Ruiz, Jennie. Interview April 7, 2023

Seth Stanley [Interviewer]:

This is Seth Stanley. Today I'm interviewing Jenny Ruiz for the California State University San Marcos Cross-Cultural Center Oral History project. Today is April 7th, 2023, and this interview is taking place at the University Library. Hi Jenny. Thank you for coming.

Jennie Ruiz [Narrator]:

Hi, Seth .

SS:

To start out, uh, can you tell me a little bit about your background and how that maybe has influenced your work in higher education?

JR:

Oh, goodness. Okay. Background. How far do you, how do you, how far do you want me to go?

SS:

As long as you want.

JR:

Oh goodness. Well, I was born, no, um--

SS:

Go for it.

JR:

Background. Um, so I'm born and raised in San Diego, um, from Mira Mesa originally, um, went to college up at Sonoma State. For my undergrad. And did, um, got my degree in sociology. So I did a few different majors, but then I landed on sociology cause I had a really great Intro to Soc[iology] professor who I really enjoyed. Um, and through my time at Sonoma State, I got involved in 00:01:00various things. I mainly had to work on campus just to pay bills and live and all that. So I worked in like different food service and I worked in retail off campus, and actually told the story last, it was, what was it, Tuesday at a session I led about my like, professional journey.

But I had a, a job on campus where I was having to put up flyers across campus and I hated it. I would have like hundreds of flyers to post. Um, this is before lot. This is before like electronic signage and all of that. So I, um, and I was miserable but I saw a flyer for a job in the Career Center on campus and I'm like, thank goodness no one else has seen this ad at this point 'cause I'm putting the ads up, so I'm gonna apply for this job, which I did. And that kind of took me into this path of, um, of higher ed and student affairs. It kind of 00:02:00opened me up into, like the orientation, you know, kind of world new student orientation, 'cause a lot of things were run through that area. Academic advising, I interacted with, um, the program called Freshman Seminar there, which is similar to our GEL program here [program geared towards first-year students and student success in academia].

So I served in various leadership roles. I actually got, uh, I was on the dean's list one semester. There, grades were never my thing, but one semester I got on the dean's list and I got an invitation to apply for leadership positions on campus. So that in conjunction with my job in the Career Center just kind of launched me into kind of the higher ed. like, oh, this is kind of fun! So I was an orientation leader. I worked as a peer mentor in our freshman seminar class. I was a student assistant [at the] Career Center. And then once I graduated, I was looking into kind of a counseling area. Um, didn't quite know what I was 00:03:00going to do and my dad, funny enough, got me a book called What to Do with a Sociology Degree, and I was reading it one day and there was a paragraph on college counseling and I was like, of course I could do this job for work! I had never even connected [that] the professional staff that I worked with were doing that as a career. So that kind of, you know, launched me and I applied for grad school. I went to USD [University of San Diego] for my master's in counseling with a specialization in college student development. Worked in my orientation, worked in the orientation program there as a grad assistant. And then after that, got a job at Stony Brook University in New York as a residence hall director. Um, my friend tipped me off to a job that was here at Cal State San Marcos to be Coordinator of New Student Programs. So I applied for that job and 00:04:00I thankfully got it. And, um, that started my career here back in 2006, back when, funny enough, C3 [Cross-Cultural Center] was literally, I think the size of this room when I first started on the fourth floor, third floor of, um, no, the administrative building past, then [named] Craven Hall. So, and then since then I've just held a variety of positions and here I am. .

SS:

[Inaudible] Tell me more about what motivated you to work in a specifically a college setting and specifically supporting student success.

JR:

Yeah. I think people go into higher ed or any of their professions for one or two reasons: either they had a really good experience or they had a really awful experience and didn't want that to be repeated for somebody else. In my case, I had a fantastic college experience. I had great mentors, I had really great 00:05:00opportunities. Um, so I felt very fortunate. And I just, you know, in my work as a peer mentor in the freshman seminar class, I was meeting individually with these first time freshmen, really working with them and, and you know, talking with them about just life and how to connect and find their place on campus. And I found myself really enjoying it and kind of becoming-- it was a natural thing to me. Um, and so I think I wanted to feel that in my career, be able to really take that with me. And, one of the great things about I think this campus, but just the CSU [California State University] is I think our students are just so special and just work so hard. Not saying that students don't work hard other places but that there's something about our students here. Um, there's a lot of gratitude, there's a lot of understanding, I think, of the privilege they have 00:06:00of being here and getting their degree and, you know, working with that population is really, really rewarding. So, you know, did I want-- I wanted to be that for other students moving forward. But I just loved the feel of being on a college campus. There's nothing like it. I now have a almost seven year-old and just, he's been able to be here since when, since he was born. And just knowing that-- he actually said the other night, he's like, "You go to college!"

And I'm like, no, I don't go to col-- I'm not a college student, I work at a college. But he just, he associates college with me. And that's just, he's grown up in that environment. And then my mom also worked at USD for 30 years. So, I grew up going to campus with her and hanging out with college kids who, funny enough, seemed significantly older than they do now. So, it was just always a part of, you know, who I was. And so, I felt fortunate to find a place here.

