​​Raised in a Chinese farming village, Jianshan Chen Khalsa dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to support her family. When she moved to California in her late 20s, she dedicated herself to learning English and pursuing higher education. 

Jianshan, a first-generation college student, graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal State Monterey Bay and delivered the university’s commencement speech in 2022. She also won the Psi Chi Western Regional Research Award at the Western Psychological Association convention in 2022. 

Jianshan is now in the school psychology master’s program at CSUMB and serves as a graduate studies mentor, vice chair on the Otter Student Union Board of Directors and as a peer mentor.

After completing her master’s degree, Jianshan plans to work in the local public schools to support minority students and recent immigrants like herself. ​