Jenny Roxas

Tell us something interesting about your background.

I like to challenge myself to see what I am capable of. In college, I studied abroad in a rural town in Italy for a year where barely anyone spoke English and I learned to became fluent in Italian. After getting my master’s degree, I moved to New York to see if I could handle all four seasons. I survived three winters and decided it was time to go back home to the Bay Area. I’m now focused on how I can physically become better as I was a bit inactive when getting five different eye surgeries during the pandemic. 

What has led you to your current role?

My purpose is to empower diverse individuals and groups overcome social barriers by providing tools and support. As a first-generation, low-income Filipina-American, I struggled with understanding how to navigate college and finding job opportunities. My first role after graduating from Chico State was working in AmeriCorps where I was able to build a youth employment training program from the ground up to support probation, foster, gang-affiliated and undocumented youth with my former supervisor Melecia Navarro. This experience was so impactful that when I graduated with my master’s degree, I pursued opportunities in Career Services.

Building the infrastructure of how our center works at the intersection of identity and career development for underrepresented and marginalized student populations was an opportunity I couldn’t resist when I was initially hired. I am grateful for my promotion to continue this work and I look forward to the impact the BACE team and Peer Career Coach program will have on-campus.

In your spare time, what do you enjoy doing?

I love spending quality time with my fiance, family, and friends. I also enjoy traveling, reading, and dancing.

Degrees/Certifications:
M.S. in student affairs and higher education, B.A. in anthropology
Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), Certified Social Justice Mediator