51Æ·²è

Sociology major Jazmin Rivera turned her experience as a transfer student into research and advocacy work aimed at making higher education more supportive and accessible for future students.

By Kate Vander Vort ’27

When Jazmin Rivera transferred to 51Æ·²è from De Anza College in the fall of 2024, she entered a completely new environment while balancing the challenges many transfer students face.

As a first-generation college student from Sunnyvale, California, Rivera says her experiences shaped both her academic interests and the work she pursued at SCU.

“I chose Sociology because it’s a broad field that keeps my options open for whatever career path I decide to take,” Rivera says. “It’s also a subject that truly interests me because it helps me understand why people are the way they are.”

Rivera explains that sociology gave her the tools to better understand larger social systems and the ways institutions impact people’s lives, especially marginalized communities.

Research Rooted in Lived Experience

At SCU, Rivera became a research assistant for Sociology Department chair, professor Laura Nichols, where she focused on transfer student and community college experiences.

Her work involved analyzing interviews about transfer student experiences, researching best practices for transfer student support across universities, and collaborating with SCU departments and community colleges to help build stronger partnerships.

“The work focuses on issues within higher education and the goal is to bring awareness of this topic in order to strengthen institutional support systems,” Rivera says.

Rivera’s interest in the topic also carried into her capstone project, a research proposal titled “Stigma Surrounding Community College Transfer Students.”

The project examined how students perceive stigma surrounding the community college pathway and how those perceptions shape their experiences in higher education. Rivera says the research connected directly to her own experiences as a transfer student and highlighted broader conversations about inequality and institutional support.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

One of the courses that had the greatest impact on Rivera was SOCI 118: Qualitative Methods.

During the course, Rivera and her classmates conducted a collaborative project on transfer student experiences at 51Æ·²è, examining topics such as academic preparedness, belonging, and institutional support.

“That project became an important turning point for me because it showed me that many struggles often framed as individual adjustment issues are actually shaped by larger institutional structures,” Rivera says.

Outside the classroom, Rivera also participated in a summer immersion trip to New York through the Ignatian Center.

The trip focused on criminal justice reform and partnered with Thrive For Life, a nonprofit organization that supports formerly incarcerated individuals as they transition back into society.

Building Community at SCU

In addition to her academic work, Rivera stayed involved across campus in a variety of roles. She served as a DJ for KSCU 103.3 FM and worked as a Customer Service Specialist for the Alumni Association.

Looking back on her time at SCU, Rivera says she is most proud of successfully navigating the transition into a new environment while finding her place on campus.

“Since transferring from De Anza College in the fall of 2024, I have been able to accomplish a great deal despite my relatively short but memorable time on campus,” Rivera says.

Looking Ahead

After graduation, Rivera plans to pursue a Master’s of Social Work at San José State University, where she hopes to continue applying what she learned during her undergraduate experience toward more hands-on work with marginalized communities.

For incoming students, Rivera encourages them to stay open to new experiences and opportunities.