Growing up in Escondido, Alex Perkins saw her parents working hard to make ends meet to support her and her older brother, and she often served as a translator for her parents, for whom English was a second language.

As a first-generation college student, Alex worked multiple jobs to put herself through CSUSM. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Alex was there to help provide care.

Alex’s resilience paid off when she received her bachelor’s in communication from CSUSM in 2011. Today, she is the university’s digital giving specialist, providing essential support to annual giving programs.

Now, Alex is sharing her story of persistence and how CSUSM provided her a path to upward mobility.