to the surface. Never have I ever experienced such a welcoming environment walking into a campus. Definitely, the Seawolf community has proven and continues to prove how powerful we are as a whole.

What made you choose SSU?

I took a tour of SSU my junior year of high school and instantly fell in love with the campus environment. Though, what really stood out to me was the different opportunities of leadership roles that were open for students. As an uninvolved student in high school, it was my own personal goal to take up a leadership position within my college experience. It was fascinating to see and know how SSU has so many leadership roles for students to open up their own doors to new experiences. I instantly saw myself attending Sonoma State, but what truly made me choose Sonoma, again, was the opportunities of involvement and leadership. This just made me feel more connected to SSU.

What has been the most challenging part of your college experience and what did you learn from it?

Definitely, being online my first year was a challenge. Undergoing an online college experience as a first-time, first-year was an experience that my past self did not see happening. Being online limited my voice from being truly heard through my instructors, and it made me feel smaller compared to what I was already feeling. During this time, I was a full-time freshman in college and a teacher to my younger siblings since they were at home as well. There were moments where class was not an option because I had to help my siblings with their school, especially my younger brother who was starting kindergarten remotely at the time. From there being so many dark squares on zoom, to there being no form of 1:1 work with our professors, I felt as if the resources that we still provided for students were very limited. I saw myself have so many questions that I was also so scared to ask to receive help. Eventually, what allowed me to surpass this experience was to manage my time effectively. Doing this during the pandemic has granted me the opportunity to time-manage all my current involvements on campus, my own academics, and my personal life effectively. The pandemic definitely had its pros and cons, and this was my pro!

What have you been involved with at SSU?

EOP (Equal Opportunity Program) Admissions and Outreach Ambassador, Associated Students Lobo's Pantry Coordinator, Sister of Sigma Pi Alpha Sorority, Inc.