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CSUB announces 2022 outstanding graduates

Nine students earn top awards

By California State University, Bakersfield

May 18^th, 2022

Over 2,000 students are graduating from California State University, Bakersfield in spring 2022. These bright graduates join an accomplished group of more than 60,000 alumni — over 60% who remain in the Kern County region after graduation to live, work and give back to the community.

Nine outstanding students are honored by CSUB’s Antelope Valley campus and the university’s four schools: School of Arts and Humanities; School of Business and Public Administration; School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering; and School of Social Sciences and Education. Two of these students were chosen by President Lynnette Zelezny as the top undergraduate and graduate students.

These students were chosen for their academic achievements and impact on the community.

This year's outstanding students are:

JANE LOPEZ – B.A. IN PSYCHOLOGY

PRESIDENT'S OUTSTANDING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

Outstanding Undergraduate Student for the School of Social Sciences and Education

Jane Lopez is graduating from CSUB with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, maintaining a 3.88 GPA. Lopez has been an honors student who was president of both the Psychology Club and the International Society in Psychology. She also held leadership and volunteer roles in a variety of CSUB and community programs, such as Sensational Sophomores, National Society of Leadership and Success, Alpha Chi, National Alliance of Mental Illness and Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control.

Lopez conducted research on memory with Dr. Kyle Susa, which she presented at the Western Psychological Association. She will also begin conducting lab work with Dr. Isabel Sumaya on high-fat diets, depression and anxiety in rodent models. Dr. Sumaya called Lopez a “hard-working student that is deserving of this honor.” Lopez plans to earn a graduate degree and work with underserved communities as a mental health professional.

Learn more about Lopez here.

CSUB announces 2022 outstanding graduates

RICCO REYNOLDS – M.S. IN NURSING

PRESIDENT'S OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT

Outstanding Graduate Student for the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering

Family nurse practitioner graduate Ricco Reynolds has been described by his colleagues and preceptors as having compassion, confidence and cognizance, a hat trick they refer to as the “Triple C.” As a clinical nurse shift leader in Kern Medical’s emergency department, Reynolds has worked on the frontlines of COVID while pursuing his graduate nursing degree at CSUB, where he previously earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Reynolds took a leadership role among his peers for a research project titled “Comparing Stress and Anxiety of Parents and Non-Parents During COVID-19,” which won first place in this year’s Student Research Competition in the Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences category. A father of two, Reynolds is looking forward to providing health care access to underserved populations as a family nurse practitioner.

Reynolds’ previous achievements include being a National Institute of Health STAR Scholar and the Health Resources and Services Administration ANEW Scholar in 2020. In 2019, he was named Kern Medical’s Nurse of the Year.

Learn more about Reynolds here.

IAN TASH – B.A. IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Outstanding Undergraduate Student for the School of Arts and Humanities

Ian Tash is graduating from CSUB with a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and a bachelor’s degree in English with a 3.95 GPA. He served as a tutor at the Arts and Humanities Tutoring Center and was an officer in Common Ground, an undergraduate interfaith club at CSUB. Through Common Ground and the Philosophy Club, Tash co-hosted the Philosophy and Religious Studies Undergraduate Conference. In addition, Tash was a teaching assistant for Dr. Jonathan Young’s course, “Religions of Asia.”

Faculty call Tash an insightful leader. “His efforts to help others see religion as a valid source of knowledge and wisdom is admirable, but also necessary in any community that seeks greater understanding of our society’s diverse and pluralistic character,” said Assistant Professor Dr. Joseph Florez.

Ian Tash with Dr. Joseph Florez, Dr. Jonathan Young, President Lynnette Zelezny and Dr. Liora Gubkin

HANNAH MCKINZIE – M.A. IN HISTORY

Outstanding Graduate Student for the School of Arts and Humanities

A two-time CSUB graduate, Hannah McKinzie said professors and students have been pillars of support on her journey to obtain her master’s degree in history. McKinzie graduated with her bachelor’s degree in history from CSUB in 2018, when she earned the Department of History’s Outstanding Undergraduate Award. She has since earned her teaching credential and now is earning her master’s degree.

McKinzie recently won first place in the Humanities, Arts and Letters category at the California State University Student Research Competition, where she presented her research titled, “Humor and Housewives in the Postwar United States.” She has also presented her research on “Maoism and the Chicano Movement” at the 55th Annual Southwest Council of Latin American Studies Conference and the UC Irvine History Graduate Student Association Annual Conference.

