Alumnus gains policy-making experience in state's capitol
Although Jayden Saldana has been working in Sacramento for a little more than two months, his road to the California government's executive branch was a long one.
As a high school student, the Monrovia resident prepared for a career as a jazz drummer. However, a revelation during his senior year led him to "change course."
"I realized I wanted a career that could make a more direct impact on the far-reaching issues I care deeply about. To that end, I geared myself toward pursuing a career in the public sector. My first internship with the city of Monrovia solidified my resolve by showing me how consequential policy and politics can be on the local, state and federal levels of government," Jayden explained. "Accordingly, I chose to begin full-time study at Citrus College as a political science major after graduating from high school in 2018."
Jayden believes the time he spent at Citrus College helped him develop valuable characteristics, such as curiosity and self-awareness, that have proven valuable throughout his academic journey. However, this wasn't the only benefit of his time on campus.
"Aside from character development, I was able to transfer to a highly regarded liberal arts college [Pomona College] and graduate with honors. I am now working at a fellowship that I couldn't have imagined five years ago," Jayden said. "I credit Citrus College for offering a high-quality education that has set me on my current path."
The California Capital Fellows are nationally recognized fellowships that offer unique experiences in policy-making and development in each branch of government. As an executive fellow, Jayden will spend 10 months working full-time with a mentor in one of the many executive offices of California's Executive Branch, which include the Office of the Governor and constitutional offices, as well as cabinet level agencies and departments. He will also meet weekly for graduate seminars in public policy and administration.
"I believe that the fellowship is a culmination of years of diligent work, both inside and outside the classroom, that began when I first attended Citrus College," Jayden said. "Looking forward, I believe that this fellowship will provide me with an opportunity to better understand where I belong in the scheme of politics, government and public policy. Working directly with members of the state's executive branch will better my understanding of what facet (and level) of government I would like to work in, what issue areas I am most passionate about and how I should move forward professionally and academically after the fellowship concludes."
This article originally appeared in the December 2022 edition of the Citrus View.