Jamie Rangel spent her first six years after high school in the U.S. Navy, being deployed three times and visiting 10 countries. When she returned to her native California for college, CSU San Marcos (CSUSM) appealed to her because of its smaller campus and its business programs.

Rangel applied for a position with ESTEP (Energy System Technology Evaluation Program), a program that provides for energy related projects for STEM students and is housed at CSUSM. Through the program, Rangel received mentorship from the directors and staff that helped her to feel supported both academically and personally.

“They are very interested in student exposure to networking and internship opportunities, and in seeing students succeed in not just education but in home life and professional settings,” says Rangel.

Rangel says that one of the things that made her feel most connected with her campus community was using her leadership skills to give back to other veterans, advising women like her to volunteer their time outside of class to help others grow.

Following her graduation in May, Rangel plans to attend the university’s specialized MBA program for Business Intelligence and work in the clean energy industry as a data analyst and continue sharing resources with other veterans.