Highlighting Excellence: Bhajleen Khalsa
Our Students Are Pretty Great!
It is my pleasure to introduce you all to Bhajleen Khalsa, University of the Pacific, class of 2026. Bhajleen is a Political Science Major with a minor in Pre-Law. At the University of the Pacific, Bhajleen is part of the SUCCESS TRIO Program and is a Student Intern at the Center for Identity and Inclusion. However, it is off campus where Bhajleen truly shines. Among her many contributions to the local community, she spends her time as a member of the Stockton Dems, a casework intern for Congressman Harder, an Environmental Justice Youth Advocate for Little Manila Rising, a Resettlement intern for the International Rescue Committee, and as a community organizer for the ACLU.
Bhajleen’s proudest Pacific moment was when she hosted Chai Chats with Mayor Gary Singh of Manteca, where they reflected upon the challenges of being a brown person in politics and higher education. When I asked her what adversities she has overcome to be where she is today, Bhajleen was honest, saying, “I don’t think I have overcome all the adversities.”
Bhajleen is the first in her family to attend college, so the whole process was and is entirely new to her and her loved ones. There has not been a single step along the way where Bhajleen has not had to be proactive and research everything, from the college application process to choosing her major and searching for jobs. Nothing has come easy for Bhajleen.
Like Youyou Xu, the subject of the first article in this series, Bhajleen faced questions about her major. Some people doubted her choice of degree; they questioned how it would help her in the future. There were even people who asserted that women did not belong in politics. Bhajleen admitted that she still suffers from self-doubt and imposter syndrome, saying that while she has overcome those adversities to be where she is today, she is still dealing with them through her time as a student at Pacific.
When I asked Bhajleen what advice she would offer a new student, she echoed Youyou’s suggestion: talk to your advisors. But she also provided even more advice, recommending that students attend different events and make college the experience they want. Bhajleen also emphasized networking, sharing a piece of advice that had been given to her, “the person sitting next to you might be the one offering you a job in 10 years from now.”
Bhajleen endorses creating a personal brand; she recommends that new students make full use of career services to refine things such as their resume, LinkedIn, cover letter, bio, and headshots. Bhajleen emphasizes that, “it is vital that you get started on this early because recruiters are always looking for young people to hire.”
As a bonus question, I asked Bhajleen what advice she would give to students seeking involvement in local politics. She replied that students should first get educated about their local area and find programs, such as Little Manila, which would teach them the history of Stockton. She also suggests that students should attend events and talk to influential people. Bhajleen says that, “the more you show up, the more people will remember you.”
Finally, Bhajleen said that young people must get involved with their local party groups, regardless of which party they belong to. There are always internship opportunities, so long as you keep an open mind and are open to learning new skills, there is a spot for you in local politics.
If you would like to nominate someone you love or are proud of, please fill out this form and we’d love to share their accomplishments with the student body!