When Jazmin Barrita Barrita arrived in the U.S. from Mexico at age 13, she didn't speak English and was confronted by the bigotry and violence many immigrants face. Rather than attend school, she rose at 4 a.m. every day to help her family work in the fields. When she did begin school, as a freshman, she found herself lost and behind, while battling bullying, depression and feelings of hopelessness.

In high school, the Migrant Education Program was a lifeline for Jazmin. Now a junior at CSU Bakersfield, majoring in business administration with an accounting concentration and a minor in economics, she's made it a point to give back. At CSUB, she serves as an ambassador and academic mentor with the College Assistance Migrant Program, where she helps other first-generation students navigate the ins and outs of higher education.

Jazmin also assists low-income households with filing their tax returns, volunteers with the American Cancer Association and serves as vice president of the University Accounting Association.

She plans to use the skills she learned at CSUB to become a certified public accountant.​