Making it to and through college is no small accomplishment—but how do you transition from the classroom to the workforce? Cesar, Genesis, and Ranela are CSUF students looking to the future, and finding it full of uncertainty. So they set out on the road to speak with alumni who’ve faced unique hurdles, and can help them embrace the winding road ahead. After meeting with a judge, a screenwriter, a college president, and more, the roadtrippers realize that it’s impossible to map out the future perfectly—but there’s no such thing as a wrong turn if you listen to yourself. <br><br>If you are a CSUF student or alumni looking for more ways to share your CSUF experience, join communities, talk trends in the industry, offer or receive advice, check out the <a href="https://alumni.fullerton.edu/studentoutreach/titanpronetwork.php" target="_blank">Titan Pro Network</a>, where CSUF students and alumni connect. 

CSUF Roadtrip

INSIGHTS FROM THE ROAD

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California State University, Fullerton

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Unsure how to navigate life after college, three students seek out professionals who give them the direction—and confidence—to move forward

Getting go in a giant green RV traveling in Southern California. &gt;&gt; We're gonna be talking to Cal State Fullerton alumni who are actually out there in the workforce. &gt;&gt; You don't need to make a decision that this is the final job and I better get it right and it's gonna determine my whole career path. Pick something that you wanna go do and you think is interesting. &gt;&gt; Overall, we just want to learn from them and use their stories as encouragement. &gt;&gt; I'm just excited to see what's gonna come out of this road trip. &gt;&gt; Three, two, one, Cal State Fullerton. [MUSIC] 

Three CSUF students prepare to travel through Southern California in search of inspiring alumni stories. 

California State University, Fullerton Roadtrip Trailer

empowers people to build lives around State University, Fullerton, hit the road about building a life after college. State University, Fullerton Roadtrip. leave my comfort zone entirely. travelling in Southern California. we just want to learn from them and gonna come out of this road trip. it doesn't really give me the time to think of what I wanna do. why I don't know what I wanna do. a decision that this is the final job and it's gonna determine my whole career path. you think is interesting. just see where it goes. gets discouraging and it will. have confidence that you'll persevere. to guide me to my future. I'm studying English as my major. doesn't have a certain industry, so because where do I go? you face fear, that's power. to follow our dreams not to do what we goal and take that action step. that other people don't have. of the kids at Cal State, Fullerton, those that are the first to go to college. that people don't know about. much stronger than the next person. I want to help people. minorities, whoever it is, background they come from. that my mom wasn't helped. that's the road I'm on, and from me on the side of the table, right? what you do makes you happy, at a job that pays the bills or you don't get any joy from it. doing isn't just for your kids or that it actually fills you up. doing when you give from your heart? more to come in, that makes your heart sing, get up in the morning. happy with things like that, their work in others and get better. background you come from. much money you have. the way that you tackle it and stop overthinking. it means that it's so many possibilities. the motivation, you'll be fine. Fullerton, it makes you who you are. that's happened to you in your life cuz you had no control over it. you wanna do with your life. We'll, do that. 

Gearing up for the journey of a lifetime, the roadtrippers prepare to meet inspiring alumni. 

