Two first-generation college students have been named the top graduating students for Cal State San Bernardino’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, earning recognition not only for their academic excellence but for the transformative journeys that led them here.

Jessica Mary Fanene of Temecula, who earned a Master’s of Social Work (MSW) from CSUSB’s School of Social Work, was named Outstanding Graduate Student. Lauren Pitman of Trona, who completed her bachelor of arts in psychology with a biological concentration, received the Outstanding Undergraduate Student award.

Both are the first in their families to earn college degrees and will be honored at the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Commencement exercises on Friday, May 16, at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.

Fanene will be honored at the 5 p.m. ceremony for the departments of anthropology, geography and environmental studies, history, social sciences, sociology and the schools of criminology and criminal justice and social work.

Pitman will be recognized at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony for the departments of child development, economics, ethnic studies, political science and psychology.

Fanene, who also has a bachelor’s degree in social work from CSUSB, overcame significant personal and medical challenges, including a long recovery from Guillain-Barré Syndrome and becoming a full-time caregiver for her husband, pursued her MSW to become the kind of support she once needed. Her career goal is to serve as a school social worker or with a mental health agency that serves school systems.

“Social work reflects my values of empathy, advocacy and resilience,” Fanene said. “It offers a path where I can uplift individuals, strengthen communities and help break down systemic barriers.”

While completing her MSW, Fanene co-authored a mixed-methods study “Safety, Access to Resources, and Inclusion: A Study of the LGBTQIA+ Community in the Inland Empire.” She also served as an intern, volunteer, wife, daughter, sister and mother while pursuing her degree.

Earning her MSW, she said, was her proudest accomplishment, given the challenges she faced that included caring for her husband and the loss of two relatives on top of the long commute to campus from south Riverside County.

“These experiences shaped my academic path and the person and social worker I am becoming; someone committed to perseverance, compassion, and helping others find hope through their own challenges,” Fanene said.

And she also had a role model. “My grandmother, who immigrated from Ireland, inspired me to pursue social work,” she said. “Her resilience and unconditional love showed me the power of being a steady support in someone’s life.”

Fanene credits mentors Nicole Espinosa, her field supervisor; Caroline Lim, assistant professor of social work; and Martin Barrera-Martinez, executive director of Jacob’s House, where she does volunteer work, for shaping her professional journey. She plans to earn her pupil personnel services credential and pursue additional training in trauma-informed care.

“Completing my MSW symbolizes resilience, dedication, and the fulfillment of a dream I worked hard for and a dream I never thought was possible,” Fanene said. “It also reminds me that I am capable of overcoming challenges and shows my son the power of knowledge and higher education.”

Lauren Pitman discovered her passion for healthcare and research through hands-on experience and mentorship at CSUSB.

“I chose psychology with a biological concentration because I’ve always been fascinated by the intricate relationship between our mental and physical states,” Pitman said. “Growing up, my family didn’t understand mental health and the impact it could have on our lives, and we rarely recognized it. As soon as I started to uncover the connection between our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and how they are shaped by actual physiological processes, like brain chemistry, neurotransmitters, and hormones, I knew I had to continue to learn more!”

She participated in two NIH-funded studies with Jacob Jones, professor of psychology. One focused on Alzheimer’s disease and the other on Parkinson’s disease and cognitive health in underrepresented communities. “My work explored the connections between cardiovascular risk, social determinants of health and depression in older American Indian and Alaska Native adults,” she said. “The more I learned, the more empowered I felt to make a difference in brain and mental health.”

Pitman was also selected for a summer internship at UC Riverside’s Laboratory of Aging and Neurocognitive Imaging and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications and poster presentations, including one at the 104th annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association. Her research journey was supported through CSUSB’s U-RISE program.

 “My mentor, Dr. Jacob Jones, encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things,” she said. “His support has been instrumental in helping me grow.”

Raised in a rural town northeast of Ridgecrest, Pitman said starting college was overwhelming, but her family’s unwavering support gave her strength.

“As a first-generation student, my parents were learning just as much as I was through this process. No matter how unsure I might’ve become at times, my father has taught me that resilience and hard work can find their way through any uncertainty,” Pitman said. “My mom accompanied this with soft encouragement and the grace I needed through my trials and mistakes. Both of my parents have endured so much, and you would never be able to tell. They continue to treat the world with kindness and always tackle whatever obstacle comes their way with no complaints. I admire, and look up to, their combination of patience, work ethic, and most of all their love for us kids.

“They earned this degree as much as I did.”

She plans to pursue an associate degree in biology and work in a clinical setting while exploring long-term paths in rural healthcare, making an impact with people who have a similar background as her own.

“CSUSB gave me a community that believed in me before I believed in myself,” she said. “This experience has helped me find confidence, purpose and a future I never thought possible.”