My journey to higher education began with a lot of uncertainty. When I first started at community college, I didn’t really understand how the system worked. I didn’t know how to drop classes, I wasn’t familiar with the transfer process, and I didn’t receive much onboarding or guidance. Because of that, I often felt lost and unsure of how to navigate my academic path.
Things changed dramatically when I became involved with the Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP) and ultimately transferred to UCLA. I began receiving the support and mentorship I had been missing earlier. It felt like a floodgate had opened. With access to guidance, resources and a stronger sense of direction, I found opportunities that helped me grow both academically and personally. I secured a job with CCCP, excelled in my major and gained a clearer understanding of what I wanted for myself and my future.
I also built meaningful community and connections that made me feel like I truly belonged. That momentum carried forward into my graduate program, where the foundation CCCP helped me build continued to support my success. The confidence, skills and community I developed along the way have continued to shape my career and the path I’m building today.
CCCP supported me in many meaningful ways, both personally and professionally. First and foremost, it provided the guidance I needed through an assigned mentor, accessible workshops and summer programming. I especially appreciated how everything was clearly explained and broken down. No question ever felt too small. The program understood how a first-generation student like me could be unfamiliar with the inner workings of higher education, and they filled those gaps with patience, care and understanding.
Second, when I became a peer mentor, CCCP gave me a platform to grow as a young professional. It allowed me to use my creativity to reach and support other first-generation students who were navigating many of the same questions and uncertainties I once had. Being able to give back in that way was incredibly meaningful.
Lastly, CCCP helped me understand the importance of embracing our identities within higher education and recognizing them as strengths. Through the program’s emphasis on community, programming and mentorship, I was able to connect more deeply with my Samoan and Mexican roots. CCCP created space for me to explore those parts of myself and see how my cultural background could be an asset in academic and professional spaces.
Some of my most memorable experiences at UCLA came from my time serving as a peer mentor with CCCP, especially through the Native American and Pacific Islander Summer Program. During that program, I experienced something that was incredibly meaningful to me: being surrounded by so many students who looked like me and shared similar cultural backgrounds. It was powerful to see our communities represented and thriving in a space like UCLA. I felt deeply grateful to help bring students from my community together on a campus that once felt completely unattainable to me. Because of the opportunities and support CCCP provided, UCLA transformed from a distant dream into a place that feels like a second home. Experiences like these helped me realize my passion for helping others reach their goals. Being part of programs that center community, belonging and mentorship showed me how meaningful it is to create spaces where students feel supported, represented and empowered to pursue higher education.
Graduating from UCLA meant proving to myself that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. It showed me that with hard work and the willingness to seek out support, I could overcome challenges that once felt overwhelming. When I first started at community college, I struggled significantly. During my first semester, I received failing grades because I didn’t understand how to balance my schedule or navigate the academic system. I didn’t even know that I could drop difficult classes, and I felt unprepared for the expectations of higher education. However, over time my mindset and work ethic began to transform. I sought out resources, asked for help and committed myself to improving. That growth ultimately led me to graduate with honors from a highly competitive and sought-after university like UCLA. Looking back, the transformation in my confidence, discipline and perspective happened in a relatively short period of time, but it changed the course of my life. If it weren’t for the support systems I found and my determination to keep moving forward, I would not have reached this milestone. Graduating from UCLA represents resilience, growth and the belief that my goals are possible.
Today, I work at the Transfer Center at Cypress College, where I support community college students as they navigate the transfer process. In this role, I have the opportunity to guide students at every stage of their journey, whether they are just beginning to explore their options or are ready to submit their transfer applications. It is incredibly rewarding to be part of such an important moment in students’ academic paths. Having once navigated the transfer process myself, I understand how confusing and overwhelming it can feel at times. Being able to offer guidance, encouragement and resources to students makes the work deeply meaningful to me. I am grateful to support them as they pursue their goals and take the next steps in their educational journeys.
It is very rare for smaller communities like Native American and Pacific Islander communities to have their own specific resources and programming. I am eternally grateful that CCCP continues to shed light on these communities and so many other under-resourced communities.
