I would describe my journey to higher education as a dream I never knew was possible. Growing up, I’d hear teachers talk about schools like UCLA or see them in movies, but it never felt like something meant for me. Coming from an immigrant background with limited educational resources, I didn’t have the support at home to help me understand or navigate the U.S. education system. So much of the process felt overwhelming and unfamiliar. It wasn’t until I started community college — and others began telling me that I belonged in these spaces —that I started to believe it was possible for both me and my daughter.
The Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP) showed me so much. They helped me name what I was feeling throughout my educational journey and recognize the skills I brought with me from my personal life experiences. It was the first time I felt like I belonged, even if I didn’t fit into the traditional student model. They helped me see that it was the students who made a university like UCLA great — not the other way around. I began trusting my voice and using it to support other students like me. There is so much students can do when they have the resources not just to grow, but to become changemakers. CCCP was and always will be my home away from home.
Some of my most memorable experiences were during the summer SITE programs, when I had the opportunity to dorm with other parenting students. We learned from one another just as much as others learned from us. It was such a healing and grounding experience to realize we were all facing similar hurdles, and yet — with community — it felt like anything was possible. Another memorable moment was during our Saturday Academies. When I didn’t have childcare, I would bring my daughter with me. It showed that I was creating space for her on campus, and it made other students feel comfortable bringing their children too. CCCP fostered such a welcoming and trusting environment that it felt completely okay to do this and still get meaningful work done.
Graduating from UCLA meant so much — not just for me, but for my family and my community. Earning a degree became proof that it was possible for my family. I also believe that as we move through the system, we are actively reshaping it to support students who reflect different walks of life. No matter how small that change may seem, it creates a pathway for others to follow. For me, it created a path for my daughter.
Today, I work at the UCLA Graduate Student Resource Center as the director, where I am creating a pipeline program that connects graduate resources across campus to support undergraduate students from underserved communities. The goal is to help them understand the graduate school application process and see it as a real, attainable option. I believe I can do for current UCLA undergrads what CCCP did for transfer students — support them, guide them and remind them that they belong here and can go even further.
CCCP is truly one of a kind. They are cultivating leaders, and the students who have been impacted by CCCP have gone on to pursue graduate school, conduct research on critical issues, engage in social justice work, start their own businesses and uplift others along the way. Their influence doesn’t stop at UCLA — just as UCLA’s impact is worldwide, so is CCCP’s.