SS:

And, now you're working as the Interim Director of Student Success Coaching, right? Can you walk us through your experiences as that at the job?

JR:

In the five weeks I've been in the position, , um, it's-- it's been, it's been really great. It's actually brought me back to I'd say my roots here because I started here at CSUSM overseeing orientation and really working with new students and first year students and all that. So, it's been fun in the short time I've been here to work with the team to really be creative about how we're gonna be engaging students who are coming in this next year. We're kind of in this two-- two paths right now. It's the finish this semester, but then let's think big and creatively for the incoming class who're gonna be here in fall [20]23. So just really, learning from the team and thinking about how impactful 00:08:00the work that they're doing can really be for the retention success of the first-time freshman coming in.

So, I don't know how much you know about the program but it serves first-year students who are not in an otherwise specialized program. So who are not in the Educational Opportunity Program who are not in TRIO [Student Support Services], who are not in CAMP [College Assistance Migration Program], um, ACE Scholars who are former foster youth, and then athletes or international students. So, we kind of capture the rest of the students, so don't really have a home, you know, and we wanna be that contact for them to kind of have that, that person they can go to for any questions that they have just about college. Um, so it's going well. I'm really enjoying it. I'm able to be creative and think through things and plan, which is something I love to do.

SS:

So, I know you've only worked there for, you've only been working in this position for five weeks, but, um, could you tell me, tell me about, your leadership style and how you adapted to different situations and team members?

JR:

Yeah, I mean, I think I can relate it to, 'cause I was in my old position as associate dean for almost seven years. So I've been in management leadership roles for over ten, twelve years now. But yeah it's been interesting because I joined a brand new team and so I really had the chance to kind of see how I was gonna adapt myself to them and how they were gonna receive me. And you know, it's funny, my first day I brought donuts and I said to them, 'cause this team right now doesn't have a permanent space. They're literally working in a temporary space right now. So my first thing was how do I provide them with a level of, you know, kind of stability and structure. So even in an absence of a 00:10:00physical, permanent location, they can kind of feel that stability.

SS:

Mm-hmm.

JR:

But I came in that first day and I was like, so I haven't started a new job in a very long time. So I said, I just ask for your grace. But I'm as much as, as reasonable and appropriate, obviously it's just about the human first. These are all human beings who are working in a job and if you don't connect that piece and know what really matters to these people just in life, you're kind of missing the mark. So my goal was, and I told people 'cause they wanted to meet with me, people outside my team wanted to meet with me very quickly to like talk about coaching and how I could collaborate. And I said, I want the first month to be me focusing on the team, getting to know the team, building those relationships.

And so meeting with them individually and getting to know their strengths and kind of where there's opportunities. But I, I'd say I'm very, I'm all about 00:11:00personal connections and relationships and being collaborative. But I'm also good about being, like, sometimes we just kind of have to do things and we can't bring everyone into the fold, but I want to be as transparent as possible, communicate, provide, make sure people are in the loop. 'Cause the less transparency there is, people then start to kind of worry and, you know create a narrative themselves. And so, but also humor. I like to approach things with humor. But Yeah.

SS:

Well, sounds like you're the right person for the job. Um, I'd like to ask, how have you leveraged your networks and relationships to support student development and success?

JR:

Oh gosh.

SS:

JR:

You know, it's-- so this talk I just gave on Tuesday, the Division of Student Affairs does, um, they just started this series called Conversations with 00:12:00Leaders. And they finally, they asked, they asked me to speak and I'm like, okay, because part of me is like, "You want me to talk? Oh, that's fine!" So I talked a lot about this, but one of the benefits of my job, the job I had here when I first started with orientation: it's such just by the nature of the job, so highly collaborative that, that set me up for how I have literally done everything else in every other position I have here on campus. So, it had me working with event planning, with catering, with parking facilities, with advising, with, you know, leadership to student life. Like I work with every area on campus. And so through that, and I'm asking people to do things when I don't have any leadership or jurisdiction over them. And so you very quickly had to establish this relationship with people so you can-- 'cause all I would do in 00:13:00that job is ask people for favors. It's just, "I need you to do this. Can you help with this?" And so, and I fast forward now, there's one of the colleagues I've worked with, I met him my second day working, he works in advising and now I'm meeting with him about coaching and how to collaborate. And it's just, we laugh now that I'm like, talk about full circle and even doing training on some technology that we're gonna be implementing into the program. The person in IT [Information Technology], I worked with him when PeopleSoft was first coming on board. And so again, it's like "It's so fun to work with you again!"

But, all that to say, it's been so key. And I think what has been very validating is when I've come into this job, the, the reactions I've gotten from people saying, "I'm so glad it's you and I can't wait to work with you in this 00:14:00role." And that's been really affirming and I feel like because of my relationships, I've been able to, you know, there's credibility. I'm able to connect the coaches with people that they haven't connected with before. And, you know, if they have a question, I'm like, "Let me just ask this person directly, like what the answer is." They're like, "You can just do that?" I'm like, "Yeah, I just can chat whoever, or text whoever and vice versa." So what I shared on Tuesday at the session was relationships is literally how I've gotten everything done here on this campus. It's, it's been so, so important. So I don't think I answered the question?

