Pink, Purpose, and Finding Your People with Monet Jenkins

In this episode of Beach Peeps, CSULB Vice President of Student Affairs Beth Lesen sits down with Monet Jenkins, a Business Marketing major whose journey to belonging at The Beach is filled with intention, resilience, and a whole lot of pink.Monet opens up about originally wanting to attend an HBCU and arriving at CSULB unsure if she had made the right choice. After experiencing loneliness during her first weeks on campus, she made a powerful decision: if Long Beach wasn’t going to be her HBCU, she would create the experience she wanted for herself. From joining Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, to serving in the Black Student Union, working with the Black Scholars Program, and building meaningful mentorship connections across campus, Monet truly made The Beach her own.She shares advice for new students navigating fear and uncertainty, emphasizing the importance of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and taking small steps, like simply sitting next to someone in class. Monet also reflects on the power of community, mentorship, and school pride (including her love for the Beach Shops bookstore).Monet’s story is a reminder that belonging matters and home is something you build.