Boryana Straubel Graduated from CSM in 2008 with an associate’s degree in liberal studies with President’s Honors and transferred to University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a BA in economics in 2010. She says, “My time at CSM was transformational and life-changing.”

Straubel was part of Phi Theta Kappa, a platform that enabled her to lead various social change projects. She was also a member of the Honors Society, taking various honors classes that led to leadership initiatives, research projects, and internships. At Cal, she also founded the German Club.

Some of Straubel’s awards include the 2009 Cal Alumni Association Leadership Award, the 2008 UC Berkeley Future Leaders Award, the 2008 American Association of University Women Award, the 2008 Rotary Club of San Mateo Award, the 2007 Cordes Language Studies Award, the 2007 CSM Credit Union Award, the 2007 The Morris Family Award and the 2006 SMCCD Anniversary Award.

Professionally, she is currently building out the Straubel Foundation, which she founded with her husband in 2015. Academically, she is working on two graduate degrees at Stanford University: An MS in management science & engineering (expected 2019) and MS in management MSx GSB (expected 2020).

She draws inspiration from three major sources: Her past, her family, and the mentors she has had in college and at work. She is motivated by the idea of paying forward the support that she has received in the past.