About Ben

Ben Mendoza (he/him/él) is a first-year, first-generation graduate student in the Master of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership and Student Affairs at San Diego State University. This journey began after he earned his BA in Psychology and BS in Human Services with an emphasis in Mental Health from California State University, Fullerton. Ben prides himself on being the son of immigrant parents and a proud Bolivian and Mexican scholar. He was raised in Garden Grove, California, and knew from an early age that education was his calling. Ben has one publication in the Journal of American College Health titled, "Psychosocial adjustment of U.S. college students in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic." Ben currently works full-time as an Assistant Coordinator for the Residential Education Office and Pierce Greek Life Center at San Diego State University. Outside of research, Ben likes to spend time surfing the beautiful beaches of San Diego, playing Basketball, watching all kinds of movies, and memorizing song lyrics.

Educational Journey

Upon concluding his time at Rancho Alamitos High School, Ben was still unsure of what career path he wanted to pursue. All he knew was that he wanted to help guide underrepresented students in some way. He began to apply to universities as a Music Education major, hoping to use music to inspire students. As the importance of research became more apparent, Ben officially committed to attend California State University, Fullerton, as a Psychology major. Through his time connecting with fellow men of color in the Male Success Initiative (MSI) program, he realized that he had a passion for progressing equity within higher education. After earning his two bachelor’s degrees in May of 2023, Ben decided to continue his educational journey by beginning the Master of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership and Student Affairs program at San Diego State University.

While at California State University, Fullerton, Ben worked in multiple departments to connect to diverse groups of students. He began working as a student assistant within the Women and Adult Reentry Center, where he and a team of students developed the B.R.O. Code program, which stands for Brother Reimagined for Organizations. When the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly put most offices to a close, Ben continued to contribute to the university as an academic tutor for multiple general education courses and started his journey within Residential Life as a Resident Advisor. To expand, he began serving as a student intern at the LGBT Queer Resource Center. Ben also contributed to Residential Life as an Office Assistant in the Housing Office.

Research Interests

His research interests include access and equity for underrepresented students, holistic student development, and policy implementation. Ben is also a part of the Community College HigherEd Access Leadership Equity Scholarship (CCHALES), where he conducts research with other scholars focusing on dismantling systems within higher education that promote racial inequity. He hopes to take on various research opportunities in the world of education to find what other avenues need to be explored.