One Family’s CSUSB Story, Carried Through Three Generations

For three generations of one Inland Empire family, Cal State San Bernardino has never felt like just a university. It’s been a place of beginnings, returns and continuity — a campus woven into their lives across decades, degrees and generations.

Patricia Sadler was the first to walk its pathways as a student, earning her bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1993. Already working in an accounting department, the degree helped her achieve her lifelong goal of becoming a CPA and laid a foundation that would shape the generations that followed.

Years later, her daughter, Rochelle Reynoldson, would follow in her footsteps — first earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing from CSUSB in 2000. Then later returning to the university to complete her MBA in December 2024 while balancing a demanding career and family life.

"CSUSB gave me the opportunity to grow, to learn and to do something meaningful for myself and my family. When I see my daughter and my granddaughters here now, it’s emotional. I never imagined back then that this would be our family’s story.

Patricia Sadler ’93

Today, Rochelle’s daughters — Caleigh Reynoldson and Paige Reynoldson — are current CSUSB students, each pursuing their own academic paths. Caleigh is studying business administration and management, while Paige is majoring in business administration and marketing, continuing the family’s connection to the university while shaping what comes next.

Their story shows how CSUSB has been a steady presence across generations — a place their family could rely on as they built their lives, pursued opportunity and remained rooted in the community.

Patricia remembers coming to CSUSB at a time when the campus looked very different from what students see today. Still, the impact of her experience has stayed with her.

“I always believed education was important,” Patricia said. “CSUSB gave me the opportunity to grow, to learn and to do something meaningful for myself and my family.”

That belief became a foundation — not something she spoke about often, but something she lived. Watching Rochelle, Caleigh and Paige attend the same university decades later is something Patricia reflects on with pride and perspective.

“When I see my daughter and my granddaughters here now, it’s emotional,” Patricia said. “I never imagined back then that this would be our family’s story.”

For Rochelle, CSUSB has marked multiple chapters of her life. Her first experience as a nursing student gave her a professional foundation, setting the stage for her current role as a nurse manager for San Bernardino County. Returning years later for her MBA, she experienced the university in a new way — balancing work, family and graduate studies.

“I chose CSUSB because it felt like the right place for me,” Rochelle said. “It was close to home, it was respected, and it was a university where I felt supported.”

Patricia’s and Rochelle’s experiences as students are only part of the picture. The family’s connection to CSUSB runs deeper — quite literally built into the campus itself.

"There’s something special about knowing our family has been part of this campus in so many different ways – not just as students, but as people who helped build it.

Rochelle Reynoldson ’00,’24

Rochelle’s stepfather supervised the plumbing during the construction of Jack Brown Hall – now home to CSUSB’s Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration – completed in 1994. Years later, her brother, an electrician, is currently working on the new Performing Arts Building, which is still under construction and scheduled for completion in 2026.

“There’s something special about knowing our family has been part of this campus in so many different ways,” Rochelle said. “Not just as students, but as people who helped build it.”

For Caleigh and Paige, attending CSUSB represents both continuity and independence. Each is building on the foundation laid by their mother and grandmother while creating their own experiences on campus.

"It’s really cool to be somewhere that means so much to my family. But it’s also exciting because I’m creating my own memories here.

Paige Reynoldson Student, Business Administration and Marketing

“Coming here felt natural,” Caleigh said. “I grew up visiting campus and hearing stories about CSUSB from my mom and my grandma, but once I became a student, it became my experience.”

Paige echoed that sentiment.

“It’s really cool to be somewhere that means so much to my family,” Paige said. “But it’s also exciting because I’m creating my own memories here.”

Both sisters see CSUSB not as a legacy to live up to, but as a place that continues to open doors — just as it did for the generations before them.

“There’s a sense of belonging here,” Caleigh said. “It feels like a place where you’re encouraged to grow and figure out who you want to be.”

As CSUSB marks its 60th anniversary, stories like this one offer a reflection of the university’s impact — not just through its many milestones and rankings, but through people whose lives have unfolded alongside the campus itself.

For Patricia, Rochelle, Caleigh and Paige, CSUSB represents continuity without standing still. A place that has grown over time, just as they have, while remaining rooted in the community they call home.

They are proud Coyotes. Still part of the Pack. And still writing the next chapter of a story that began decades ago — one class, one building and one generation at a time.

Cal State San Bernardino, set at the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, is a vibrant hub of education and culture in Inland Southern California. The university offers more than 70 traditional baccalaureate and master’s degree programs, education credential and certificate programs, and a doctoral program, all housed within five academic colleges and the Palm Desert Campus.

Not only is a degree from CSUSB affordable and attainable, it is also a pathway to a brighter future. Ranked No. 2 nationally for social mobility by the Wall Street Journal, CSUSB helps students rise to great opportunities, securing high-paying jobs while keeping costs low.

The university is consistently recognized for its academic excellence, affordability and commitment to empowering students and communities to achieve their fullest potential.