Mission College's TRiO and EOPS celebrate first-generation college students
On November 2024, I had the privilege of sharing my first-generation college experience at the second First-Generation College Celebration hosted by Mission College's TRiO and EOPS programs. This event helped raise funds towards scholarships that are available for Mission College students. According to the Mission College website, last year's event raised over $19,000 that went towards scholarships in funding first-generation students.
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Special thanks to the TRiO team for inviting me and for providing the platform for me to share my story. (Photo courtesy of Mission College PR)
From left to right: Julia Dea-Wong (TRiO Counselor), Vianey Topete (TRiO Program Specialist), Louie Nathaniel Pinpin (TRiO alumni), Vivian Le (TRiO alumni), Miguel Zaragoza (former TRiO Counselor), Manuel Salazar (TRiO Director)
From left to right: Julia Dea-Wong (TRiO Counselor), Vianey Topete (TRiO Program Specialist), Louie Nathaniel Pinpin (TRiO alumni), Vivian Le (TRiO alumni), Miguel Zaragoza (former TRiO Counselor), Manuel Salazar (TRiO Director)
Participating in Dennis Lab Outreach at Sacramento Charter High School
As part of UC Davis Health Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine and Sacramento Charter High School Summer Internship Program, the Dennis lab hosted a DNA workshop at the high school in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, I had the opportunity to present my career trajectory and to encourage students to take advantage of the paid summer internship program. Before I left the lab, I co-mentored two students: a community college AvenueM student and an incoming college freshman.
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My main purpose for participating in outreaches like these was to promote science as field of career development and opportunity especially to students who are underrepresented in STEM. As a scientist of color, this is only the beginning to my contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in STEM.​​
Mental Health and Wellness Committee Student Leader and Representative Experience
During my last semester at Mission College, I joined the College's Mental Health and Wellness Committee in which I represented fellow students in a majority faculty and staff committee. We were increasingly alarmed by the high rates of mental health issues that college students were facing in the United States as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial and social tensions. My role was to virtually connect students to available resources. With this, the committee hosted a virtual Equity MINDset Conference where students and faculty came together to talk about mental health and racial equity. Finally, as a leader, I shared my mental health journey through Brave Minds Gallery on Instagram. ​​