|
|
 |
| More EOP Success Stories |
Angela Reed (SOCS
’99) was admitted to Cal Poly in 1993 and attended the
Cal Poly Summer Institute Program. This summer program made
all the difference to her in that it provided invaluable academic
preparation for the demands of Cal Poly, as well as acquainted
her with the campus. As a single mom, Angela attributes much
of her success to EOP and to the mentoring relationship she
developed with her EOP academic adviser. Her adviser offered
her much insight into course scheduling information and emotional
support as she navigated the challenges of higher education
and eventual admission to graduate school. Angela achieved her
master’s in social work in June 2003 from Cal State Long
Beach and now is working as a foster family social worker with
Foster Family Network, part of Childnet Youth and Family Services,
in Southern California.
David Abella didn't think
much about life after high school in Concord and his GPA was
closer to the bottom than the top. He applied to nine colleges
and was rejected by all but one. San Francisco State University
accepted him and he entered through the EOP program. He majored
in political science. Now in his senior year, Abella, 21, is
vice president of the Associated Students, Inc., he serves as
a board trustee for the California State Students Association
and he's a member of the CSU system-wide budget advisory committee.
He says none of this would have been possible without the guidance
he received from EOP. Speaking at a "Save EOP" rally
on campus, he gave an impassioned speech, telling the crowd
that students need to head to Sacramento to spread the word
about EOP.
Cheryl Hurd is an NBC11 news
reporter in the Oakland Bureau who appears primarily on the
5 and 6 p.m. newscasts. Born and raised in Vallejo, California,
Cheryl attended and graduated from the California State University,
East Bay and was a part of EOP. Cheryl has been honored with
an award from the Bay Area Black Journalist Association.
Leticia Aguilera-Ledesma,
physician, Bay Valley Medical Group, Hayward:
Leticia Aguilera-Ledesma received her bachelor’s degree
in biology from CSU East Bay in 1991 and was an active participant
in the EOP program. While a student, she represented CSUH at
the Harvard Summer School Medical Sciences Program. She attended
the UC Irvine Pre-Med Summer School in 1990 and was admitted
to the University of Southern California School of Medicine
in 1992.
Throughout her medical school training, her emphasis has been
on providing primary care to underserved urban populations.
After finishing her residency at UC San Francisco/SF General
Hospital and receiving the Julius R. Krevans Award for Clinical
Excellence, Dr. Aguilera-Ledesma was selected as a chief resident
for the Family Practice Residency Program. Currently she is
the only Spanish speaking adult provider at Bay Valley.
Though her studies have taken Dr. Aguilera-Ledesma away from
East Oakland, the town in which she was raised, she has never
stopped giving back to her community. At CSUH she worked as
a Pre-College counselor at Oakland’s Fremont High and
was a student mentor for CSUH’s Mentoring Program. She
also worked with CSUH’s HIV Educational Program and was
an active member of the Minority Students in Health Sciences
club. Currently, she give talks to pre-med students at local
colleges and attends conferences on the health issues of underserved
communities.
Olga Martinez, President,
Allright Diversified Services, Inc., Fresno: The general construction
company was started by Martinez in 1998 and has been very successful
in bidding on government contracts, completing projects for
the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, NASA, Dept. of Labor, VA, GSA,
and the National Park Services. Allright Diversified Services
was ranked 4th in the 100 Fastest Growing Hispanic Businesses
by “Hispanic Business Magazine” in the summer of
2003.
Martinez volunteers for many organizations and her contributions
are enormous. She serves on numerous boards and committees and
yet finds time to be an active speaker and mentor to high school
students and women’s groups. The Fresno District Office
of the U.S. Small Business Administration named her the 2003
Central California Woman in Business Advocate of the Year.
Martinez was raised in Mendota, California and comes from a
farm-working family. She was the first and only member of her
family to complete college. Martinez learned about the opportunities
available in higher education through a contact with an EOP
counselor who visited her high school. She received a bachelor
of arts degree in 1982 from Fresno State.
Jacq M. Wilson, Attorney,
Schuman and Associates, San Francisco: Jacq M. Wilson entered
Fresno State through EOP as a special admit in 1992. Wilson
was raised in an economically depressed area of Modesto. He
excelled at baseball and was offered an athletic scholarship
after high school; however, Wilson chose to nurture the dream
of attending college to fulfill his career goal of becoming
an FBI investigator.
Wilson used the support services offered through EOP and quickly
distinguished himself as a scholar. He was on the dean’s
list, a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, and
a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. He volunteered countless hours during
the summer months coaching baseball to underprivileged youths.
Wilson graduated with honors from Fresno State in May 1996.
