Jennifer Negrete Magnant’s parents instilled in her the meaning of resilience and the value of hard work. A first-generation college student, full-time financial aid professional, entrepreneur and mother of two, Magnant has exemplified these traits throughout her life.

Recently, Magnant’s unwavering determination earned her the California State University (CSU) system’s highest student honor — the 2025-26 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. She has been named the John and Beverly Stauffer Foundation Scholar and will receive a $12,000 scholarship. More than two decades after she began her college journey with an infant in her arms, Magnant will be formally recognized during a CSU Board of Trustees ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the CSU Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach.

She is one of only 23 students across the CSU system selected for the prestigious award, which recognizes superior academic performance, outstanding community service and remarkable personal achievements.

Now pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership at CSUSB, Magnant began her formal college journey when her oldest child, now 19, was still an infant. Since then, she has consistently balanced work, family and education, always keeping her focus on student success.

A financial aid advisor at CSUSB, Magnant was surprised to learn she had received the award.

“I was more shocked than anything,” she said. “Working in financial aid, I am usually on the other side of it, so this award came as a surprise.

“It is very, very meaningful on all levels. Personally, it honors my family's sacrifices. My parents made sure we did not go without. We were able to pursue extracurricular activities and got to focus on school,” she said. “My family is very close, we have always been each other’s biggest supporters, and that sense of unity and encouragement has been a constant source of strength throughout my journey.”

As the grandchild of immigrants and Dreamers, Magnant said she understood from an early age that while her family deeply valued education, they faced barriers to formal access. When her mother started school in San Bernardino in the 1940s, she was required to change her name from Margarita to Margaret and was punished for speaking Spanish. “It was very difficult for her and her family,” Magnant said.

By the time Magnant was a child, access to education had begun to expand. She recalls being part of the Upward Bound program in elementary school and visiting the CSUSB campus with her classmates. “I remember thinking, ‘This place is amazing, I want to go to college one day,’” she said.

Jennifer Magnant
Jennifer Negrete Magnant

That early exposure made college feel real and attainable, she said. In high school, she participated in a dual enrollment program and took courses at both San Bernardino Valley College and what is now Riverside City College (RCC).

After graduating from Colton High School in 1999, she worked two jobs while continuing her studies at RCC. She even played clarinet in their band, the Marching Tigers. Though she was deeply committed to her education, the realities of work and family led her to step away from college for a time, a decision that, while difficult, became part of the journey that shaped her resilience.

In 2005, as a single parent with an infant at home, Magnant sought out online college courses at a private university so she could balance parenting and education. Around the same time, she began her career in financial aid. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2008, followed by a master’s degree in business in 2018.

Magnant says the greatest challenge she faced was “navigating college without a roadmap. My siblings and I really had to figure things out on our own.

“My mother’s resilience in the face of systemic barriers instilled a sense of purpose in me,” she said. “I have been able to build upon the social capital that was handed down to me. I cultivated my resourcefulness and my ability to navigate the academic system independently.”

Balancing family responsibilities with school, while working in financial aid for over 20 years, has taught Magnant “resilience and determination,” she said. “My journey wasn’t fast or easy, but it was mine, and I’m proud of every step,” she said.

That perspective shapes her understanding of the students she serves. “We have to support the whole student, not just academically, because many of them are caretakers, heads of household or working multiple jobs,” she said. “Some may not be coming from loving or supportive homes, and that makes school one of the only consistent or encouraging places in their lives. Our policies and resources must reflect that, from mental health support to financial aid to representation.”

Magnant recently completed the first year of her Ed.D. studies and is on track to earn her doctorate in 2027. Her dissertation, titled “Financial Aid and Equity: Examining Barriers, Social Capital, and Enhancing Support for Underrepresented Students,” aims to influence both policy and practice in higher education.

“I aim to leverage my degree to influence higher education administration by supporting first-generation students, Dreamers, and students from socioeconomically challenged areas,” she said. “My experience in financial aid has equipped me with a deep understanding of the resources these students require. I am committed to ensuring they have the access and support necessary for their success.”

Magnant credits Enrique Murillo Jr., CSUSB professor of education and faculty director of the doctorate in Educational Leadership Program, as an inspiration on her journey.

“We’re doing great work and we’re going to change the world, and it’s an honor to do that under the direction of Dr. Enrique Murillo,” she said. “He is a visionary leader, a force to be reckoned with, and his passion for equity and community transformation is contagious. Being in this program and learning from him has deeply shaped how I see my role as a future leader in education.”

In honor of her parents, who have long served as her inspiration, Magnant is proudly using her formal name — Jennifer Negrete Magnant — on the CSU scholarship award and plans to do the same when she earns her Ed.D.