SS:

No, I love that. I love that. I'm so glad to see you [indistinguishable].

JR:

It's been, it's very sweet. I'm like, "Thank you!" It is very, because especially it's people that I've worked with forever and you know, and you just want people who are collaborative and willing to hear you out and you can laugh with. And I actually said to somebody the other day on the call, I said, "You 00:15:00don't have to be diplomatic with me. Just tell me there's clearly something there. So just like, tell me how you're feeling so we can just deal with it." And I think they appreciated it because with some people you have to be very diplomatic and be very discreet in how you're saying things. And I'm like, just, "I've been here long enough. Like, just tell me."

SS:

[Indistinguishable] So I'd like to ask, how do you approach building rapport with students and understanding their unique, needs?

JR:

Yeah. Um, so I've had the benefit, I mean, since I've started here to work directly with students. So in my orientation job, I supervised volunteers who are on orientation team. I supervise students who were paid staff. Like those were my direct reports. So I was directly supporting and working with students. I think very similar with how I just work with anyone. I-- it's so hard to 00:16:00describe something that I feel like just kind of happens, but I try to feel people out. You know, again, I approach a lot of things with humor, but obviously if this setting is not appropriate right, it's, you know, I'm able to kind of feel that out. I feel like I'm very intuitive. Like, I joke that my superpower is intuition because I can-- I can tell-- if I know someone, I can tell like when they walk in a room and be like, there's something going on or what's happening, and I'll just kind of give a look and be like, you let me know what you need. Like, but I just, I stop and I make efforts. I get to know people and with students, that makes, that makes a difference. You know just being 00:17:00visible and being authentic. Providing, you know, sharing with-- with discretion of course, but like my own personal life and connections and here and there. Um, but you know, in my old-- in my previous position, I was working with students in some really difficult circumstances 'cause I was overseeing student conduct. I was overseeing students who were really in a difficult situation within their life. Whether it's, they've had very something very difficult happen to them and they're navigating it and how they're acting may not be the most appropriate in that setting. And just, um, I'm really good about student[s] coming in and being like, "What is going on? Like, what's, what's happening?" And also good about being like, what we're doing here isn't working. So how do we, let's figure it 00:18:00out. So through the years I've gotten very good at being direct, but in a supportive manner? Um, some, well, supervisor joked with me, she's like, "I've never met somebody who could suspend a student, and in the same sentence, the student, thanks you." It's just, it's treating somebody as a human being. 'Cause, even if you're making a decision that's difficult, you can still do it with compassion. And humor too. I love to be sarcastic with students, like, especially O team [Orientation Team]. 'Cause I still have a connection with the students who are on orientation team. 'Cause my previous position, I was still in the same office and I would, they'd be laying down on orientation day and I'd just be like, "What are you doing?" They're like, "Oh, sorry Jennie!" And I'm like, "Come on," "Get your, get yourself together. Don't be laying down on the job." So.

SS:

All right. Um, finally we're gonna get into the Cross-Cultural Center Questions.

JR:

I know this is like, this is getting us-- getting me warm. Okay.

SS:

I Really love that. Yeah. I love, like, you're just a person people can trust, a conduit of stability.

JR:

Conduit of stability. Oh, that's deep. Okay.

SS:

Could you, anyway, could you describe what the Cross-Cultural Center was like when you initially began engaging with it?

JR:

Mm-hmm. What I remember about C3 is what we call it. Um, so when I first started, we had, and I imagine you're interviewing Alexis Monte Virgin,

SS:

Um, I'm not sure, she's not one I'm interviewing.

JR:

Yeah, he was the coordinator when I first started. Um, he's like a president of a university now. It's amazing. So he was, he was the coordinator. The, the interaction I had with C3 when I started-- because I oversaw orientation, the Student Life and Leadership Office at the time was this compacted space in, um, 00:20:00past known as Craven Hall. And so when I had on orientation days, we needed a place for Orientation Team to debrief the day. So we'd go up to C3. So that's how, that's what I remember it as. We'd go up to, we'd go to C, we'd be sitting on the floor. They had these big red couches, the red couches, the red chairs, and, it was small, but it was like, it was cozy. But yeah, we would just be having people sit on every surface possible and have our debriefing sessions there. And that's kind of my initial like, connection and, memory of how I first interacted.

SS:

This is a really big follow up, but, how did it shift over time? And did you 00:21:00have any role in this change?

JR:

Um, how it shifted? So, pretty quickly after I started, probably within the first year-- and I think the plans had already been happening, was we were gonna be moving spaces. We were gonna be moving, offices to the first floor, no, to the third floor [of the Administration Building]. So I don't know if you're familiar or not- where Ace Scholars is now, where the Tukwut courtyard is? That's where Student Life and Leadership used to be. So we were already, when I first started, kind of in this future planning, dream big mode of what can Student Life and Leadership look like. But at that time, C3 was under the purview of Student Life and Leadership. So figuring out where and how that space - because it was very important to have a designated space - not have it be interweaved into our office, but have a community building location for the Center.

