Briana Marquez: Outstanding Graduate, School of Communication

May 29, 2019

Briana Marquez has devoted her time at SDSU to advocacy, undergraduate research and leading with heart.

As the Lead Academic Mentor at SDSU’s Pride Center and an Undergraduate Research Fellow at Research and Equity Scholarship Institute on Student Trajectories in Education (RESISTE), Marquez has been able to put her passions into practice in spaces that emphasize diversity, inclusivity and acceptance. In her position at the Pride Center, she oversees and empowers mentors and helps to promote the academic and social success of first-year LGBTQ+ commuter students.

“I have a small, but critical role in LGBTQ+ students’ lives, which happens to be one of the most vulnerable populations concerning low retention rates, food insecurity, and homelessness,” Marquez said. “My goal is to guarantee they have the resources and support they may not have otherwise. My work centers on striving for healing and liberation for my students and the queer community.”

Marquez received several scholarships during her time as an SDSU student, including the National Society of Collegiate Scholars Induction Scholarship and a Phi Eta Sigma scholarship, but she says that receiving The Cotton Metzger Scholarship in Honor of LGBT Students had the biggest impact on her because it recognized her advocacy work within SDSU’s LGBTQ+ community. The financial support Marquez received from these scholarships allowed her to further her advocacy efforts and continue working towards attaining accessibility and equity for all students.

Marquez also cites her study abroad experience in Thailand as having a great impact on her college experience. The program completely immersed her in a different culture, which allowed her to see her own culture from a new point of view.

“Study abroad teaches a person about another culture and allows a student to reflect on their own culture, discourses, and influences,” Marquez said. “It expands your knowledge, your experience, and your heart. Overall, it is true when people say that studying abroad will change your life.”

After graduation from SDSU, Marquez hopes to pursue a master’s degree in school counseling and to one day become a school counselor so she can continue to follow her love of learning and helping others.

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.

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