As a high school senior, Arden Martinez (20) spent a lot of her time traveling back and forth across the U.S. and Mexico border.
“I was a cross-border student,” Martinez said, who would make the trip from Tijuana each day to attend school. “I would make the trip on my own to get to classes so I really had one boot in San Diego and one in Mexico.”
The time she spent crossing the border each day left an indelible impression on her. As someone who made not only a language and culture switch each day, but had to pass through a national border into an entirely different country, Martinez was exposed to the political environment in both countries from a young age.
“Originally I wanted to be a lawyer,” Martinez said. “But that wasn’t working out well for me in the beginning so I decided to pursue a political degree in a more general sense.”
“Originally I wanted to be a lawyer, But that wasn’t working out well for me in the beginning so I decided to pursue a political degree in a more general sense.”
Martinez started pursuing a degree that would prepare her to work in politics. She started her educational journey by pursuing an associate’s degree from Southwestern College in political science.
“I was really trying to figure out what my purpose was,” Martinez said. “I applied to a lot of schools in the San Diego area, but wasn’t accepted. One thing that time in my life taught me was to never give up.”
Martinez, who was living with her mother at the time in January 2017, had an annual tradition of fasting and prayer during the first month of every year. This is a time for them to reset, plan, give thanks for the previous year, and begin the new year rooted in their faith.
“I remember spending that time asking the Lord to give me a sign,” Martinez said. “I knew there was something else out there for me to pursue.”
By fall of 2018, Martinez would be attending PLNU. Even though she hadn’t been accepted to other universities when she’d previously applied, she continued to pursue her goal and send in applications. She began studying political science at PLNU as a transfer student.
Coming from a two-year community college like Southwestern, Martinez had to quickly adjust to the pace and rigor of a four-year university. Like many first-generation college students, Martinez was navigating uncharted waters with little to no support from her family. While she was continuing to improve her English-language skills and understand the more difficult curriculum, she was also navigating university administration, class registration, and the loan system all on her own.
“I was trying to figure out the community, and it was really challenging,” Martinez said. “I had a lot of issues in front of me and I didn’t have the confidence at the time to trust myself.”
That’s when Linda Beail, Ph.D., professor of political science at PLNU, requested to meet with her.
After their first conversation, Beail and Martinez began to meet regularly. The two would have conversations on everything ranging from Martinez’s schoolwork to her social life.
“She would always tell me that I was able to do it and I was capable of more,” Martinez said. “And she would remind me that I belonged at PLNU. I relied on her a lot. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support.”
“She would always tell me that I was able to do it and I was capable of more, And she would remind me that I belonged at PLNU. I relied on her a lot. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support.”
By continuing to work hard and ask for help from professors like Beail, Martinez was able to complete all of the requirements to graduate with her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2020. She started looking for work shortly after graduation and landed a job with the International Community Foundation, a nonprofit in San Diego, where she would work for the next three years.
In her role with the International Community Foundation, Martinez was exposed to a new side of San Diego — she realized that she could make a real, rewarding impact working with underserved populations. She knew she wanted to continue her career in this area, so she began researching master’s programs with nonprofit and social change curricula.
She settled on Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology to pursue a graduate degree in social entrepreneurship and change. This program includes a variety of classes focusing on topics like ethical leadership, mobilizing the diverse citizen sector, and managing philanthropic enterprises.
“As we began to get further along in our coursework, I remember asking myself what I wanted to do and how I wanted to apply it once I finished,” Martinez said.
It was toward the end of her program that Martinez noticed an opening with the City of San Diego as a management trainee.
“I took a look at the opportunity and I was like I think I can do this,” Martinez said. “It’s pretty typical for government jobs to take a while to get back to you. When I did hear back, though, I was so nervous for my first interview.”
But she was determined to bring the confident mindset she learned while at PLNU to her job interviews. She was called back for a second and third round before eventually landing the job in June 2024.
Now she’s been in the role for over a year, and her main priorities include managing grant administration, local and city-wide projects, and the general distribution of funds and resources to the San Diego community. Martinez and the rest of her team focus on providing defined social services or other direct assistance through Community Development Block Grant Programs (CDBG).
“I get to connect with these programs to learn about their mission and vision,” Martinez said. “Sometimes those things aren’t always seen by the community, but everything [these programs] do is really helpful.”
Martinez and her team also spend time each year preparing reports that share the state of nonprofits in San Diego, provide support to public services that directly impact the community, and fund microenterprises so community members can establish businesses in the area.
“It’s very rewarding to see people benefit from the services they really need, especially in low-income areas,” Martinez said.
“It’s very rewarding to see people benefit from the services they really need, especially in low-income areas.”
Martinez hopes to continue her work for the City of San Diego by supporting its vulnerable populations through nonprofit programming and CDBG funding. One day, she also hopes to be a mentor and leader for others like herself in the educational space.
“I’m someone who truly believes in the well-being of others, and I’m always asking how we can run things better,” Martinez said. “It’s crucial to look behind and prepare the next generation.”
Just as Dr. Beail helped Martinez navigate an undergraduate degree, Martinez hopes to mentor and support others as she progresses in her career.
“Lately I’ve been enjoying getting to know more people in my network and building strong relationships,” Martinez said. “My motto is, ‘Life is about learning,’ so I’m always learning. I want to continue growing as a professional and as a person.”
