Denise Mendez
STAR Fellow, California Policy Research (CalSTAR)
Bio
Denise Mendez is a student parent at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Research Methods. Over the last two years, she has served as a lead peer advisor at the UC Berkeley Student Parent Center, offering crucial support to newly admitted and current student parents. She is the founder of the Student Parent Wellness Support Program, where she provides wellness scholarships, family friendly workshops and events, and healing clinics for student parents. Denise is also a second-year Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and current student in the Sociology Honors Thesis Program. Her research focuses on understanding the challenges faced by student parents during their undergraduate journeys, as well as analyzing how university administrators address these challenges through policies and resources. Denise's dedication to this work stems from her personal journey. Having become a parent at the age of 19, she experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating higher education without adequate support during her time at community college. She is committed to empowering and assisting student parents as they navigate their educational paths.
Bio
Denise Mendez is a student parent at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Research Methods. Over the last two years, she has served as a lead peer advisor at the UC Berkeley Student Parent Center, offering crucial support to newly admitted and current student parents. She is the founder of the Student Parent Wellness Support Program, where she provides wellness scholarships, family friendly workshops and events, and healing clinics for student parents. Denise is also a second-year Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and current student in the Sociology Honors Thesis Program. Her research focuses on understanding the challenges faced by student parents during their undergraduate journeys, as well as analyzing how university administrators address these challenges through policies and resources. Denise's dedication to this work stems from her personal journey. Having become a parent at the age of 19, she experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating higher education without adequate support during her time at community college. She is committed to empowering and assisting student parents as they navigate their educational paths.