From Homelessness and Hardship to Earning a Doctorate: A Cal State Long Beach Graduate’s Journey
Overcoming Adversity: Jesse Marroquin Quinquileria’s Journey to a Doctorate
Commencement season often highlights remarkable achievements, but Jesse Marroquin Quinquileria’s path to receiving his doctorate from California State University, Long Beach stands out in a profound way. Marroquin’s journey has been marked by survival against the odds, including homelessness, gang violence, and multiple life-threatening incidents.
Reflecting on his experiences, Marroquin stated, "I feel very humbled. My wife tells me all the time, ‘You earned that.’" His upbringing spanned the rough neighborhoods of South Los Angeles and Huntington Park, where he encountered gang life and periods of homelessness. “I got kicked out. I didn’t have a place to go. I didn’t have somebody to rely on,” he recounted, illustrating the challenges he faced in his younger years.
His experiences were life-altering, including a violent encounter that left him stabbed in the head and shot at— incidents that still haunt him, with a bullet lodged near his spine serving as a painful reminder.
A pivotal moment came when a felony charge resulted in his incarceration. In a desperate move, his mother sold her Chevrolet Blazer for $500 to secure his release. “She sold her Chevy Blazer for $500 to bail me out,” Marroquin explained.
Realizing the importance of education, he enrolled at Cerritos College, graduating with honors before earning a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Long Beach, a master’s from USC, and ultimately returning to Long Beach for his doctorate. He credits organizations like Project Rebound for supporting his academic journey, stating, “They welcomed everybody here. You could study, feel like you belong.”
Now, as he prepares to accept his degree and officially become Dr. Marroquin after defending his thesis in educational leadership, he underscores that his achievements are about more than personal success. "I want to be an advocate for people that come from my background,” he emphasized, expressing his desire to assist students affected by poverty and incarceration—challenges that shaped his early life.
His motivation is deeply personal, rooted in his desire to honor his mother. "I wanted to make it up to my mom," he said, highlighting his goal to make her proud and to show his daughters that a life in gangs is not the path to follow.