Episode 1: Hitting the Road

State University Fullerton road trip. are actually out there in the workforce. I go to Cal State Fullerton. college student is tough. our families of them not truly that is on our plate. who went to college. to talk about how overwhelmed I at a church, being a girlfriend, I didn't have that. other people who might not have that. as a declared sociology major. the woman has to stay at the house. husband in whatever he does and not only my culture, but it and how could we make it better? where women could share their voice? everything that you navigate in it. Genesis, what's your major? what are you gonna do with that? I have the pressure of changing pursuing higher education. business is so big, you could go. switched her major to business. the motive behind why I trying to figure out a way and because I love to help people. this road trip, figure out and gonna secure the case for me. and I'm a first gen college student. how to navigate the college system. of like a new world. but I knew I couldn't. the chance to go to college. they just didn't have that opportunity. it'd be silly for made when he was 20 to come to the US, create a better lifestyle for me too my mentor was like, hey, I'll major in Spanish. my house my whole life, I was like, it wasn't going to challenge me. not to pick up a minor. the summer I did get a internship at into my Spanish degree too, because a lot major all you're gonna do is be a teacher, both of them somehow, some way. get a better idea of what I wanna do. California State University Fullerton. Philippines three years ago. that's totally out of my comfort zone. in the Philippines. the biggest influencer in my life. brother play games and that's how we bond. I tell everything. miss about the Philippines. hospitality management. that's it? what's gonna happen after that? I'm like, yeah, what's gonna happen? find the answer was always in me. I love reading, so okay, was in the basic level of writing. there's a long way to go write my own story. like they have more experience already. I'm starting from the bottom. depressed in my first two years here in I didn't have any friends because I was so confident about my English. give up and just go back there. my family the life that they deserve. America, I've been working two jobs. than 40 hours a week. day that I go to school, and it's so hard. to really guide me to my future. people, that person, like an immigrant, full time and studies full time. doing what they're doing. 

The roadtrippers introduce themselves, sharing stories, hopes, and why they’re here. 

Episode 2: Meet the Roadtrippers

State University Fullerton road trip. also the first time I've gone on a boat. about Catalina Island. really beautiful. &gt;&gt; Look. &gt;&gt; My name's Cesar Romero. Spanish major, minor in political science. I'm still not sure. even if I don't complete it, cuz it's a lot of money, and burning inside to do either. to give myself some time to think more instead of just being so we're about to interview Tim Runco. entertainment here at Universal Studios. he studied political science. how he's gotten here. do to help a student, had helped me a lot, man, I will do it. a certain point in life that when you could do that Vulcan mind meld. &gt;&gt; And just go, you don't need to make those. &gt;&gt; Make your own mistakes, but &gt;&gt; So that's, yeah, how I can help you directly. Vice President of entertainment. all the live show elements and that people want to see? a group of people to do that. have a special effects show where we give how you build special effects. we've got jet ski jumps, the seaplane that flies over the wall. Marilyn Monroe or Shrek or the trolls and on the planet down at Jurassic World. getting here is kind of haphazard. went to Cal State Fullerton, and cuz I was working at Disneyland. I had a bunch of jobs, some paid off or really I learned a lot. eventually wanted to go to law school. these one great job after another. up through a recruiter. been better off going, all right, I know I some time and go work and go travel. to give me some context and when I stepped into a career again. experience in Cal State Fullerton. I had some great classes. I just went down there recently for professors there. course I would try to wring it out for were our age, about to finish college? to success right know? is, the obvious thing you wannna think is, that was one measure of success. there is a moment of I did it. a certain amount of discipline and which obviously clearly you guys have. that, but this is kind of a signal, right. like that first check, me to do something, right. know is you can't let the paycheck, only key of what is successful. applaud and the camera's flash and yeah, it worked, awesome. then take the time, use it, read a book, that looks interesting, take more risks. explore the world, that's a good thing. a decision that this is the final job and it's gonna determine my whole career path. you think is interesting and and just see where it goes. gets discouraging, and it will. have confidence that you'll persevere. he's doing something he loves. &gt;&gt; I think I see it. to your Bachelor's degree forever. get closer to what you want. &gt;&gt; [SOUND] [LAUGH] makes me want to be a better person. till the wheels fall off. just wring it out, love it, and just follow it. why I picked my major. aspect and it's gonna be part it also may not be something you do. times where maybe you're interested in switch if you're not into it anymore. shifts, and I gotta be okay with shifting. being stuck to one thing. to the future students 

Tim Runco takes the roadtrippers behind the scenes of what it’s like to plan the entertainment at Universal Studios Hollywood. 

