Jaime Espinoza
In 2009, Jaime Espinoza knew he wanted to “hit the ground running” and become actively involved at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB).
As a first-generation college student, Jaime “had the mentality of networking and getting to know people.” During his undergraduate years, and “a background in business,” Jaime realized that to be a successful business owner one day, he “should get to know the people here.”
Relationships played a significant role in Jaime’s approach to higher education. Jaime continued to hone his career and leadership skills while working as a paraprofessional (student assistant) in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (currently known as Admissions Operations). He participated in student clubs and organizations, including being a proud member of Lambda Theta Phi, the nation’s first Latino fraternity founded in 1975.
“I learned so much from that experience [in Lambda Theta Phi],” explained Jaime, “I was able to travel to different states and eventually held key roles as secretary, treasurer, Vice President, and then served as President my senior year.”
The quarter before his graduation, Jaime began searching for full-time employment and was encouraged to apply to the campus’ job pool. Jaime secured a position in the Veterans Success Center (VSC) in Spring 2013 as an Administrative Support Assistant.
“I actually owe a lot to Marci Daniels (Director, Services to Students with Disabilities) who was the director of the VSC at the time. She gave me my first opportunity to work as a full-time staff member at CSUSB, and I’m very grateful.”
On his first day of the new job, Jaime remembers the VSC hosting Valor Beyond the Call of Duty, a 600+ person prestigious event recognizing seven Medal of Honor recipients.
“It was intimidating, for sure,” shared Jaime, but it also gave him an inside look at the impact he would soon have in serving the veteran student population at CSUSB. From that first day on the job, Jaime continued to grow in his role, where he now serves as the VSC’s advisor and school certifying official.
“I owe my growth and these professional opportunities to the staff at CSUSB,” shared Jaime, “Some of the staff have no idea, but I actually consider them my mentors.” When asked how to share more about how he found mentors to guide his career journey, , Jaime shared that it’s important to understand that a mentor doesn’t have to be one person.
Believing in the power of relationships, Jaime shared, “You can have more than one mentor, whether that individual is from the library, bookstore, purchasing, or anywhere on campus.” A couple of best practices from Jaime, when considering a mentor, include asking the right questions, talking to others on campus and getting to know your colleagues, and letting your potential mentor know that you care about your career growth as much as they do.
Throughout his career journey, Jaime can point to several learned lessons (including the power of relationships). Still, of the most important, Jaime continues to follow this essential piece of advice:
“You can’t remember everything in your head; learn to write things down.”
Admitting to what may seem like a simple piece of advice, Jaime shared that it’s easy to assume the human mind is meant for the storage of information when in fact, it’s a creative engine. Learning how to record important details and information has been a critical contributor to his professional growth and success.
Of his proudest accomplishments, Jaime is pleased to have earned his Master of Science in Health Services Administration (MSHSA) while working full-time at the VSC. Staying true to his firm belief in relationship and community, Jaime shared, “I owe this specific educational journey to my colleague, Ken Jacobs, from the Office of the Registrar. Ken would always push me to apply and kept me accountable while in the program.”
This particular accomplishment has allowed Jaime to continue to transform lives at CSUSB.
“The Veterans Success Center integrates education and healthcare for retraining purposes,” mentioned Jaime. And for him, pursuing a master’s degree allowed his time management skills to be refined and enhanced, allowing Jaime to manage a specific student population, our veteran students.
In the VSC, the department serves over 1200 students each year in processing educational benefits. According to Jaime, his role in the VSC is more than processing educational services, “its helping them eat by processing their benefits on time. Its helping them not have to pay for their tuition so they can focus on graduating. Lastly, it is helping them achive their academic success with the resources CSUSB offers.” The impact of the VSC is far-reaching as it helps to remove a significant financial weight on the students.
Jaime hopes to be known as someone who truly cares for his students, his colleagues, and others whom he works alongside and supports.
“One of the happiest and saddest moments for me is the veteran’s graduation. It’s a happy moment because they have accomplished a significant milestone, but it’s also sad because they are moving on. You build these meaningful relationships, and you still want to be a part of their lives and make sure they’re successful.”
Jaime continues to make an impact at CSUSB by serving students and encourages his colleagues to continue to be open-minded, know that change can be useful, and learn to see the positive in all things.
About Jaime: Jaime Espinoza has been with CSUSB’s Veterans Success Center as a full-time employee for the last seven years. He enjoys skateboarding, hanging out with friends and family, and is a big fan of the LA Football Club (LAFC). Jaime holds two bachelor degrees in Marketing and International Business, a minor in Finance, and a Master of Science in Health Services Administration.