Rigoberto Gonzalez

Pronouns: 

He/Him

Major: 

Business Administration

Hometown: 

Lancaster, CA

What are your campus involvements? 

Epsilon Sigma Rho Multicultural Fraternity, 2024-2025 President for the Multicultural Sorority and Fraternity Council (MSFC), Accounting Forum

What is your favorite memory or experience at SSU? 

My favorite experience so far at SSU has been Summer Bridge for Educational Opportunities Program (EOP). Summer Bridge allowed me to transition from high school to college smoothly. During Summer Bridge, I was able to connect with my peers and make new friends.

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

The most challenging part of my college experience was learning how to become more self-disciplined. Here at college, no one is telling me to get my school work done or even go to class. At first, I loved this freedom, but I quickly realized that slacking off wasn't going to get me anywhere and I need to get everything done if I want to graduate. From this experience, I learned that my school work is not going to get done by itself and if I really want to succeed, I have to give it my all.

What brought you to SSU, and what motivates you to stay? 

My older sister came to SSU and graduated back in 2016. She always told me great things about this school and when I came to tour the school, I immediately knew this was where I wanted to go. The main thing that keeps me motivated to stay at SSU is the desire to make my parents proud. They are the reason I am here today, and graduating from SSU would allow me to start paying them back for everything they've done for me.

Who at SSU has influenced you and/or made an impact on your journey here? 

The brothers of Epsilon Sigma Rho have made an impact on my journey here at SSU. When I first got here, I was very homesick and would go home every single weekend. It got to the point where I was only looking forward to going home and I didn't even enjoy being here. When I met the brothers of Epsilon Sigma Rho, all that changed. I now have a group of people I can rely on and will always be there for me. Whenever I need any advice on which class to take or which professor to take a class with, they are there for me. If I ever struggle with a class, I can ask any one of them who took that class and if someone did, they try to help me understand the material. My journey here at SSU would be completely different without them.