Episode 3: Shifting Gears

State University Fullerton road trip. as a declared sociology major. decision of changing my major the voices echoing in my ears. Genesis, what's your major? what are you gonna do with that? the pressure of changing the trajectory providing for them in the future. for pursuing higher education. do business, business is so big, my major didn't keep me going. not because of me. else that's gonna complement it in a way me do what I wanna do. a first generation college student that ask them how did you navigate that? generation with your family? the United States in December of 1966. I'm first in my family to go to college. education was the vehicle for but for my community and for society. college, what they did was work, work, was interested in social justice and college right into law school. a political activist, and I came out and I did it for 30 years. would put your head down and work, work, around and ten years had passed. I said to myself, oh my goodness, trying to get to the top. was a national lawyer practicing all over financially secure. which was make a difference. would really recommend to you called mountain, and then when you get to the top people reach the top of their mountain, it at different times in your life. I reached mine, took me 30 years. I said, wow, that was hard, that was good. is what the book is about, finding your for you but you're climbing for others. and first generation like us, so college student isn't just hard in the first in your family. 100% understood by your family. family of my parents and my sister. I'm the oldest grandchild, at me like, what is he doing? when my parents took me to college they pushed me out the door and said, go. a college campus was like, was gonna go on there. everything that was going on, I kind of, &gt;&gt; Exactly. because they don't understand, I want to help people. that my mom wasn't helped. minorities, whoever it is. background they come from. that my mom wasn't helped. and that's the road I'm on. I already know you're going to give back to our community, to the world. is all about. me on this side of the table, right, what you do makes you happy. what you do fills you, yeah. at a job that pays the bills or you don't get any joy from it. doing isn't just for your kids or that it actually fills you up. doing when you give from your heart? more to come in. president of Cal State Fullerton is all community on this campus. that makes you feel fulfilled, you want to get up in the morning. happy with things like that, see their work in others. get better. easy to speak with. keep moving towards your second mountain, &gt;&gt; Yep. from minority group, first one in his of had to figure it out on his own. one that represents Cal State Fullerton. him wanting to thrive, where I was coming from. was feeling my passion, why I do what I do. up high to a mountain, and my second mountain. 

Fram Virjee, the president of California State University, Fullerton discusses what it means to be first generation students. 

Episode 4: To the Mountain

State University Fullerton Roadtrip. I'm 22 years old and California State University Fullerton. never regret taking this major. when in this generation stories and stuff in my head. who's just stuck in an office cubicle. to really guide me to my future. got her bachelor's in theater. which is where we're at, got her masters in theater. Aladdin, all those fairy tales. &gt;&gt; As a Filipino immigrant, doesn't have a certain industry, so that's also scary. with a theater arts major. which then I got a master's in theater for into television for had a theater major. that's where it is, right? but I was in the business. that I could sit in meetings and what they call pitch, whatever it is. notes like an official person. I became a substitute school teacher, and because I knew people from my job. Saturday morning cartoon. now that you've gone through career, you've experienced, your idea of what success is shifts. I started doing what I was doing. morning cartoon writer. that I didn't think was very good. I'm thinking, you know, I would like to write a Disney movie. them real writers. kept resounding in my head. that I wrote, and it was published. Houghton Mifflin, my name all over it. my number and put it on the desk. maybe somebody here wants to read this. let somebody stop me. that your perceptions of yourself and my career maybe, and I'm thinking, Academy Award nominations, toured the world. evolves as you evolve. out over the competition? this person's doing better. get your path, set your goal. people are telling you and I trusted my talent, really trusted it. Cal State Fullerton gave me a lot of that. the school was to trust my talent, Cal State Fullerton and I love this place. is one thing that you absolutely loved? really created this place for right around my time here, of the support system that I really felt like they believed in me. I carry that with me all the time. people don't accept my ideas? idea is not good enough? creative enough? it belongs to you. you wanna write and you are the goddess of that world. and I can fly there and that's right. it gives me the most joy. that's your joy place. what your mom thinks or your school thinks. unique person nobody else is you. so lucky that I could sneak my ideas for all the things I had to say. I ever even conceived of for myself. don't worry so much. writer that I ever met. have to show anyone, anything. &gt;&gt; I need that. Thank you. I really wanted to be answered about my 

Linda Woolverton, the screenwriter behind Beauty and the Beast, gives the roadtrippers some advice on living their own stories.

