H illina Jarso brings a global perspective to her job as a counselor for the Educational Opportunity Program. The world traveler with two CSULB degrees (Bachelor of Arts, communication studies, 2000, and Master of Science, counseling, 2004) knows the Greek Islands as well as she knows the university. In the last three years, she has visited her family’s homeland of Ethiopia as well as Greece, Thailand, Italy, Croatia and Canada.

“I love to travel,” said the Fullerton resident who has served the university as student and staff member since 1996. “I like traveling because I like to experience places and cultures different from my own. In Ethiopia, I understand Amharic. It’s fun for me to visit other parts of the world even if I don’t speak the languages. The process of trying to communicate and seeing how the rest of the planet lives interests me.”

Jarso’s responsibilities as an EOP counselor include advising first-generation and low-income students in the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Business Administration. “I talk to them about university policies, general education, graduation requirements, internships, getting ready for the job search, preparing their career portfolios and personal issues. I also present workshops, develop and edit the EOP Insider newsletter and co-coordinate the EOP Recognition Day each May.”

Jarso began working as a graduate assistant in the Center for International Education. She moved to the Student Access to Science and Math Center before arriving in EOP in 2004. She believes her student experience makes her a better advisor. “Being a graduate from The Beach adds to my counseling credibility,” she said. “I feel I know a lot about CSULB, having been a student and staff member for 10 years. I relate to a lot of students’ experiences. I joined EOP because I have always been interested in working with first-generation and low-income students from diverse backgrounds.”

Hillina Jarso

An EOP counselor needs to draw on such strengths as patience. “Being a counselor means being open to different types of people and not expecting everyone to have the same perspective,” she said. “Everybody has different life circumstances, backgrounds and family expectations. There are those who commit themselves 100 percent to their education and there are those with family obligations, jobs and long-distance commutes.”

EOP staff help students make their own decisions. “We give students the information they need to make decisions,” she said. “We have 2,500 students who visit EOP several times a semester. They often divulge personal information. If I encounter something outside the scope of my job or expertise, I personally walk students to Counseling and Psychological Services to ensure they get appropriate assistance.”

Jarso looks ahead to a career at CSULB and more far-off horizons to visit. “Traveling to Ethiopia makes me appreciate my culture and things I have, but it also allows me to embrace the idea that I don’t need so much,” Jarso said. “The most valuable things are life experiences and relationships with people.” —Manly is the senior writer in the Office of Public Affairs and Publications.