No tengan miedo. Seek out and use the resources available to you on campus and in the community. Branch out & challenge yourself to grow academically and socially by pushing beyond your own comfort zones, beyond the familiar. Remember, your background, experiences and knowledge are just as valid as the next person's. Be proud of who you are and of the sacrifices your familia has made/is making to put you through college. You will repay them with your love and gratitude.
EOP made all the difference in the world for me. EOP provided me with a sense of community. The program's counselors and all of it support services helped me negotiate the emotional and academic obstacle course that UCSB represented during my first few years of college. It brought me together with other students with whom I shared a common experience--being a working class first generation college student. One of my closest lifelong friend's was an EOP student at UCSB. I attribute much of my success at UCSB and presently to my being an EOP student
First of all, my education has provided me with personal and professional opportunities I would not have had otherwise. My education has helped me develop the critical thinking, decision making, and leadership skills that I utilize daily in my work as a dean at Stanford and in my life as an active parent in my son's elementary school. It has also helped me become a well-rounded person with an appreciation for art, literature, music, travel, good food and great wine! My UCSB education has instilled in me the confidence to pursue various personal and professional interests with passion and self-determination. Most importantly, my education has raised the bar for my son for whom the expectation is that he attend college, unlike when I was growing up and the expectation was simply to receive a high school diploma.
I cherish Meeting professors and staff members like Franciso Lomeli and Yolanda Garcia whom I consider mentors.
In spite of the intellectual and emotional growing pains (and there were many) I absolutely loved my UCSB experience!