Jhoanna Serrano left the Philippines for the United States at just 18 years old, hoping to give her then-2-year-old daughter, Jean Pauline, a better future.

Jean Pauline Serrano, who goes by Pauline, has worked hard to make the most of this new life, graduating from California State University, Northridge with two psychology degrees, a bachelor’s in 2020 and a master’s in 2022. Jhoanna had aspired to a career in psychology before becoming a single mother in high school. Now, Pauline is honoring her mother’s sacrifices with a $5,000 gift to CSUN to create the Jhoanna Serrano Psychology Scholarship.

The scholarship will help psychology students who are first-generation college students and come from a single-parent household or are single parents themselves.

Serrano currently works as a lecturer in CSUN’s Department of Psychology in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences while pursuing a Ph.D. in School Psychology at UC Santa Barbara. She had a decorated career as a CSUN student resulting in numerous scholarships and awards to support her journey. She was a University Scholar, a Presidential Scholar, a Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar, and a recipient of the Nathan O. Freedman Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduate Student. Now, she is paying it forward, supporting those who, like her, share in her mother’s dream of an education in psychology.

For more information about the Jhoanna Serrano Psychology Scholarship Fund or for making a fund of your own, contact the CSUN Office of Development at (818) 677-7586 or development@csun.edu.