Nursing student Jazmin Guajardo of Santa Paula has become the first CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) student ever appointed to the CSU Board of Trustees.

The first-generation college student’s name was on a list of appointments released July 18 by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Each year, the governor’s office interviews students who apply from all 23 campuses in search of one student trustee to represent all 450,000 students in the 23-campus system.

As the 2024-25 student trustee, Guajardo will offer the student perspective as the CSU Board adopts regulations and policies to govern the entire system.

“I do feel excited,” Guajardo said. “It came as a surprise to be interviewed by the governor’s office. The more I’ve learned about the Board of Trustees, the more I’ve come to understand the role students can play.”

CSUCI President Richard Yao believes perspectives from students like Guajardo are critical to the board’s decision-making process.

“Jazmin’s appointment as the first student trustee from CSUCI is a historic milestone, underscoring her exceptional leadership and dedication,” said Yao. “Her role as vice president of Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) and involvement in various student organizations showcase her unwavering commitment to serving the university community.

“We are proud to have Jazmin represent the CSU student body and bring her diverse experiences to the Board of Trustees.”

Guajardo and her three sisters were raised in Santa Paula after spending her early years in Oxnard. Her mother works in retail and her father is in the fast-food industry.

Guajardo’s older sister was the first to attend college, graduating with a degree in psychology from CSUCI in 2021.

Guajardo will complete her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2025, but she plans to continue her nursing education into 2026.

While she was a full-time student at CSUCI, Guajardo held more than a dozen leadership positions on campus and worked three jobs.

In addition to her role as vice president of ASI (2023-24); she served as senator of Student Engagement with ASI, president of the CSUCI Student Nurses’ Association, and founder/president of the Channel Islands League of United Latin American Citizens Collegiate Council.

Guajardo played violin in a mariachi band and served as a peer mentor, largely because she knows the power of seeing the success of someone who shares your background.

Guajardo said she didn’t consider applying to be a student trustee until she met a previous student trustee at an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) event.

“He was from Cal State Fullerton, and he was also an EOP student,” Guajardo said. “He and I had the same background, and that really helped me imagine myself as a student trustee.”

Asked what she plans to bring to the board from the student perspective, Guajardo said she plans to emphasize the importance of feeling that you belong at your university, and the need for more preparation for new graduates who are transitioning from classes to a career.

“A sense of belonging contributes to student retention,” she said. “And I’d like to see more streamlined career pipelines — how we can better prepare students to go out into the workforce.”