Episode 5: Telling Stories

State University Fullerton road trip. have anyone in our family to run to. make sure my APA format is right? pick their brains. Advance Beauty College. &gt;&gt; Hi. &gt;&gt; Hi, good morning. &gt;&gt; He graduated with a bachelor's in but he switched to business. management at Cal State Fullerton. &gt;&gt; The Hungry Hombre back in the 80s. in 1987, and started a beauty college. but in 1999, 21 years ago, as the second generation owners. Co-owner of Advance Beauty College, I came to the US at the age of one. the shirt on their back. that comes along with that. I'm in the part where I'm about to finish. means, what's gonna make me happy? be a doctor or a lawyer, but and being an obedient son. I'm not happy doing this. breathe for the rest of your life. something that tore me up inside. I've ever felt in my life. we were on welfare. apartments here and there, that was rough. I never saw them. generation as well, right? background, hearing your struggles, it the way you can, and they can, undergrad and through med school, they ever made to make sure that I didn't risked my life for you. you say thank you, but I don't feel it. to articulate, I need to be happy. Cal State Fullerton, and got my MBA. in my life, because it was the first time endeavor that was led by myself. called Center For I can find mentors that are more broad and Fullerton that I didn't know previously. provided that platform for me. Fullerton's ready to work, ready to lead. I read that for the first time. I feel I can control is my work ethic. earlier now more than ever before. I'm fired up, and dad started to get it. actually a little bit different from Tam's first generation. so he knows what that's like. and co-leader for this business. whether it's on campus at Cal State, and in the state, and country. and I want to give back. sometimes think about the money, debt and much more important than the money. love, happiness, and mentorship. parents will be happy for me too. backgrounds where they taught us to be &gt;&gt; Forget. forget your roots. about remembering that you were once in in high school right now. gonna graduate too one day, and about where you started. to your community, to your people. college instead of keeping it to yourself minor in Spanish, and Chicano studies. experience has been in law school. what challenges she still faces today. an Orange County Superior Court Judge, my parents were from Mexico, the time 17, and my father who was 18. I was fluent in Spanish. English was my second language. circumstances, both financially, in which I was raised. you stepped outside of where I lived. at one point, lived in a camper. are attached to the truck? we just lived in the camper. &gt;&gt; I realize now how all of those made me better at what I do. I wanted to be a psychologist. I knew that I wanted to help people. at Cal State Fullerton, Basic Educational Skills for Tomorrow, so I had these kids, and to get into trouble. that the parents were working really hard spending time with their kids. was happening in their community, and really what I wanted to do was go to to do juvenile delinquency. I wanted to speak on their behalf. to the US my family in the Philippines, have all these eyes on me. should be a nurse, you should do this, of noise, what you should and when I was in law school, was going to go to a law firm. you have many options, in a large law firm. you can make a lot of money, but fact that I opted to be a public defender. I knew that if I had gone to a law firm, it just wasn't the way I was built. that you always be guided by the fact doing what is your passion. think is going to pay the bills, you to achieve ultimately what you want. don't have, and I truly believe that. I know you guys aren't kids, but Cal State Fullerton are first gens. a desire that people don't know about, you've walked in those shoes. much stronger than the next person, right? with college, by the time that you guys feel financially secure. I mean financially secure. with the struggles of today and you are like, this is it? you'll always doubt yourself. do inventory on my life, me and made me better at what I do. phenomenal, just a great person. is gonna mark me for never gonna forget, is inventory. done from a very, very young age. to put it in words, and it's all I've ever done. the spokesperson for my mom. everything, do this, that's normal to me. us, do inventory of what you've done since a skill that a lot of people don't have. potentially being an attorney- keep figuring things out. take that pressure off but she has this drive, it never burns out. I want to be like that too. special and unique, embrace your story. &gt;&gt; Consider this enriching and chapter in your life. when the odds are against you, 

As first generation college students and the children of immigrants, the roadtrippers sort out how to make their mark. 

