Jose Godinez, a chemistry student at CSU Stanislaus, has been named a 2015 recipient of the CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement.
The $6,000 award identifies Godinez as a William Randolph Hearst scholar, and is one of 23 awards going to students representing each of the CSU campuses. The awards are given each year to those students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need.
Godinez was raised as part of a lower middle-class family in Jalisco, Mexico. His father lost his job in the mid-1990s, forcing his mother to work to support the household. The hardships spurred his parents’ desire for a better future, and the family moved to the United States in 2010.
Godinez initially struggled to learn English, but thanks to the support of his family and mentors, he was able to enroll at Stanislaus, where he is working toward a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.
Outside the classroom, Godinez serves as the treasurer for the student organization Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He plans to attend graduate school and serve the community through teaching and research at the university level, a goal that matches what he had to say about his future plans.
“I will give my life to the service of society and serve those who invested in me,” he said.