Student applies bachelor’s degree in history life’s many challenges

Jasmine Armstrong uses degree to recall journey

By California State University, Bakersfield

December 10^th, 2019

Like many young people from Bakersfield, Jasmine Armstrong dreamed of leaving town after graduating from high school.

“This town is too small; I have to get out and experience something new,” Armstrong, a history major at CSU Bakersfield, remembered thinking of her time after high school.

She had always loved New England and had her sights set on Boston. While she was accepted into several colleges in the Boston area, the expense was prohibitive, so without taking a tour or talking to anyone at the university, she decided on the University of Southern Maine (USM).

After flying in and taking a cab to the university, she found herself alone in a new city, intimidated and scared, surrounded by fellow students being dropped off by family and friends. All she had with her were a few suitcases with some of her belongings.

“Once I got past that initial fear, I really loved it,” Armstrong said.

Still, she missed her family and thought about coming home after completing her sophomore year. But midway through that pivotal year, her grandfather passed away and her mother got sick. She wasn’t able to make it back in time for her grandfather’s funeral and said she would never forgive herself if she was 3,000 miles away and something happened to her mother.

She took 36 units to finish in time and worked two part-time jobs to make it back to Bakersfield on schedule.

After moving back to California, she decided if her goal was to be closer to family, she would go to CSU Bakersfield. Many of the things she loved about Maine also fit her reasons for coming to CSUB. It was smaller classes, close enough to a big city and offered rare opportunities for motivated students like her to succeed. It would give her a chance to have closer relationships with the professors, like Dr. Mustafah Dhada, who helped Armstrong when she was feeling dejected and overwhelmed.

“If you’re tired of the narrative, stop complaining and change it,” Dr. Dhada told her.

After reflecting on her situation, she realized it was a narrative she didn’t like. She took many of the items that weren’t serving her well off the plate, and that made all of the difference.

“After initial adjustments to a new student life in Bakersfield, she proved to be a model student, a solid performer, determined to turn personal adversities into strengths,” Dr. Dhada said.

As a history major, Armstrong said many people think of history as written in stone, but that’s not necessarily the case.

“You can’t change what has happened, but that’s actually not true. It changes depending on your perspective,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong likes the social aspects of the subject – looking at individuals and their contributions to history, because while it might not seem important on a grand scale, one person’s actions can influence an entire nation.

Through everything, she’s found ways to apply the kind of lessons she’s learned in her studies to her own life.

“When things happen, I try to take an analytical approach,” Armstrong said. “Before I respond or react in any sort of way, I usually look at, ‘okay, this happened, but let’s go back. Did I see this leading up to this? Were there signs this was going to happen? Did I react in any way to precipitate this action?’”

A first-generation student, Armstrong, is set to graduate Wednesday during the fall commencement ceremony with her bachelor’s degree.

While it is an exciting time, it’s bittersweet for her mother, who lost her son when he was 16 and Armstrong was 5. The loss has always fueled Armstrong to do things that he was never able to accomplish, like flying in a plane, visiting new cities on the East Coast and graduating from college.

She noted that she’s “trying to make his memory proud” and promises to give this degree back to her mother.

“The first one is for you; everything after that is for me,” she’s joked with her mother.

After graduation, Armstrong wants to work in public service and is interested in getting her master’s degree in public administration at CSU Bakersfield. She currently works at a local law firm and hopes that her administration background will help advance her career plans of becoming a district attorney.

“Jasmine is determined and driven to head to law school to become a public prosecutor. She writes well and has done a stellar job as my research intern,” Dr. Dhada said.