Reynal’s overcome a number of hurdles to make it to graduation. She lost both of her parents prior to starting CSUB. She also navigated college as a mother — at the beginning of college she had an 8-month-old, and is now a mother to two boys.
“Becoming a mom wasn’t something I thought I was going to do or even that I would be good at to begin with,” Reynal said.
While it would have been easy to give up on her education, she didn’t want to stop.
“A body in motion stays in motion,” is the motto Reynal went by. If she hadn’t continued her schooling, she was afraid that she might like being away too much or she might not have the same drive that she did before.
Reynal met professors during college who made her journey easier, like Dr. Miriam Vivian and Dr. Kate Mulry in the History Department.
“They’ve become more than just professors, they’ve become mentors and friends.”
History Department Chair Dr. Vivian said:
“Paula has been a very strong student, and one of the most dependable. She’s bright and intellectually curious and has impressed me with her ability to raise two children while also being such a fabulous student with two majors.”
Despite the challenges Reynal has faced, she’s most proud that she didn’t give up.
“My main thing is that I’m still doing it. I’m still here,” Reynal said. “The fact that I didn’t even take a semester off, that for me is one of my biggest accomplishments.”
With commencement season approaching, Reynal noted it is a “bittersweet” moment, since she will miss CSUB, her professors and the friends she’s made on campus. However, she added that it will be good to graduate and to be an example to her kids.