​Monica Pignotti isn’t the first in her family to go to college, but she’s the first to earn a degree. Though her parents were supportive, she worked to pay for college or earned scholarships in order to join one of the best communications programs in the state. She credits CSUF campus organizations such as PRSSA and the Latino Communications Institute for her positive transfer experience from community college. During her senior year, Pignotti worked as a student assistant for online and social engagement in the Strategic Communications department. “The support and mentorship I had as a student employee taught me the invaluable lesson of collaborating with others and getting to know the campus through different perspectives. What I love about the CSU the most is no matter the department, we all share the same mission—to foster student success one way or another,” Pignotti said. Since graduating in 2019, she worked at Cal Poly Pomona and recently rejoined her alma mater as their digital media and branding coordinator for the GEAR UP program​.