I wasn’t a huge fan of high school, and by my junior year, I was ready to move on, so I took College Connection at Shasta College my senior year.
I was surrounded by a bunch of people who wanted to transfer as quickly as possible. But I realized I didn’t want to take the same path. So, I took my time and found out that what I wanted to do was study engineering and attend a school that was right for me, not right for everyone else.
I’m a first-generation student, so navigating the bachelor’s degree process was super hard for me. I had all these questions, and the MESA program with Jessie Knight became a catalyst for knowledge and opportunities.
Physics with David Carico opened a whole new world for me. Jen McCandless taught me that math can be fun, and enjoyable, and beautiful, and Jessie Knight from MESA is a great mentor and advocate for her students.
Jessie had been talking about the CCI program with the Department of Energy, and I decided, you know, why not just throw in an application? You never know what would happen if you don’t take the chance. When I got accepted to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), I was just shaking. I was like, there’s no way! I’m just excited to embark on a new adventure and do something new that no one else in my family has had the chance to do.
That’s why I didn’t feel ready to move as fast as some of my peers. I wanted to take every opportunity I could at Shasta College. Like the NASA NCAS Program, MESA, and this internship at SLAC. I definitely feel like going to Shasta College has allowed me to mature a lot and develop a set of professional skills.
I’ve been accepted to San Jose State, UC Davis, and Santa Clara, but I haven’t decided on a school yet. I am dedicated to furthering my education to help engineer a better future for my generation.
One of the best pieces of advice I got from my mentor at my current internship at CalTrans is, “If you set yourself up for success, the opportunity will come. So always prepare yourself for that next step.”
Take every chance that you’re offered, even if you don’t think you’re cut out for it. Embrace the struggle. Embrace the challenges, because that’s what builds character.