Exit Paper

College is a difficult time for everyone, especially for those of us who wear multiple hats

and must learn how to juggle them all. I was a full time student, a full time employee, a single

mother, an immigrant and dreamer, a disabled person, and a first generation student, all at the

same time. My journey at CSUMB felt long, bumpy, and full of expectancies. As a community

college transfer student adaptation to the CSU system was not an easy endeavor. Entering the

CSU system halfway along the race was one of the scariest and difficult things I have ever done.

It was hard to be the student that felt lost almost all the time. Academically, it was difficult to

obtain the right guidance from the expected sources. Our Social and Behavioral Sciences

assigned academic advisor changed three times along the way. Every time I met with one I

would be guided in a completely different way than the last which just added to my frustration

and confusion. Fortunately, I found alternative guidance and support along the way.

One of the things I learned to love about CSUMB, and probably the reason why I

survived this journey, is the commitment of faculty or at least the ones I interacted with. They

would always go far beyond the extra mile for their students sacrificing themselves and doing

extra work at times. Secondly, I found great solidarity and support from my fellow student peers

who were probably in the same position as I but always willing to help. Also, CSUMB’s special

programs and services, such as the EOPS program, the Disabled Students Center, and the Career

Development Center provided invaluable guidance through my journey. The only complaint

against these programs was the lack of alternative schedules and accessibility for some special or

important events. Students with full time employment and other responsibilities like me, would

struggle to attend and take advantage of them.

 At the beginning, my major was Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) with a

concentration in Sociology and a pre-law minor. I obtained my Sociology Associate's Degree

from Hartnell Community College and I currently work for a Non-profit organization that

provides legal immigration assistance to vulnerable communities. I thought it logical to continue

my degree in Sociology and consider Law School after graduation. However, after attending a

couple of the Career Development events related to Law School, and interviewing a few

attorneys (at the recommendation of my EOPS mentor) I concluded that Law School was not

something I wanted to take on after graduation. Not due to a lack of interest or motivation but

rather to a realistic analysis of the place I would be at the moment. My daughter, who is now

fifteen and a High School freshman, had for many years dealt with the constant absence of her

mother while I was in school. For that reason I decided that after graduation I will concentrate

on being next to her during her transition towards adulthood and college. With this in mind, I

dropped my minor in Pre-law and exchanged it for a minor in Spanish which I saw more as an

enhancement rather than part of my academic degree.

Semester after semester as I registered for courses, I kept on leaning towards registering

for Anthropology related courses rather than others. In my confusion, I had the wrong idea that

Sociology and Anthropology were practically the same majors with the only difference that

Sociology was more modern. It wasn't until I expressed this confusion to Professor Michelle

Figueroa during our capstone advising meeting that she recommended me to speak to Professor

Juan Jose Gutierrez. He took the time to guide me and help me figure out what I, within me,

already knew, I was an Anthropologist by heart. Not only did he help me gain a new perspective

but he also helped me navigate the school system to smoothly change concentrations without

prolonging my graduation expected date.

 Another turning point in my journey was my service learning class. To fulfill my service

learning requirement, I decided to take the Anthropology of Education class with Dr. Michelle

Lewis. I assisted two different Adult Schools in the area accessed through the organization that I

worked for. It was during this experience that I realized that law and education go hand by hand

as a liberatory practice. In both, those in need must be educated and provided with all the

resources needed to succeed and overcome their obstacles. This ‘aha’ moment led me to attend a

few workshops in the topic, interview teachers, and meet with an advisor from the Education

department at CSUMB. And just like that, I made the decision to pursue education as a career

and dropped my minor in order to get there sooner. My plan is to enroll in one of the credential

programs either at CSUMB or CSF. I am currently working on the requirements. If successful,

I will practice as an educator while my daughter graduates High School and is established in

college. Then, I will either consider graduate school or Law School again.

It is incredible to see how much I have learned, grown, and changed. When I transferred

to CSUMB, I felt insecure and believed the system was not meant for students like me, and I still

do. However, that is what makes me feel far more special, valuable, and proud of what I have

done. With the assistance of many along the road, I converted my obstacles into assets. Now I

have a clearer image of what I want and where I want to be. I feel eager to contribute to my

community and share my knowledge with others.