For David Espinoza, working at Cal State San Marcos is
more than a job, it’s personal. A Human Development alumnus of CSUSM and
a longtime resident of San Marcos, Espinoza’s career has come full circle,
rooted in community, service, and lived experience.
“I really enjoy that I work in the city that
I live,” he said during the interview. “My wife, my family, we
have three kids. We live here in San Marcos, my kids go to school here,
and I’m an alumnus, so I went to school here”.
David currently works at the Career Center, where he
has spent the past four years supporting students as they transition from the
classroom to the workforce. Before that, he worked in the School of Education
through Project Support, a program designed to recruit
and advise Latinx students interested in becoming teachers. The work
spanned multiple levels, from high school summer programs to advising
undergraduate and credential students. His motivation to
work in higher education, specifically at Cal State San Marcos, comes
directly from his background.
“I’m first gen. The school’s also an
HSI, so I identify as Mexican American,” he explained. “The population of
students that we have here—it’s something that’s dear to my
heart. I wanted to work with those students.”
Born and raised in Escondido, David Espinoza grew
up in a Mexican household after both sides of his family immigrated from
Mexico. He was the first in his family to attend and graduate from a
university, a journey shaped by encouragement but little concrete
guidance.
“I didn’t know anything about higher ed,” he said. “All
I knew was that my dad and my grandma used to tell me, ‘You need to go to
school.’” His grandmother often reminded him in Spanish: “Ve a la escuela para que no trabajes como burro como nosotros,”
While the literal translation was blunt, the
message was clear. “That was her way of telling me, if you go to
school, it’s going to open opportunities for you,” Espinoza said. “You might
have options.” Despite that encouragement, his early college experience at
Palomar College was difficult.
He struggled academically, finishing his first year with
less than a 2.0 GPA. “I’m surprised I didn’t drop out,” he
admitted. Without fully understanding how to navigate college systems, and
feeling that he lacked personalized guidance, Espinoza had to teach
himself how higher education worked. He began paying close attention during
counseling appointments, researching transfer requirements on his own, and
learning how to use tools like assist.org.
“I basically advised myself on how to transfer,” he said.
“And I was so proud of myself.”
That self-advocacy paid off. When Espinoza transferred to
Cal State San Marcos, not only did he succeed, but he also excelled. “My
grades were even better than they were at Palomar,” he said. “By the time I got
here, I had put in that hard work.” As graduation approached, the
achievement felt surreal. “At one point, it didn’t feel attainable,” he
said. “And then I realized—yeah, this is attainable.”
Today, Espinoza channels those experiences into his work
with students, particularly first-generation students navigating
systems that often feel overwhelming. “I needed extra support, which I
didn’t get,” he reflected. “That’s part of why I struggled my first
year.”
Beyond his role at the Career Center, Espinoza
has remained deeply involved in community and campus leadership. He
served for two years on the board of the Latino Faculty and Staff Association,
helping promote Latinx culture and awareness. One of his proudest moments was
chairing the Latinx Graduation Ceremony, the first held in person after
COVID. “I’m really proud of the work that our team did during that time,”
he said. He also serves on the board of Encuentros Leadership, a
North County nonprofit supporting Latino males through middle school programs,
career conferences, and residential college academies. Over the past 20 years,
the organization has served more than 900 students. “I’m really proud of
the work that we’ve done as an organization,” he said. “To service the
Latino, Latinx community here in North County.” David is candid
about one regret from his own college experience, never using the Career Center
as a student. “That’s why I tell students now: really take advantage of
the resources that you have,” he said.
“We’re here to serve as a bridge from classroom to
career.” He encourages students to seek experiences outside the classroom,
talk to professionals in fields they’re interested in, and ask
questions early. “That’s technically called an informational interview,”
he explained. “You want to collect data, listen to people, learn from them, and
then make an informed decision about what you’ll enjoy.”
David continues to help students this way today.
