Support Page Content
Alumni
Sacramento State's EOP office was established in 1968 as one of the first operational programs in California. The primary aim of the EOP was to help improve the access and retention of low-income and educationally disadvantaged students by providing them with the services necessary to be successful in college. EOP students have continued to graduate from Sacramento State and flourish within the community for the last 50 years, yet there are many young Californians from low-income and first-generation families who need assistance from EOP and our alumni community to know they can attain their dreams of a degree from Sacramento State.
EOP Alumni Stories
Jose Barajas
Graduated in 2010
Hometown: Galt, California
Major: Criminal Justice
Concentration: Investigations
Jose Barajas graduated from Sacramento State in 2010 with a major in Criminal Justice and a concentration in Investigations. He is originally from Galt, California, and has developed a strong foundation in the field of criminal justice through his focused studies.
Tania Hernandez
Graduated in 2015 Undergrad and 2020 Masters
Hometown: Calistoga, California
Major: BS in Criminal Justice & Master in Counseling
Concentration: School Counseling, PPS Credential
Tania Hernandez is an esteemed educator and trailblazer in the field of education, bringing a wealth of experience and passion to her work. As a first-generation college student, Tania's journey began in the small town of Calistoga. Coming from a migrant seasonal farmworker family. After graduating high school in 2011, she embarked on her academic path at California State University Sacramento (CSUS), a decision that marked a significant milestone as the first in her family to pursue higher education away from home. Throughout her time at CSUS, Tania encountered and overcame numerous challenges familiar to students who looked like her. Her determination to navigate these obstacles fueled her commitment to supporting others on their educational journeys. Tania's advocacy first took shape as an Outreach Coordinator for the College Assistance Migrant Program, where she collaborated closely with the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) to ensure the successful integration of students into the CSUS community.
Dr. Miguel Molina
Graduated in 2014
Hometown: Santa Barbara, CA
Major: Higher Educational Leadership
Dr. Molina comes from a family of fourteen (12 brothers and sisters) and was born in Santa Barbara, California. Miguel’s parents were from Morelia, Michoacán, and El Paso, Texas respectively. After 12 years of Catholic education, Miguel graduated from Santa Barbara City College with his Associate’s degree and then transferred and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, followed by a Master’s degree in Counselor Education with an emphasis on School Counseling, both from California State University, Sacramento. He completed his doctorate in 2014 within the Higher Educational Leadership Ed.D program at CSU Sacramento as well. His doctoral study focused on Mexican-American students within the California Community College Puente Programs titled “COMMUNITY COLLEGE PUENTE’S INFLUENCE ON CALIFORNIA’S MEXICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS: COUNTERING THE STATISTICS”.
Dr. Karina Figueroa-Ramírez
Graduated in 2024
Hometown: Yuba City, CA
Major: Earned a bachelor's in political science in 2005, completed subject matter competency to teach social science in 2006, earned a teaching credential in single subject in 2007, and a master's in Multicultural Education in 2012, a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University.
Dr. Karina Figueroa-Ramírez currently serves as the Equity Coordinator for the College of Education at Sacramento State. In this role, there is emphasis to further support first generation and multilingual students who are pursuing careers in education through a critical lens. Especially for those who are the first in their families to pursue a teaching profession. Karina was born and raised in Yuba City, CA with roots from Jalisco, México and is a wife and mother to three blessings: MayaTonahli, MartinAmaru and LuisTeotl (who are all bilingües). After earning a teaching credential from the Bilingual Multicultural Education Department at Sac State, she went on to teach for almost ten years in local Sacramento schools and later completed her master’s degree in education. Karina has worked in education for almost 20 years and shares she is grateful for those who stood before her and have paved the way for her to be the person she has become. Through these loving mentorships, she built the agency to earn a doctoral degree in educational leadership from ASU in summer 2024. From her early life experiences, she became determined to make positive contributions in working towards more equitable and just systems. It is something very personal, a lifelong lucha (struggle), that motivates her each day she is serving our students, one future educator at a time. Karina’s mission is for more underrepresented students to consider pursuing a career in the classroom while working from a social justice lens, so that our students can empower themselves and lead their own communities.
Word of wisdom: Our students need to make their own decisions and not have others make them for them.
Contact figueroaramirez@csus.edu if you’re interested in teaching K-12.
Dr. Karina Figueroa-Ramírez, EOP Alumni Class of 2024 - Youtube
Andrew Yang
Graduated in 2022 Undergrad and 2023 Masters
Hometown: Sacramento, California
Major: Undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Recreation Parks and Tourism Administration, Master of Science Higher Education Leadership
Andrew is a first-generation student, a graduate of Luther Burbank High School, and an alum of the Educational Opportunity Program and Summer Bridge Program in 2014, Andrew brings his vast experiences in program development, community engagement, and student services to serve the growing and diverse Asian Pacific Islander Desi American student population at California State University Sacramento.
Andrew served as an academic advisor with the Academic Advising Center, guiding students through the process of academic policies, academic success, and professional career pathways. He also worked as a lead program lead for numerous equity programs including the First-generation Institute, Project Hmong, and the Partnerships to Advance the Value of Education (PAVE) program, and a research assistant to the 2021 APIDA needs assessment report. He was also invited and presented nationwide at the 2021 APIA Scholars Elevating Leaders’ Summit and facilitated a local advocacy training program for the youth, APIA-U.
Andrew is an advocate and leader in his community. He has worked with community organizations such as OCA Sacramento Asian Pacific American Advocate, Asian Resources Inc., Hmong Youth and Parents United, Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs, and Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars. Through his community collaborations, he has implemented workshops and programs that focused on current APIDA issues such as Model Minority Stigma, ASIAN Hate, and APIDA. As an APIDA leader on campus and in the community, Andrew continues to help bring awareness of the different APIDA cultures and unique social-cultural and educational challenges APIDA students face on campus and in the community.
Andrew received his degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration and his graduate degree in the Higher Education Leadership & Policy Studies Master program at Sacramento State. He is now serving as the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Center Coordinator and Student Academic Success Counselor, where he supports over 7000 APIDA students on campus.
Be Involved
Alumni Mentor Program
EOP is dedicated to assisting others in pursuit of their future career and higher education goals. You may give back to current EOP students by enrolling in EOP’s Alumni Mentoring Program.
This service matches EOP alumni with current EOP students on a monthly basis. It is designed to provide current EOP students with networking, resources, and career support. Your input matters, and we need alumni support to make this program successful. As an EOP Alumni, you are aware of the challenges EOP students face firsthand.
For more information contact Dr. Sai Xiong: xiongs@csus.edu