So, I am sure that I was part of conversations because we were doing like kind of physical planning of the office, figuring out where everything was gonna kind of be. Um, because I was overseeing orientation, the space back then it was, I had this massive cubicle-- Um and then around the corner through a door was where C3 was. So it was an office physically located like right off of the general Student Life and Leadership office. So, kind of talking through and brainstorming how we were gonna fit these red couches into that space. The space was kinda like a triangle. So doing the physical kind of puzzle pieces, you know, figuring out, um, you know, what to put on the walls and to create that 00:23:00space was definitely part of that conversation. So, but yeah I don't remember the nuances, but I would imagine because it was physically located there, we were all part of that "What does this look like?" conversation. So, um, how it's evolved since then? I mean, it was in that space. And then, if I remember correctly, I don't know what happened first, but a leadership program was created within Student Life and Leadership. It's called SLL [Student Life and Leadership]. And, the idea was to create a Tukwut leadership. Um, is it Tukwut Leadership Center? Yeah. I think I'm remembering this correctly. So what ended up happening, I think a space opened up in the Commons Building directly across from Commons 206, I think is the room. And so the Cross-Cultural Center moved up 00:24:00there and then the [TLC], that [Tukwut] Leadership [Center] space, um, kind of a space for leadership programs and student organization meetings, stuff like that, moved into that triangle space on the third floor. So the space when it was up there was-- I mean, it was massive.

It was, I mean, comparatively speaking, I mean there was, there were windows, um, there was like a welcome desk. There were the couches again, I believe. We had at one point, I don't know what the timeframe was, but we had painted this like collective mural where everybody had like, it was a, program that they had brought to campus with a muralist. And they pretty much gave us different pieces to draw and paint. And that was put together, I think it's still up in the C3 00:25:00here in the Student Union, I wanna say. But that was up in the space and it was just bigger and more open. And I wanna say it was up there until the Student Union opened, which I wasn't in as much conversation about because at that time I had transitioned more into the Data Students Office-ish role.

So I wasn't gonna be under the same umbrella. But I remember the conversations about the physical space in the Student Union and, the offices and having a balcony and having programming space and all of that. And so you see this space now. I mean it's just, it's just beautiful. And it's with the balcony. And we've held some retreats in there and separate kind of staff meeting stuff. And Floyd's [Lai, Director of the CCC] great. He's always willing to host people. 00:26:00Um, so it's done a lot of trainings in there and stuff like that. So, that's kind of how the physical space has evolved. It's gone a long way from this sized office.

SS:

Thank you for that.

JR:

Yeah.

SS:

So many permutations. I love the red couches.

JR:

The red couches. I mean, that's the thing. And you probably will hear a consistent thing is this thread, the red couches is what C3 was. Like, that is what was, you know, the signature furniture there.

SS:

Yeah. [Indistinguishable]

JR:

Oh, I'm sure you did.

SS:

Anyways, um, I knew that you were temporary temporal, sorry. Temporarily responsible for the Cross-Cultural Center during a transition between associate directors. Let me ask you, what led you to that position?

JR:

SS:

How'd that Happen?

JR:

I don't know. You know, I think, when you're in a-- when you're leading a department right? And somebody leaves, you're kind of like, okay, who could kind 00:27:00of pick things up and keep them moving while we're doing a search, right? I think the reason I was kind of a natural person to jump into that position and I felt very grateful to do it, was because with my work with New Student Programs and Orientation, I had collaborated with, with Sara Sheik, who remains one of my dearest friends, we had collaborated on the creation of a peer mentoring program. So it was a orientation, New Student Programs and Cross-Cultural Center, um, Multicultural Programs, collaborative program. Where we focused on pairing up first-year students from underserved, underrepresented populations. So really it was, I forget the criteria but, primarily students of color, first gen[eration] students who weren't part of other specialized programs, which now I think about it, I'm like, that's funny. That's the population I'm working with 00:28:00again. So, because we had worked so closely on that and had, we're really working with the staff on creating that program, and we interviewed and hired the mentors and we onboarded the mentees and all of that stuff. I think when Sara ended up leaving, I was a natural kind of-- 'Cause I had already been working with the, with the directors and coordinators of the other, of the other centers. I had already been working with the staff in C3 on this program. So, it was kind of a natural, you know, "Can you just help with this for a little bit?" And so that way we, you know, can have some consistency? Um, so it was a fun-

SS:

Yeah, I tried to find how long you were in that position. I couldn't find it. How Long?

JR:

It was about a semest- I'd say it was about a semester, if not an entire semester. It was a couple of months in the spring semester of-- oh gosh, I don't 00:29:00know what year it was. [20]10, [20]11, [20]12, around that time. Yeah, because it was before- 'cause I moved into the Interim Assistant Dean of Students position in January, 2013. So I would say it was probably nine [2009] or [20]10 possibly, but it was only a couple months while we worked on, hiring and getting Floyd. So.

SS:

Perfect. I don't wanna get too sidetracked but, I'd like, if you're willing, I'd like you to tell me about your friendship with Sara [Sheikh]. How is she?

JR:

God. Is this what she started crying about when she was asking about relationships?

SS:

I'm not sure.