Episode 6: First Generation

State University Fullerton roadtrip. the point like everyone saying just their with writing then you shouldn't be trip is like I'm gonna be motivated. through the same shoes and on from that, and stuff like that. we have this huge mission to help end diabetes and metabolic disease. coconut flour. really hard to do with those ingredients. affect your body the way sugar does. you with your business skills? classes that people complain about helped me understand other parts, and to see the world in a different way. life companies with what I was learning. I feel my whole life, okay? as a kid we didn't have much. to the US by herself and she would go clean people's houses. she's cleaning, and taking so okay, mijo, come on. her family get ahead. seeing my grandma loved me so much, but manufacturing jobs that they've had. didn't speak a certain language. age I was powerless to help. I wanna change the world. people what's possible. to graduate to show them it's possible. a million dollar business, guess what? my cousins, wanna start their own stuff. at your full potential, live their life at their full potential. good enough to make it out there. and how did you overcome your fears? an entrepreneur since kindergarten. working on entrepreneurship, learning how to build websites. than the fear that I face. than the self doubt. you want to greatness, to excellence, I was gonna figure it out. like I have been confused as heck. provide a better future for my family. and I work, I do not want to be miserable. look forward to what I'm gonna go do. is something I enjoy. do ten years down the line? &gt;&gt; Whatever you choose, I gotta go left forever. that's it, that's my life. I'm done. about finding yourself. about finding yourself. life are that this is your lane, there's no changing your mind. what you want and what else do you want? have it be low carb, right? travel the world? experiencing life at its fullest. though you face fear. reasons not to follow our dreams, do it even if you're afraid. goal and take that action step. that we're just people. similar cities even. &gt;&gt; Okay. &gt;&gt; All just saying, just saying. background as myself, and he loves what he does as well. is kind of scared of what's next. not just stick with the safe options. what's next cuz I'm like the person having like a path, right? point of going to college, to make more money. next step is, it's kind of scary. graduated from Cal State Fullerton. several years. it was okay, but something a little bit more creative. just kinda told myself like, presents itself first. graphic design and writing. I had gotten into building furniture. years like doing commissioned pieces or that they couldn't find in a store. buy something that I made, validation cuz it was kind of like, any store in the world. furniture maker in the world but was cool and that's what you want. that was a big driver for me initially. two years into that cuz I had a lot of wasn't able to pursue. was going to my side business was five pieces over and over. much had grown YouTube into a full time and a half years before it was big enough. take the risk to just do it on my own. kind of unique is like a trapezoidal top, be basically this, this shape. you could use math to figure this out. then like all your math is out the window. an eighth of an inch too long, or human error that you're gonna have. then like what the math tells you, six passes to like, a little hair that you're shaving off. job knowing that you had security to there's a lot more risk involved? gave me anxiety. I didn't know when it was gonna happen. opportunities on the table at that time to say yes to everything. it was a huge risk cuz I had benefits. things that I was walking away from. big enough where it was a second income on parallel with what I was making. if I say yes to this, and if this failed, of advice that you would give us? gonna define what you are and different than what I'm doing now. into woodworking until I was 30. channel until I was 36. didn't exist when I was 25. you're gonna end up on, but doesn't interest you initially to pay that interests you, that's okay. you're a sellout and the rest of your life. to find whatever that path that you want to have success with it. &gt;&gt; It's very empowering to see that make money doing what he loves. for being in one career for there and not care about the risk. 

The roadtrippers consider how they can best press on to meet any of the challenges life throws at them.


Episode 7: Perseverance

Follow along as three CSUF students travel across Southern California to meet inspiring alumni who’ve made their marks on the world. Along the way, they'll learn about new paths to long-term career success, and see how to unlock the education and training they'll need along the way. Follow along as these roadtrippers discover how their backgrounds, upbringings, and curiosities can chart a course into the future they hope to build for themselves.

CSUF Roadtrip

STOPS & INTERVIEWS

STOPS & INTERVIEWS

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