Transfer Stories
Jazmin Mendez
Meet Jazmin Mendez, a fourth-year pyschology student who transferred from Fullerton College to Cal State Fullerton.
Growing up in Fullerton, California, psychology major Jazmin Mendez was fascinated by the human mind.
TV shows like Forensic Files opened her eyes to the different branches of psychology, each acting as a window into understanding human behavior. It wasn’t until she took an advanced psychology course in high school that she discovered her true passion.
“Taking that class confirmed that I wanted to get into that career,” Jazmin said. “Seeing how the mind works and all these different aspects of what makes a person who they are is what drew me in.”
This led her to Fullerton College, where she earned three associate’s degrees in psychology, social behavior and self-development, and social sciences. Now a fourth-year transfer student at Cal State Fullerton, Jazmin is preparing for a lifelong career as a licensed marriage and family therapist.
Small Town, Big Dreams
A Fullerton native, Jazmin dreamed of attending Cal State Fullerton one day. However, the thought of her parents taking on the cost of attending a four-year university weighed on her as she navigated the application process.
After taking dual enrollment courses in high school and learning about the Promise Program’s two years of free tuition, Jazmin decided to enroll at Fullerton College. Community college offered her an affordable pathway to explore her academic goals, while preparing to transfer to Cal State Fullerton.
“Semester check-ins with the Promise Program helped keep me in check to successfully transfer within two years, while also meeting with staff at the Transfer Center for guidance,” she said.
One of Jazmin’s most meaningful experiences at Fullerton College was serving as a peer health educator at the Student Health Center. “We would provide outreach to students on campus two or three times a week,” she said, covering weekly themes such as nutrition, sunscreen safety, sexual assault awareness and boundary setting.
Through educating students about wellness topics and campus resources, Jazmin discovered her passion for helping others, one she continued to nurture at Cal State Fullerton.
Jazmin graduated from Fullerton College in 2025, earning three associate’s degrees with high honors as well as recognition on the dean’s list in fall 2024 and president’s list in 2023–24.
Jazmin Mendez tabling in the quad for the Student Health and Wellness Center. (Courtesy of Jazmin Mendez)
“Fullerton College is a place helping students transfer to four-year universities,” she said. “It helped me a lot in finding out what I really wanted to do, and I felt more ready to go to Cal State Fullerton.”
The City’s Heart Begins to Beat…
From the moment Jazmin set foot at Cal State Fullerton, she knew she had found her second home. She recalled feeling hopeful on her first day on campus, saying, “It’s a place I’ve been looking forward to being at for so long.”
Coming from a community college, she was pleasantly surprised to see just how large the campus community was at a university. “I’ve never seen that many people before at all,” she said, laughing. “It felt bigger than Fullerton College’s commencement ceremony!”
When she returned home later that day, she was excited to share the joy of finishing her first day at Cal State Fullerton with her family. “I’m the first person in my family to go to university so that felt really special to me,” she said.
On campus, Jazmin quickly found her community, taking on leadership positions for clubs related to her major, such as Psi Chi, Psychology Department Student Association and Psychology Student Support Club.
Advocating for Student Wellness
Seeing her dedication, Dr. Brett Goldberg, assistant director of advocacy services and community engagement services within TitanHEALTH, encouraged her to step into the role of a senior student assistant for TitanTHRIVE, a branch of TitanHEALTH that focuses on confidential advocacy services.
“Working as a Senior Student Assistant has allowed me to expand my role beyond health education by taking on greater leadership responsibilities in understanding how to show up for survivors in my community,” Jazmin shared. “These experiences have further strengthened my understanding of supporting survivors with compassion while promoting a culture of safety and healing on campus.”
Her commitment to supporting her community extends beyond TitanHEALTH. This semester, she joined Dr. Vanessa Calderon’s research lab as a research assistant, focusing on Latine mental health disparities, clinical psychology, and improving outcomes for marginalized communities.
“Research in this area is essential to addressing the barriers that many Latine individuals face when accessing mental health care,” she shared. Her work in the lab also aligns with her lifelong dream of breaking the stigma surrounding therapy in Latine communities.
Jazmin Mendez with TitanHEALTH colleague (top); Jazmin Mendez sharing campus resources with student at The Hut (bottom).
Siempre Fullerton
Jazmin will graduate from Cal State Fullerton this spring with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in human services. She hopes to return to Cal State Fullerton in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in either clinical psychology or mental health and clinical counseling.
Reflecting on her college experiences, Jazmin said one piece of advice she could give to other transfer students is that anything is possible. “CSUF has truly opened up my world to different opportunities, but it could only be thanks to Fullerton College for helping me get there.”
Transfer Success Starts Here
These students successfully transferred from Fullerton College to CSUF. With the Future Titan Center, so can you!
