What once seemed like just another prerequisite course at UC Berkeley would ultimately shape the trajectory of Monique Limón’s career in public service.
A sociology class sparked Limón’s fascination with the study of social institutions — how they function; who they serve; and how they can be reimagined to better support communities. As the first Latina and second female Senate President pro Tempore of the California State Senate, she uses those skills every day.
Before leading the Senate, Limón spent more than 14 years working in higher education at UC Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara City College. Beyond the classroom, Limón represented the needs of students and families as a Santa Barbara Unified School Board member.
Limón later represented the Central Coast in the California State Assembly, where she addressed student hunger on UC campuses, expanded access to higher education and been responsible for dozens of landmark policies that serve Californians’ needs.
As a Sociology major, Limón credits her time at Berkeley Social Sciences with shaping her understanding of leadership, collaboration and community impact.
Berkeley Social Sciences spoke to Limón recently about the lessons she learned at Cal and how she has applied them throughout her career. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.