JR:

Oh gosh, Sara, what a special human. Um, she texted me earlier. She's like, how was your interview? I'm like, it's at three. So I'll tell her that you all asked about her. Um, I remember interviewing her because when we would bring 00:30:00candidates on for our department, you know, we'd all have a chance to meet all the candidates and whatnot. She first off, she was not, how do? This is the diplomatic part of me. She was not allowed to reach her fullest potential here. Her skills and her talents were not as tapped as they possibly could have been here. She left before she should have. Um, but opportunities arose and she had to take it. But she is, we are so incredibly different, but she is a quiet, calm, intentional, just peaceful human being.

Everything she does is with intention and purpose. And she's one of those people 00:31:00in my life, and I tell her all the time, and it's now her and her wife because they're, they're like cup filling people like you, you hang out with them, you spend time with them. And I'm like, okay, my soul, has been refilled. Um, not to get into politics, but this is, this is related the day of the, the day after the 2016 election, there were various emotions. And she happened to be on campus that day. She, Sara was here, this was years after she'd gone, but she happened to be bringing a group of students here to campus. And I told her, I said, you are the perfect and only person I would've wanted to interact with on this day. Because she's so good at just like being in a space with and just allowing space and asking intentional questions. But-- and then her laugh is just so unique. 00:32:00Like when you get her laughing, it's just like, there's no laugh like it. Um, but she just, the students so highly respected her, and everything that she touched here, again she did with intention and purpose. And she makes everyone feel like literally you're the only person in the room. She has nothing else to distract her. It's a very intentional, like, you're hearing it a, a pattern like purposeful and intentional. She's just a good, good person. So, I remember, 'cause I tend to talk a lot and, um, and this isn't fair 'cause you're asking me to talk, so there's no, there's no judgment here. But I remember we were at a, we were doing a staff retreat and I had to get used to that. she would process. So, you know, somebody would ask a question and a prompt, and we had to give 00:33:00space for Sara because Sara needed time to kind of put all of the thoughts together and process and whatnot. And so, I've always taken that with me. But, we've, you know, she was at my wedding. I was at her wedding. She met my son when he was, you know just after he was born. I've had the privilege to, I was there the day that, they officially adopted their son. I was taking pictures and just, just one of those people, you know? Just one of those people in your life that I'm grateful for our relationship here. And just the connection and it, I, it's one of those things where I'm like, thank you for allowing me to stay in your life. Because there's days where I'm like, what do I bring to you? Because she's just so fantastic. But she would just kind of, she would brush 00:34:00that off and be like you're nuts. So she's special.

SS:

I love that. That's incredibly great [indistinguishable]. That's amazing. I know we're in the little sidetrack here, but-

JR:

No, it's fine. it's all connected.

SS:

It's all oral history, its all about people, so.

JR:

It Is.

SS:

Back to the Cross-Cultural Center. Could you tell me about a favorite memory? Or not even a favorite, just a memory you have from the Cross-Cultural Center?

JR:

Hmm. .

SS:

This is a little stumped [one].

JR:

No, it's not stumped. I just, there's certain things that it's like, I just immediately remember and I'm like, it doesn't have to be super deep, right?

SS:

Mm-hmm.

JR:

I remember there was a period of time, I don't know, I think it was before Sara left, but, um, there were ti-- I don't know if she was out, but, we needed to have physical presence in the Center. And so each of the SLL staff would sign up 00:35:00for shifts to sit at the front desk of the center. And, I remember, I love NSYNC. It's a boy band. Yeah. And I remember I was listening to Pandora at the time, it was Pandora. And I told them, I was up there, I had like a morning shift and I said, "If I am here at my shift, you are hearing NSYNC and boy bands." And it just became a thing. They're like, "Oh, Jennie's here." And I would just play that music. And, it was, that's the first thing that kind of came to mind. It was just kind of funny. They were like, "Oh God, Jenny's on shift." But it was cool because it got us physically out of our own offices and I looked forward to that, you know, physical, that physical location change. But then to interact with students in different ways. Um, God, there's a lot of memories. I met a student, and I won't say his name for obvious reasons you'll 00:36:00learn shortly, but I first met him in C3 and I remember him 'cause he would walk in and he was always in military gear, but like not like he, he was like within the military, he was always just wearing like military-grade--

SS:

Camo?

JR: Yeah. He had like a, this military-grade backpack, like, the combat boots and just, and he was just the sweetest, kindest person. And I, that's he, that was the first time I met him was in the C3. And he would come in there all the time and that's where he would hang out and we would talk about life. And he quickly disclosed to me that he had dealt with some significant mental health challenges. And just, my brother has also dealt with some stuff and so he and I were connecting on that and just talking about life and making those 00:37:00connections. And I remembered he had gone away for a bit and then he had returned and he was, he was having some challenges as only a couple years ago. Unfortunately he passed away last year. But I always remember just that connection I had with him.

