Faces of Global: Jessica Guarnero

Guarnero always knew she wanted to pursue her master’s degree once her son was in kindergarten. When that time arrived, she began looking into schools, but it was challenging to find any master’s degree programs located in her area of Steamboat Springs, Colo. Enter CSU Global! “I hadn’t been in school for a very long time, so the design for working adults made a lot of sense to me,” she shared.

Before enrolling and during her time as a student at CSU Global, Guarnero worked as a full-time associate professor of restaurant and culinary management at Colorado Mountain College. She knew obtaining a master’s degree would open up opportunities to advance in her career.

Guarnero graduated with her Master’s Degree in Leadership and Organizational Development from CSU Global in 2019. Since enrolling, she was promoted twice – once while she was still in school, and then again after she graduated. She currently serves as Dean of the Isaacson School for Communication Arts and Media at Colorado Mountain College, where she oversees the culinary and hospitality programs as well.

Guarnero credits her CSU Global degree with helping her get promoted and furthering her skills as a teacher. “I needed a master’s degree for promotion and rank, which I received, twice! Attending CSU Global also helped me become a much better online teacher, by learning from my professors there and the way the courses were designed,” she commented. “Additionally, as a result of obtaining my degree, the courses I was credentialed to teach expanded my opportunities quite a lot. For example, I was able to teach courses in our business and management programs. It was rewarding to be able to teach in other disciplines and broaden my horizons.”

As time went on, Guarnero felt prepared to take the next step in her educational journey. “My CSU Global experience definitely helped me gain confidence in graduate coursework,” she noted. Guarnero joined a doctoral program in 2019 and received her Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in 2022.

Guarnero returned to CSU Global in the summer of 2025, this time, as a partner. “I’m super excited about this partnership,” she shared. “I stewarded an articulation agreement which created three structured pathways for students to transfer their Colorado Mountain College credits to CSU Global. This will allow students to keep working within our communities while continuing their education. My experience as a student played a huge role in starting the partnership. I had a great experience, and I’m hoping CSU Global can help our students and community members, too.”

In June 2025, Guarnero was honored to receive the International Education Administrators’ Fulbright Award. This will allow her to participate in a year-long virtual seminar with 17 other higher education administrators. The seminar kicked off in Germany with a two-week conference in November of 2025, visiting with colleagues on campuses in major cities and rural locations alike.

“It will be an exchange of best practices and programs of study between two countries,” Guarnero explained. “We sometimes think community colleges don’t fit into global conversations, but we do!”

What’s next for Guarnero? She is looking forward to expanding opportunities for the Colorado Mountain College community and continuing the partnership with CSU Global. “I really enjoy thinking about next steps in serving our students,” she shared.

We love hearing from our students and learning more about their personal CSU Global experiences. We hope they inspire you as much as they inspire us!