He was the recipient of the 1996 Division of Student Affairs
Dean’s Medal in recognition of his outstanding scholarship,
leadership, and exemplary contributions to campus and community
service.
Wilson graduated in 1999 from the University of California Hastings
College of the Law and continues to participate in community-based
activities. “EOP instilled an invaluable work ethic in
me and prepared me with the tools to achieve my academic and
personal goals.”
Jaime
Barragan, Cal State Long Beach class of 1998, B.A.
in Spanish: At age18, Jaime Barragan said the odds of going
to college were slim to none, but the EOP program at Cal State
Long Beach gave him what he described as “the winning
ticket to my future.” Not only did it help him reach his
educational goals, it also allowed him the opportunity to reach
a lifelong dream.
As a freshman, Barragan was advised to take extracurricular
activities to get the total college experience. He joined the
49er track team, and went on to capture the Big West Conference
titles in the 100 and 200 meters and 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays
in 1995. In fact, he still holds the university’s all-time
record in the 100 meters today. But that’s not all. Barragan
went on to become the Mexican national champion in the 100 in
1994 and 1995, and he qualified for the 1996 Olympics in the
100 meters.
“My educational and athletic career
have allowed me to become that much-needed role model to my
students, and it is all because of the Educational Opportunity
Program,” said Barragan, a teacher at Millikan High School
in Long Beach. “Who would have thought a kid with a 2.3
grade point average out of high school could go on to become
a star athlete, teacher and mentor?”
Christy Zamani, Cal State
Long Beach class of 1999, B.A. in Political Science: When Christy
Zamani graduated from high school, her 2.7 grade point average
and SAT scores combined left her short of what she needed to
get into Cal State Long Beach. The university’s EOP program,
however, gave her the opportunity to prove that she had what
it takes to succeed in a college environment.
“Sometimes,
we need to look past the numbers and look at the student. That’s
what the EOP does,” said Zamani. “EOP believed in
me when I needed someone to believe in me most. I love to learn,
and I am a very passionate person about reaching my goals. EOP
must have seen that person hiding behind the stats.”
During her senior year at CSULB, Zamani was elected as the university’s
Associated Students President. She was also elected as the chair
for University Affairs for the California State Student Association,
a statewide group that represents the more than 400,000 students
in the CSU system.
“Cal State Long Beach took
a chance on me and I owe it to them to give back. What better
way to give back than to serve the campus through student representation?”
Zamani continues to give back to the CSU. She works for the
CSU Chancellor’s Office in student relations.
Verenisa Alfaro, MSW Psychiatric
Social Worker, Verenisa Alfaro (BA '96), who became a mother
at 15, is the first in her family to graduate from high school.
With the support of her parents, she was able to finish her
high school education.
Prior to graduation, her high school counselor suggested that
she apply to CSULA through EOP. Due to her parenting responsibilities,
her EOP counselor recommended that Verenisa start taking classes
with study groups during her first year. Her participation in
study groups helped her to meet other students while developing
her academic and critical thinking skills. She also attended
regular tutorial sessions for all her math classes. Verenisa
was a member of EOP's Parents' Support Group, which met weekly.
The Parents' Support Group provided a forum where students could
deal with responsibility such as children, school and family.
Verenisa was eventually hired as a student assistant in the
EOP office.
Verenisa, who graduated with a bacherlor's degree in Criminal
Justice in 1996, also earned a master's degree in 1999 from
USC. She currently works for LAUSD as a psychiatric social worker.
Sandra Gonzalez, Congressional
Aid, Sandra Gonzalez (BA ’93), who grew up in the projects
of Fresno and in a single-parent home, had to work in the fields
to make ends meet at a young age.
Despite the fact that she was the youngest of five children,
Sandra was the first in her family to graduate from high school.
During high school, she was involved in soccer, softball and
campus activities, yet education beyond high school was never
discussed. She had no idea of the many options available to
her until a CSU Fresno EOP representative visited her school.
Sandra, accepted as a special admit through EOP Summer Bridge
at Fresno State, remembers how important the program was in
helping to prepare for her education. Sandra attended Fresno
State for two years, and then transferred to Cal State L.A.
She connected with the EOP office and got involved in study
groups and tutoring. She credits the study groups for the development
of her critical thinking skills.
At Cal State L.A, Sandra was instrumental in organizing a Latino
Coalition. She also played a major role in the founding of the
Chicano/Latino Resource Center.
Sandra, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1993,
is currently a Congressional Aid for Congressman Linda Sanchez.
She is the liaison for labor and health issues.
|
|
Last Updated:
May 16, 2005
|