And I realized, you know, a lot of other people on campus had that connection with him. He was just, he was just this unique soul. He was like an old soul. He dealt with so much adversity with mental and physical health, but he just always came with just a presence of kindness and just sh- like sheer gratitude. And when I-- when I changed, when I moved outta my office a couple weeks ago, 'cause I was in that office for nine years. One of the things I was, I was cleaning this stuff out and I found a thank you card from him. And I was like, wow, what 00:38:00a gift. And he had, it was after I was out of the role within relation to [C3], but it's a couple years ago when I helped him with some stuff and it just said, "Thank you for helping me in one of the difficult times in my life." and I was just like, God, what a gift you just gave me. So, um, I don't know if I would've had the chance to meet him had I not been in that, you know, in that physical space because I know that was a space of safety for him, which was I know the case for a lot of students, so.

SS:

Wow.

JR:

[Mm-hmm] .

SS:

Sorry about that.

JR:

I know it's tough and yeah. Yeah.

SS:

[indistinguishable] It's remembering NSYNC Radio, at least.

JR:

NSYNC Radio. But I think even with him, I still smile, you know, and um, yeah, 'cause again, he just exuded gratitude and it, um, yeah. So mm-hmm.

SS:

Well on a lighter note! Uh.

JR:

, I know, sorry take these down.

SS:

No, no, no. It's perfect. It's perfect. I know you only worked there for a 00:39:00semester, but how might have your work at the Cross-Cultural Center helped you develop as a professional?

JR:

Massively. I mean, you know, as a, as a White woman, straight CIS woman, I bring privilege with me and I always am trying to learn and understand that what my physical presence may bring depending on the space and I'm at right? And, the majority of the students who, who hung out in that space were, were students of color, primarily students who were of Asian Pacific Islander descent. But, it was something for me to be able to-- when I first got asked to kind of fill in the role, part of me was like I didn't want my own identity to be a detriment to their development. But I realize now me even just knowing that I think 00:40:00makes a difference. That I'm aware of how my identity impacts those around me.

But there were some experiences that came up that I remember we were doing, we were doing some activities-- Oh we were doing a, an event and it was around, um, Judaism, and I don't remember what the content of the workshop was, but Hillel, which is still an active organization for serving and supporting Jewish students, but obviously non-Jewish students can be involved. There was some concern about us offering this workshop and possibly providing false information. And it was one of those things that in the moment you can get very 00:41:00defensive, right? You can be like, no, you know, we're not, we're not trying to do anything to whatever. But what it had me do was, you need to stop for a second and be-- again, the intentionality. It really taught me just you to think of anyone who could be potentially impacted, but also leveraging the voices that you have and collaborate and pull them in.

Um, 'cause why wouldn't have we have collaborated with folks on campus who live that on, on a daily basis and could provide some additional you know, but I was advising students at this time and the student was just doing what he was told. He was creating these workshops kind of in a vacuum. But it was a really good lesson to, again, do things as intentionally as possible. Even if it means you have to move the workshop a few weeks later, if it means we're doing it the right way, let's do that. So that was a really good lesson and I think it ended up being fine. We ended up collaborating with them. Um, and then just--Trying to 00:42:00think. I mean, just working with all different types of people and interacting with students I probably normally wouldn't have just because they weren't involved in Orientation Team. Like this, this particular pocket of students who worked as student assistants, within all the other centers because there was kind of like this collective team they had of- at the time the Women's Center, the Pride Center, and the Cross-Cultural Center, those three centers; our staffs would get together on a frequent basis. And there's folks from other staffs that I have connected with that I'm still in, contact with that I probably would never have interacted with. And to be honest, they probably would never have even-- based on who I am and how I present and probably would never have even 00:43:00interacted with me. And so, it was a great opportunity to kind of make those connections. But, um, I learned some more things just about program planning. We, we planned some pretty big events and just again, how to honor history and culture and doing it in a meaningful manner while advising students who just wanna get things done. And it's like, how do you balance that? So that was, um, that was a good experience.

SS:

Yeah. That's great. Um, making connections. using your voices. Moving on, could you describe, and this doesn't have to be with the Cross-Cultural Center 'cause I know you worked a pretty short time over there. Could you describe a project or initiative you with that you are particularly proud of, or were a part of necessarily?

JR:

Hmm. Geez, just so many

SS:

JR:

I think I can discuss the peer mentoring program. Although it was short-lived, I think for what it was. It's one of those programs that no matter how good of a program you have, if you don't have the resources to continue it, you can only do so much. And so-- but it was, it was really cool because it was kind of a brainchild of Sara and then she came to me and said, "You work with new students, can we just do this connection?" And so we really got a chance to dig 00:45:00into the benefits of peer mentoring and we kind of, we created it really from the ground up. We recruited current students to be peer mentors, created that training for them. And because of my work with O-Team [Orientation Team], who is solely volunteers, you know, I had a training with them, a weekly training with them on, in the spring semester, and then we had retreats. And so I was able to really bring that component. Um, and then what Sara brought was really the, the pieces of how-- why we're serving this particular population because there is an equity gap that our white students are persisting at a higher rate and graduating at a higher rate than our students of color. So, and then there was research that showed that peer mentoring specifically helps to close-- is one of the most beneficial components that a student could have to have a peer to peer 00:46:00connection. So it was really fun to work with her on that and really create the curriculum, create the, the criteria for the mentors. And then I remember we had spreadsheets and we were divvying up the, the caseloads of like who, or not the caseloads-- of like who would be matched with certain mentors and stuff like that.

