Jenelle Gonzalez

San José State University
Recipient, William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement

Jenelle Gonzalez is majoring in health sciences at San José State University. She has already had to overcome many hardships and setbacks in her life. During her early high school career, Jenelle moved with her two sisters to San Jose, hoping to find their father. After reuniting with him, they were saddened to learn that he had a terminal illness. At the age of 17, she had to make medical decisions for him. Since his death, she has had to support herself and her sisters on her own. Along with working full time, Jenelle attends school full time, maintains a strong GPA and continues to raise her sisters. Her dream is to become a doctor so that she can save other families from the loss she experienced and prevent others from suffering as her father did.