Major: Sociology

Class Level: Junior

Transfer/Freshman Entry:  Freshmen Entry

Commute/On Campus: Commute

Clubs and campus involvement: EOP & Alpha Phi Omega (Service Fraternity)

Hometown: Monterey, CA

 

Hello there!

My name is Arissa Chang and I am so excited to say that I am one of the Summer Bridge Mentors. Below is information that I would like to let you know in hopes of you being able to get to know a little bit about me. 

 

I am Korean American and a first generation college student. As mentioned above, I was born in a little town called Monterey which is a predominantly low-income neighborhood and is located in Northern California. For a majority of my life I have been raised by a single parent and I am the youngest of three. Throughout my childhood, I had moved around quite a bit and spent most of it living in Southern California. Living in SoCal for a significant amount of time encouraged me to return back for college which ultimately led to choosing San Diego State. 

 

In my time at SDSU, I have been through many ups and downs as I have begun to navigate my way through this thing called life. However, it has come to my attention that through these experiences and with a proper support system I am able to accomplish my goals. When I came to SDSU my Freshmen Year, I longed for a community and a place where I felt that I fit in. I really struggled with being able to do that on such a big campus until I became involved with the SOAR Program. There I had the opportunity to meet an amazing mentor that provided me with the support and resources that I needed. I chose to be a mentor this Summer because I would love to help guide and support others that may be experiencing similar feelings when transitioning to college. I am aware of how big of a step it is and I look forward to being there every step of the way!!

 

Hometown: East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights, CA
Language: English and Spanish



Hello everyone!
A little more about me is that I am a first-generation college student and the youngest of 5. I was born and raised in Boyle Heights, a low-income and predominantly immigrant community. I moved to Tijuana my senior year of high school due to my parents' legal status and became a transborder student and graduated from Southwest High School.

Truth be told I never saw myself at San Diego State but my time here has been a heartwarming one! I found my community as soon as I got accepted through the EOP Summerbridge program back in 2019. And slowly but surely I have created connections beyond EOP. I joined a multicultural sorority my freshman year. Through this opportunity, I have held various leadership positions and networked. I actually got my first on-campus job through the recommendation of an older member of the organization, she worked for the Latinx Resource Center(LRC). And last year, I had the privilege to work for the LRC as a peer navigator where I met more wonderful people who have had a significant impact in my undergrad journey. Now this upcoming year, I will be interning at a Military Family Resource Center for SAY San Diego.

Facts about me:
- My comfort shows would have to be Lucifer, Vampire Diaries, and Criminal Minds.
- Some of my favorite artists are King Lil G, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Cordae, Shoreline Mafia, Lucky Daye, Bad Bunny, Sech, A Boogie, YG, Lil Rob, Akon, T-Pain, and more.
- I like going to the beach to watch the sunset.
- Love bonfires