Um, and so that was really fun. And then once Sara left and Floyd came on, um, I don't think it was a while, but he and I had the idea to do like an overnight retreat with this program. So what we did was we had them all come together. So we've had the mentors and the mentees, this is before school even started, had them on a bus. We drove up to Julian [California] and we did kind of team-building activities. And it was really-- I remember we had this, we wanted 00:47:00to do a ropes course and we had, there's a ropes course at this camp. And I remember Floyd and I were brought in probably three days before the retreat. And our boss at the time said, we can't spend the money on this. And we're like, "What are we supposed to do?" So then he and I just like hunkered down and created like our own like, internal team-building exercises, but we're like, "What the hell are we gonna do?" But we figured it out. What's funny now is I think it was that year, one of the mentees is now on my coaching staff.

SS:

.

JR:

So I've known him forever and it's really cool. And then funny enough we, well it's not funny but, we had to buy a new car this past weekend, track me here-- and I, we go to San Diego County Credit Union because that, we had literally just paid our car off on Thursday and that's when our car died. So we went back to San Diego County Credit Union. Said we wanted to get a loan with you again. 00:48:00And as we're meeting with this loan officer, she's like, where do you work? I told her, she's like, "I knew you look familiar!" And my husband's always like, "I swear to God, she knows people everywhere." And she said, "I was part of the peer mentoring program" and I remembered her 'cause she was assigned to, I would say was our best mentor 'cause some of our mentors left a lot to be des-- like, "Can you talk? Can you touch base with your students?" But this one -- and her last name was Ruiz as well -- and so we connected on that, but it was so cool to see this student who had been in the peer mentoring program and just being like, "I remember you!" And it was a nice little reunion. Um, but I thought it was a really cool framework to create. Um, unfortunately the resources just weren't able to keep it going. So.

SS:

Yeah. That's cool that you saw your, your one mentor--[indistinguishable]

JR:

It was so funny that, "I know you look familiar!" When I said I worked at campus, it was funny.

SS:

Yea I Know plenty of people working in the university space currently working with limited resources. Yeah, it's definitely challenging.

JR:

It is. Especially when it's such meaningful work like that. I mean, it's literally to support, but now I'm in a space again to be able to do that same kind of work, which is exciting.

SS:

Mm-hmm. What is the significance of having a space that champions underrepresented students?

JR:

Um, I mean so much. And with underrepresented students, obviously that's such a large umbrella, right? And then every group and, and community that makes up that term needs different things and there's an intersectionality and all that and it can-- but you know what it really comes down to, it's about equity, 00:50:00right? And it's interesting having conversations with people who don't quite get it and there's people who make comments sometimes it's like, "What about a space for us?" And I'm like, do you understand that any-- I can go somewhere and see someone who looks like me and understands my experience. I mean, generally speaking, pretty easily, if you have a student who comes to this campus and does not see anyone who looks like them during the day, does not have a faculty member teaching them who is from the same culture or community, to be able to have a space that a student knows they can go to. To have an experience that just physical and mental and emotional safety on a daily basis, for them to do homework and define that community will only help them to be better in all 00:51:00aspects of their life. That's why programs like EOP [Educational Opportunity Program] and ACE Scholars and those programs exist because they're-- every student should have access to the same level of services, right? First and foremost. But, if you look at certain populations and certain areas where students are from, they then need that much more support to get them to the same place that more majority populations are. So I think providing spaces like this is one step in providing that, that equity. Um, because I can imagine a student coming here and I've never really experienced it, but being like, "I don't see myself here." They're not gonna feel an emotional connection to the campus. They're not gonna feel like going to class because why would they care? I mean, there's some students who inherently they just have this intrinsic motivation and they'll go to school and it's fine.

But you wanna have that, that community and sense of belonging. That'll just make it that much more just robust of an experience for them. And the community pieces is massive. So spaces like this, if done well, and intentionally and has good leadership and the resources it needs. Because the thing is these centers-- and people joke a lot of times are placed in the basements of buildings, they're placed in inaccessible areas that people don't necessarily know about. If you do it well and put 'em in high traffic areas like the USU [University Student Union], have staffing and resources to really support those students, then it goes well. But just historically spaces like that are just under-resourced and which is an issue. So.

SS:

Yeah. Um, I guess in that same sort of area of, doing it right. Are there any 00:53:00aspects of your time at the Cross-Cultural Center that you would've approached differently if given the chance?

JR:

Mm. I, when I came in, because again, there was this like conglomerate of the three spaces. I would, and it was a really short period of time, but I got kind of sucked into their drama , and I wish I would've come in and I don't know if I had fully found my voice yet like if I, knowing what I know now about things and haven't gone through when I've gone through now, I feel like I would be able to go in and be able to really help the students to be very-- To, you 00:54:00know to collaborate, but not necessarily be dependent on, I think, I wanted to collaborate with these other folks but I think there was almost a sense of like I had to defer to what they wanted kind of thing. And so probably it would be fun to go back in there now knowing what I know now and see how things would be different. But, I don't know. I think that the state of where I was at the time, you learn based on where you're at in life. And I got lessons, from it. I, um, there were-- I worked with my first student who I was aware of being undocumented at the time and just learning about that process and learning about that impact for her and just, I mean we literally, no one knew but she would, she would submit kind of a fake time sheet every month just to have this sense 00:55:00of normalcy and that nobody would question. And just, that was kind of my first, kind of opportunity to, to work with students experiencing those challenges. So. I can't think of anything glaring. I was still I think pretty early and young in my profession. Um, so, there's still days where I'm like, "You wanted me to be in there?" But, it worked out. But I think those are the things I can, I can think of.

