Yuxing Jin
Army veteran found support and success at Cal State LA
By LeAnn Zuniga
Cal State LA News Service
After serving four years in the Army, Yuxing Jin found a home at the Veterans Resource Center at California State University, Los Angeles.
“The school provides so many resources for veteran students. I talked to other schools and none of them are as helpful as Cal State LA. It’s my home here, I love coming here,” Jin says.
On May 22, the 29-year-old Rosemead resident will be graduating cum laude and receiving his Bachelor of Art in Business Administration with a focus in finance and a minor in accounting.
Jin grew up in the Fujian Province in southern China and lived there until he was 20 years old. He and his parents came to the United States nine years ago so Jin could have the opportunity to pursue a better future.
He decided to enlist in the Army to challenge himself, learn new skills and make a childhood dream of being a soldier come true. He was stationed in Fusil, Okla., and earned an Achievement Medal for his outstanding work and commitment as a mechanic.
Jin says he owes much to his time in the Army, such as his increased confidence and integrity, but he wanted to pursue a university education and challenge himself academically. So he returned home and enrolled at Cal State LA.
For Jin, Cal State LA is a place where he can showcase his potential through academic success. He values that he is the first in his family to earn a college degree.
“My biggest motivation is to see my potential and see what I can do,” says Jin. “I am a bit of a dreamer, but I am pursuing my dreams and I feel like I can reach them. The confidence I have is important, but you also need to find resources and find people to help you. Cal State LA offered me all this.”
He found those resources and people at the Veterans Resource Center. The facility provided a sense of community, where students shared similar backgrounds. Staff at the center assisted Jin and other veterans as they navigated the rigors of academic study.
Jin decided to volunteer at the center as a peer mentor. Being a mentor allowed him to provide other veteran students the same help he found.
Jin also joined finance and accounting clubs on campus. He enjoys the challenges of investing and wants to help others grow their savings. Jin plans on pursuing his Master of Business Administration and wants to eventually become a portfolio manager in the banking industry. He has applied to UC Irvine, Cal State LA and USC.
“I want to go into investing so I can use my skills to help people,” he says.