Healthy Cougar PAWS Peer Educators

 My name is Crystal Chavero, I am a Psychological Science major and Spanish minor. I plan to attend graduate school to then become a certified school psychologist. I enjoy hiking, going to the beach and going on road trips. I also love spending time with friends and family.

I wanted to become a peer educator because I have always had a passion for helping others and I knew this opportunity would allow me to do that. I also wanted to raise awareness on the importance of both physical and mental health by educating my peers as well as others. Another reason for wanting to become a peer educator was because I knew it would also help prepare me for my future career.

My name is Sherri Daneshvari and I am a Literature major. I plan on becoming a high school English teacher and I love working with kids. I love being outdoors, going to the beach, and spending time with friends. 

I wanted to become a peer educator because I love helping others and knew that this would give me the chance to. I believe there should be more awareness on the importance of mental and physical health so I hope to educate myself and others more on the subject. I’m so excited for this upcoming year! 

My name is Annie Fite and I am a second year transfer student majoring in Psychological Sciences. I plan to attend graduate school to further my education and pursue a career in counseling. Personally, I have benefitted greatly from my own experience with individual and group therapy so my ultimate career goal is to provide the same professional support and guidance to others who may need it. I am very excited to have a position at the HOPE & Wellness Center because I believe it will give me the opportunity to meet more of my fellow students and begin to give back to a campus community that has had such a positive impact on my life.

 A few of my hobbies and interests include travelling, hiking, going to the beach, listening to music, cooking (and of course eating), writing, and watching every episode of The Office over and over again! The most important things in my life are my relationships with friends and family, practicing healthy living, and connecting with others around me.

Hello my name is Robyn Gogue. I am a fourth year student here at CSUSM and majoring in Psychological Science. I am also a transfer student from MSJC. In my free time I enjoy being with my family and going camping at the desert in the winter and being around the water in the warmer months. My career goal is to help firefighters, veterans, military service members, and first responders with mental health issues that may arise during their careers. Families of these professions are affected by mental heath and I feel that there is a need to give not only the individual the correct tools but the family members as well. I wanted to be a peer educator because I feel that this is a stepping stone into my future plans, I want to be able to provide the resources to students on campus. I am very excited to see and meet new people on campus during the events we have!! 

My name is Jasmine but my friends call me Jazz, mostly for my love for music including jazz. I love it so much I got my first tattoo to commemorate it so everyone can see my passion for it. I’m a senior here at Cal State San Marcos for criminal justice and psychology, and I love everything about both subjects so that I can work in the CSI field.  Hopefully within this field I’ll get to do some traveling , and visit my dream place , which is Italy , whether it be Rome , Milan , Venice anywhere in Italy would make me happy .

Kylie, a graduate student in the MPH program, was raised on an avocado orchard in Ramona, CA. She attended Ramona High School where she participated in cheerleading, NJROTC and was a competitive gymnast. Upon graduation she was accepted into CSUSM where she became a member of Delta Zeta and now holds the “Pink goes green” chair, helping her sorority be more sustainable and environmentally conscious. Kylie graduated as a member of the Gamma Sigma Alpha honor society past May with a degree in Human Development-Health Sciences, and is continuing her education here at CSUSM in a masters in public health program. Kylie is a kind young lady with positive outlook on life and a great sense of humor. She has an open mind and is willing to help anyone in need.

My name is Perla Magaña, I am a second year at Cal State San Marcos majoring in Child and Adolescent Development. As a college student I became interested in becoming a peer educator due to the amount of stigma that surrounds Mental illness.

I believe that getting involved in our community is the most effective way to bring awareness and knowledge about how important Mental health is. I aspire to become a Pediatric Psychologist in the near future. I am very honored to be able to have this opportunity to be part of the HOPE & Wellness center. 

I am a transfer student here at CSUSM, studying Human Development BA. It has been an arduous journey for me to complete my Bachelor's due to my own health issues, 8/6/2006, my life was changed forever I received a severe anoxicTraumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from a rollover car accident. The rehabilitation was severe; I had to relearn to walk, talk, breath, write, speak, think, basically everything. I am permanently disabled, feel very privileged to have maintained the functions that I have. I am a walking miracle & I want to empower people to see the commonality of their struggles/experiences. 

I am at the home stretch to finish my BA and I am planning to get a Master’s after at CSUSM either in Social Work or Public Health. There is power in knowledge and numbers of people that come together in a community to overcome their circumstances. As a child, I experienced severe child molest for years at the hand of my then step-dad (who my mom left when I told her). I want to empower women to not live in the shameful darkness of their Sexual Violence but, to empower them with resources & the strength that they are as individuals to survive. I was one semester from graduating with my BSN/RN just prior to my TBI, I still love the health field and want people to take control of their health.  I really desire for people to know how much power they have over their mental & physical health. I manage Major Depression & General Anxiety following my TBI; it is a hard battle to fight, The most difficult part is feeling alone. I want to help students not feel alone through support & education.

Hello! My name is Elaine Pambago and I am a transfer student majoring in Human Development. I aspire to become an occupational therapist working with children and adolescents. I adore working with kids and I have been for 5 years now. I have so much fun being involved on campus from being in a sorority, volunteering at the Gender Equity Center and now a peer educator. I love going to music festivals, traveling, watching movies, and trying new things! 

I decided to become a peer educator because it is important to educate others about mental health issues and stigmas, especially students. I strive to help others whenever I can and try my best to put my best foot forward. I love interacting with people to make connections/build relationships and I hope to make a positive impact in our community. 

My name is Christopher Rivera, a new member of the Peer Advocacy and Wellness program here at CSUSM. I am currently in my sophomore year, a part of the graduating class of 2022. I hope to graduate CSUSM with a bachelor’s degree in biology then continue on to a PA program in hopes of attaining a physician assistant license. A few of my hobbies include skateboarding, traveling, and watching movies. I am big Marvel fan and love every single superhero movie produced by marvel. My top three favorite foods include hot wings, fried chicken, and sushi. 

I became a peer educator to help create awareness around issues like depression, anxiety, and sexual assault around campus. My goal in this program is to assist students in making healthy lifestyle choices and retain a healthy mental state. I am very easy going and nonjudgmental so if anyone ever needs advice or a friend to talk to, I am here to help.