Psychology Student Receives CSU Trustees’ Award and $7,000 Scholarship
By Jay Thompson
Maileen Mamaradlo
A first-generation Cal Poly psychology student who is attending the university alongside her own children has received a 2024 California State University Trustees’ Scholar Award for Outstanding Achievement.
The trustee awards are presented annually to one student from each of the CSU system’s 23 campuses. Like her counterparts throughout the Golden State, Maileen Mamaradlo was selected for superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need.
The 46-year-old Filipino American will receive a $7,000 scholarship as one of the four William Randolph Hearst Scholars. She and the other 22 awardees will be publicly recognized Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach.
“I think I’m experiencing imposter syndrome,” said Mamaradlo, who transferred from Cuesta College. “I never imagined I’d be chosen for such an honor, and it feels surreal. I’m incredibly grateful to have been nominated.
“I hope to become a psychologist or social worker, so I can help others navigate the challenges of life. Resilience runs in my blood. I love to believe that I am a good seed. Even when life tries to bury me, I’ve learned to find the light and grow. I’ve had a lot of help along the way, and I’m deeply grateful for the support I’ve received.”
As a non-native English speaker with dependents, and despite facing financial constraints and enduring the loss of a child, she has navigated her educational journey by using creative solutions. That journey was revived after moving to California in 2015. She passed high school equivalency tests at San Luis Coastal Adult School in 2019 followed by several years at Cuesta College.
In a May 2022 video for Cuesta College as she was graduating with an associate arts degree in psychology, she said: “I want to understand people. I want to help people. I want to help someone who’s been through (life) like me. I know the feeling of having no one, having nothing. I want to help, not because I have the luxury to help but because I’ve been there.”
Mamaradlo began her Cal Poly studies in September 2022 and became the first in her family to attend a four-year university. Gaining confidence as her English skills improved, she succeeded academically and was named three times to the Dean’s Honors List, which recognizes excellence among undergraduate students with at least a 3.5 grade point average out of 4.0.
In his nomination letter to the CSU Board of Trustees, Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong wrote that Mamaradlo, “found her inspiration to pursue her major through the support she herself received during traumatic and difficult circumstances she has overcome. Maileen has become a successful student, and the numerous organizations she is involved in reflect her desire to help others.”
Taking a cue from her experiences at the community college, where she found community through participation in a variety of Cuesta programs, Mamaradlo found her footing through several organizations providing financial aid and support services at Cal Poly.
“I’m proud to be part of the College Corps Program, Cal Poly Scholars, Educational Opportunity Program, Students with Dependents and Multicultural Scholars Program communities,” she said. “They’ve been an incredible support system for me.”
The mother of two is joined on campus this year by her 19-year-old son, Edward, a biological sciences major in the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics, who begins his junior year, and her daughter, Cassiopeia, 18, a first-year psychology major.
“My Mustang babies are my pride and joy,” Mamaradlo said. “We are literally the Mustang family. I want to be someone my children and others in similar circumstances can look up to, showing them that no matter how tough things get, it’s possible to push through and succeed. Seeing my children also attending Cal Poly fills me with great pride and gratitude.”
While Cal Poly was the next logical choice for the San Luis Obispo resident in seeking a bachelor’s degree, “in many ways, I feel like Cal Poly chose me — and I couldn’t be more thankful,” Mamaradlo said. “The opportunity to be here has been a blessing I’ll always cherish. Cal Poly has welcomed me with open arms and provided everything I need to succeed.
“Cal Poly has given me the chance to grow not just as a student but as a person. It’s helping me become a better citizen and giving me a deep sense of pride that I carry with me every day.”