Ashley Gain
Ashley Gain of La Mesa, California, was recently awarded the CSU Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship. She currently works as a community development specialist for the city of San Diego.
“I hope to stay and grow in this role while working towards a master’s in emergency services management at CSU,” she said. “After that, I want to transfer to emergency management as a coordinator. I hope that the master’s education will prepare me to help coordinate solutions to critical issues in San Diego such as: most previous wildfire evacuation centers now being owned by private developers, massive wealth disparity leading to a rapidly growing homeless population that is impacting the health care system and neighborhood safety, and the trafficking of fentanyl through the border. While I know one person can’t solve these issues, I want to be a part of the team that helps.”
Ashley says serving others is something that was passed down from her family.
“My entire family works in public service,” she said. “My mom is a paramedic, my dad is a police officer and my stepdad is a firefighter. This means that in every major emergency in our city, my entire family was gone, serving our neighbors. At my core, shaped by my family, I am a helper. At this point, I’ve moved into a public service role where that mindset, as well as a formal education in emergency management, could be incredibly valuable to the community that I, and my family, serve.
To learn more about Columbia Southern University’s scholarships, visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Scholarships.
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
