Correction: Insight regrets to inform readers that there was an inaccuracy published in this article regarding Vasquez’s education status. Vasquez graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with her bachelors degree.

WCHS alumnae Jacquelyn Vasquez, a first-year California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer recently spoke to Insight on March 10th about how her high school experience shaped her personality and led her to a profession in the CHP.

Throughout high school, Vasquez was a member of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFJROTC) program, an organization that aims to develop citizens of character and prepare students interested in joining the military. Vasquez shared that taking leadership roles had ignited her passion for serving the community.

“It sparked my interest, because it gave me the sense of fulfillment that I wanted in high school, so, knowing that – how I liked it in high school, that’s kind of what showed me, like, I like the sense of helping others, being in service,” Vasquez said. 

After graduating high school in 2016, Vasquez continued onto higher education by attending Cal State San Bernardino where she had majored in biological sciences. In 2023, Vasquez graduated with an associate’s degree in psychology, social science in gender studies, and biology. She was unsure of what she wanted to pursue, but following her job as a restaurant server, she decided to pursue law enforcement.  

“I heard California Highway Patrol was the best by word of mouth, best law enforcement, and hardest to get into, so I wanted to be a part of that,” Vasquez said. 

Soon after, she decided to join the California Highway Patrol academy training to become a highway patrol officer. Vasquez described how her time at the academy was grueling as she was regularly competing in physically demanding workouts against a crowd of other applicants.

“We got tased. OC’d (pepper sprayed) and gassed. We have to know what it’s like,” Vasquez said. 

Her motivation and determination saw her through the days to her graduation from the academy and official promotion as a CHP officer. Stationed soon after in Santa Fe Springs, Vasquez has since aided her community by enacting traffic stops on suspicious vehicles to handling anxiety-inducing situations like two motor vehicle deaths, standoffs, multiple chases, and arrests.  

“I love my job; every day is different, nothing is ever really the same,” Vasquez said.

Following her passions led Vasquez to a job that fulfills her and allows her to give back to the community by saving lives and preventing accidents. 

“My main job is to provide safety and security for all people in California. I want to be a positive portrayal (of the CHP),” Vasquez said. 

Vasquez’s journey demonstrates how students can take the lessons learned in high school and use them to succeed in their adult lives.