SS:

That's good.

JR:

Yeah.

SS:

More experience.

JR:

More experience. It's all, it's all experience. Yes.

SS:

Well, as we're wrapping-- winding down, I know you mentioned before that a lot of people that would go to the Cross-Cultural Center were um--

JR:

Asian Pacific Islander.

SS:

Oh yeah. Asian Pacific Islanders.

JR:

Yes.

SS:

I, a lot of questions are raised around like these cultural centers, like the Black Student Center and, the Latinx Center and stuff like that. And should there be an Asian student center? Should there be a white student center? What's your response to that?

JR:

That's my response. Um, I mean, I think I mentioned it before about the purpose of these spaces. Everyone, every student should have access to support and resources on our campus. I do not think inherently based on the setup of society, students at particular demographics are lacking spaces where they see others like them.

SS:

[Mm-hmm.]

JR:

Like I said, things need to be, do, done well. You need to have the staffing. I 00:57:00think it's always going to be met with some dissonance because there's gonna always be people who just don't get it. But the people who are the ones traditionally, and I know there's people who may identify as the same within that center and say, I don't think we should have, you know, separation or whatnot. But it depends where people are at on their identity development. And when you kind of go through identity development, you get to the point where you're comfortable enough in your space and your skin and your whatever to understand that everyone else is in a different space and that's okay. And that some students may be okay with it and some students may really need that space to be successful. And again, if having a Black Student Center allows one black man who goes to school here to have a physical space that he can go to feel 00:58:00safe, then I think that's been successful because otherwise where would he find that here? Right. I think the people who ask those questions about, why don't we have this? Why don't we have this? And it's like, I don't-- there's gonna always be people who ask those questions and they don't have an answer for it. They don't have anything to kind of back up, you know, you ask the question of, "Why do you think we need that space?" And they don't have any, you know, there's no research to back up the answers that they're hoping to get. It's just, they're there-- The questions are just being asked, I think to kind of stir things up. But again, the caveat is: you don't wanna just do it to do it to check off boxes. You need to do it as intentionally as possible. And I'm far from being an expert on how to implement that. But if you don't have the resources and don't have the institutional support, you're only gonna be, you're set up to fail.

SS:

Mm-hmm. Perfect. Great. Um, yeah, I like that answer. If it helps. It's worth it.

JR:

Yep. Mm-hmm.

SS:

To conclude connecting to that question, uh, what role do you see the Cross-Cultural Center playing as it coexists with the expansion of identity-specific spaces?

JR:

I would imagine, I'll say Floyd specifically 'cause he has been the longest-tenured, um, director in there now. [Floyd] is probably been asked how he's gonna be-- What is the Cross-Cultural Center? How does the Cross-Cultural Center kind of stand apart from the other identity centers? I think with the Cross-Cultural Center, although other centers talk about intersectionality and you know, and that sort of thing, I think what the Cross-Cultural Center can 01:00:00really focus on is really that multiculturalism, how all the different identities intersect and kind of can help to facilitate those conversations and understandings and that sort of thing. I would imagine there's been conversations about-- do we have a space for, you know, our APIDA [Asian Pacific Islander Desi American] students? Because that tends to be the space that, that population tends to spend time.

I think, there were conversations way back in the day where, 'cause they're Kamalayan Alliance, I don't know if it's a really big organization now, but Kamalayan Alliance was a massive student organization back in the day, and that was primarily the students who made up the space in the center and some people had issues with it. It's kind of like but this is not supposed to be just for 01:01:00Filipino students, but it's like, who defines that? You know? It depends on who has a connection here and who feels connected. So, I would imagine-- I know there's some campuses who have, I mean, tons of different affinity spaces and identity centers. And I'm sure there's gonna be conversation about what, what is C3's role in that? Um, I don't know the answer I'm not privy to those conversations, but I'm sure the questions have come up of what is the space for this type of physical and identity space in the midst of adding all these different, identity spaces? Other campuses do it. It's just, I'm sure there's a lot of conversations about what is the vision and mission and kind of, where's it gonna go, which can be exciting. Um, but I'm sure there's also some pressure to be like, who are we? What is our, what is our mission here on campus? But, 01:02:00um, the current leadership can figure it out. He's [Floyd Lai, Director of the Cross-Cultural Center] good. He's good.

SS:

Yea, he is good.

JR:

He is good.

SR:

Anyways, thank you so much for coming here and--

JR:

This was Fun. . I don't know what I expected, But yeah.

SS:

Anyway, I'm gonna end the recording.

JR:

Okay.