Earlier this school year, the California State University [CSU] Board of Trustees announced the names of 23 students who received the 2025 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Among those students is Bianca Esparaza, who was awarded the CSU Chancellor Mildred García Scholar award, which comes with a $7,000 scholarship. This award, along with the 22 others, recognizes students for their, “superior academic performance, personal accomplishments and remarkable resilience in the face of challenges.”

“Remarkable resilience” is a perfect way to describe Bianca’s educational journey. A first-generation college student, her academic path did not take the traditional route. Survival mode went into effect early for her.

“As a child, I spent several years in foster care with my siblings while my parents worked through sobriety,” Bianca said. “Both of my parents struggled with addiction, and although we were reunited, my father relapsed multiple times throughout my childhood. I was exposed to some of life’s hardest realities, including child abuse.”

As an adult, those challenges continued, including the death of her father, but she stayed strong. 

“Resilience has been only half the battle in my life; the other half has been choosing to use my experiences to create a better life for my family and to continue striving toward personal and professional growth,” Bianca said. 

In 2021, she came across the College of Continuing Education [CCE] website and found the Second Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders [CSAD2B] program.

“I remember reading that it was a program intended for students who hold a bachelor’s degree and want to make a fast career change,” Bianca said, adding that she already holds an undergraduate degree in communications from Humboldt State University. “It felt like the perfect fit and came into my life at exactly the right time. I quickly reached out to Suzi [Byrd] and Jessika [Morrison], who helped me prepare with prerequisites and the application process. I applied and was accepted to begin in Fall 2022.”

She remembers her cohort fondly, all 17 students with the same goal, who supported one another in and beyond the classroom. 

“I’m still in contact with many of them today, cheering them on in their master’s programs for speech or congratulating them on their new jobs. I also appreciated the small class size, which allowed us to receive incredible support and attention from faculty,” Bianca said. 

One faculty member who particularly stood out for Bianca was Dr. Laura Gaeta, an associate professor of the CSAD2B program, for being so influential in her educational journey. The two met in the summer of 2023, and after Bianca expressed her interest in audiology, the only student in the cohort with that interest, Dr. Gaeta jumped into action. 

“She immediately supported me with resources and invited me into a research project. She pushed me in the gentlest, most encouraging way,” Bianca said. “She was the first to teach me how to use the audiometer and conduct hearing screenings. Whenever research presentation opportunities came up, whether on campus, at symposiums, or at conferences, she encouraged me to get involved. Within a year of meeting her, I presented on multiple levels: on-campus poster presentations, the Spring Symposium (where I won first place in my section), the CSU-wide Student Research Competition, the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and even the American Academy of Audiology.”

And while her time at Sac State is nearly complete — she is in her final in-house clinical rotation at the Maryjane Rees Audiology Clinic and next semester she begins her internships off campus — she knows there’s still plenty to learn. 

“This semester, I want to take full advantage of every opportunity to learn from both my successes and mistakes in the classroom and clinic,” Bianca said. “My goal is to be prepared while embracing the fact that mistakes are part of the learning process. Overall, I hope to carry humility with me throughout my career and welcome opportunities for growth and continuous learning beyond my academic journey.”

She also wants to inspire students interested in audiology. 

“It is such a meaningful and needed profession. Audiology is not just about hearing aids; it’s about the people you are serving. In today’s fast-paced and complex world, our patients are also navigating life with hearing loss, balance challenges, tinnitus, and auditory processing disorders,” Bianca said. “Being a hearing healthcare provider means you can offer support and treatment to help a person reclaim the essential parts of their life back. There are countless opportunities in this field, and I feel grateful to be building towards a career in such a fulfilling, life-changing profession.”

Today, she is happily married with an eight-year-old daughter. Her family and friends, she said, have all been the backbone and support to help her get through both the CSAD2B program and her current graduate program.

Congratulations Bianca, we’re all excited to see what’s next for you!