She has earned accolades for her research from the Department of History and has submitted her research for publication in peer-reviewed journals. McKinzie is a member of several organizations, including the American Humor Studies Association, the National Honors Society and the Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society. She has served as a research assistant at CSUB and has served as a tutor for the Kern Literacy Council.

Hannah McKinzie carrying her award with her dog, Zelda

JAZMIN BARRITA BARRITA – B.S. IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Outstanding Undergraduate Student for the School of Business and Public Administration

Jazmin Barrita Barrita did not know English when she arrived in the U.S. from Mexico at age 13, and rather than attend school, she rose at 4 a.m. daily to help her family work in the fields. Now, this first-generation college student is earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting and a minor in economics.

At CSUB, Barrita participated in the College Assistant Migrant Program, where she later became an ambassador and worked as an academic mentor. She has been involved in a variety of CSUB and community programs, including the University Accounting Association (where she served as vice president), Sensational Sophomores and the Senior Stars Program.

She volunteered to offer tax preparation services to those of low-income backgrounds through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and now serves as a tax intern. Barrita has earned a number of awards and scholarships, including the California State University Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2021. Barrita plans to become a certified public accountant.

Learn more about Jazmin Barrita Barrita here.

SEAN RYAN TIEU – MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Outstanding Graduate Student for the School of Business and Public Administration

Sean Ryan Tieu is graduating from CSUB with his MBA, earning a 4.0 GPA. The Bakersfield native earned his bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Barbara before returning to Kern County to continue his education, live and work. He volunteers for several community organizations and events. He is involved in JJ’s Legacy (a nonprofit organization which educates the community on the importance of organ donation), is an adviser for the Jim Burke Education Foundation (which impacts youth through educational programming and mentorship) and has been a mentor at Independence High School.

Tieu, who is a relationship manager at Mission Bank, said his goal is to continue contributing to Bakersfield; “I feel that I owe it to the hometown that has brought me so much.”

KAITLIN MACARANAS – B.S. IN BIOLOGY

Outstanding Undergraduate Student for the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering

Kaitlin Macaranas’ time at CSUB has been full of academic accomplishments and campus involvement, and this spring she graduates with her bachelor’s degree in biology. Since transferring to CSUB from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, she has made the Dean’s List each semester and has completed research on atmospheric connections to microplastic pollution as part of Dr. Rae McNeish’s Aquatic Ecology Research Lab. She has given five presentations on her research, served in a leadership role for three years in the lab and participated in two external CSUB research internships. Most recently, she was awarded funding through the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program to study an invasive marine worm called Clymnella torquata and its ecological impacts on the vital and federally protected eelgrass meadows at Padilla Bay in Washington, where she will attend Western Washington University to pursue her master’s degree in environmental science.

Macaranas has also been active in the CSUB Women in Science Club, the CSUB Biology Club and the Society for Freshwater Science. A first-generation, Filipino-American student, Macaranas’ drive and passion have made her a role model for her peers, according to Dr. McNeish.

SARAH RHODES – M.S. IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY

Outstanding Graduate Student for the School of Social Sciences and Education

Sarah Rhodes is graduating from CSUB with a master’s degree in counseling psychology, earning a GPA of 3.91. Her master’s research project is titled “The Creative Ego: A Qualitative Study of Creativity Using a Psychoanalytic Lens.” Rhodes has co-presented research at a number of conferences and has been called “one of the top students in her cohort” by faculty.

She is one of four clinic managers at the University Counselor Training Clinic, where she provides services to individuals, couples, families and children in the community. In addition to her counseling training, Rhodes has been a research assistant, a staff writer for the `Runner newspaper and a writer for the Convergence Magazine. Rhodes said she is interested in pursuing a doctoral degree.

President Lynnette Zelezny, Dean James Rodriguez, Sarah Rhodes and Provost Vernon Harper

LAURISSA GONZALES – B.A. IN CHILD, ADOLESCENT AND FAMILY STUDIES

Outstanding Undergraduate Student for CSUB Antelope Valley

Laurissa Gonzales is a first-generation college student graduating with her bachelor’s degree in child, adolescent and family studies from CSUB’s Antelope Valley campus. Gonzales held a number of positions during her educational career, including being a lead preschool teacher at Reggio-Emilia Inspired Monarch Academy for Young Children, an assistant lead preschool teacher at the Learning Tree Preschool: Desert Christian in Lancaster and program staff member for the Peach Factory Program at Desert Christian Elementary.

In addition, Gonzales is completing her bachelor’s degree with a 3.85 GPA and is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. Gonzales aims to earn her teaching credential and continue her career in education, making an impact on the Lancaster community.