WORD ON THE STREET
Welcome to Our World
On this page you will find a picture and brief bio about our Traditionally Untraditional Representatives. Scroll through and explore their stories for insight on the transfer process, life at a four year after transfer, their take on community college, and a world of opportunities!
"I didn't have any clear educational path or goals at the time I started attending Las Positas and it was the only financially feasible option for me. I considered just getting my AA degree, but now I have more goals, aspirations, and plan to transfer to UC Davis!"
Aileen Sullivan | Las Positas College | Journalism/Communications | Liberal Arts | Swim and Dive | Las Positas Chamber Choir | Las Positas Literary Anthology
"The community college experience is often seen as the path less traveled."
Andrew Europa | University of California, Riverside | Business Administration - Management | International Forensic Association Finalist | Poetry Club | Phi Chi Theta | Experimental Acoustic Research Studio | Casual Hiking Club | Music Appreciation Club
"I decided to start with a clean slate and try my hardest at community college."
Anthony Omole | University of California, Berkeley | Chemistry | Honors Transfer Club | The Nigerian Student Association, Associated Students of the University of California
"Ability to attend classes while working full-time"
Alexander Alpi | University of California, Berkeley | Political Science | Associated Student Government at Skyline College | Delta Phi Epsilon
"Find a path that works for you not for everyone else."
Alexandra Torrez | University of California, Berkeley | Political Science | Global Poverty and Practice | International Forensics Association Finalist | Milanese Political Science Scholar | Swim and Dive | Mixed Student Union | Re-Entry and Transfer Student Association | Phi Rho Pi National Forensics Organization
"Community college gave me time to develop mentally, explore my interests, and keep doing the activities I've always enjoyed."
Caleb Wagner | Las Positas College | Anthropology | Swim and Dive
"I chose community college because I was unsure of what college route I should take. I also chose it for the low cost, flexibility, and the fact that I could remain close to my family."
Claire Piazza | San Jose State University | Communication Disorders and Sciences | Nutrition and Food Sciences | Swim and Dive/Water Polo | National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association
"I'm sharing this because no young adult should have to feel helpless about having a goal to achieve a higher education or opportunities for a career simply because they don't know what their options are"
Connor Huff | University of California, Santa Barbara | Physics | Physics Teaching Assistant at Diablo Valley College
"I found that community college had a lot to offer and that my stigma against it was unfounded."
Emil Graversen | University of California, Davis | Biological Sciences | Swim and Dive
"I have a better appreciation for what it takes to create something in this world, and how important it is to get involved with my community."
Gabriel Costa | Las Positas and Chabot College | International Relations | Theater Club | Trash-Chan Creator | Linguist
"I went to San Diego State University and it just didn’t feel like the right school for me."
Hannah Tsui | University of California, Davis | Animal Science | Swim and Dive
"I started going to Las Positas College through the Middle College Program during my senior year of high school. It looked like an amazing opportunity to structure my education in a way that suited me best."
Isabella David | Las Positas College | English | Middle College | Jujutsu | Eskrima | Lua
"Attending a California Community College has given me the chance to be more open-minded and always learn more about what I don't know."
J.P. Wang | University of California, Berkeley | Political Science | Student Ambassador at World Affairs | Intern for Supervisor Hillary Ronen at San Francisco's City Hall | Student Teacher at Family Connections | Peer Mentor at the Writing Success Project at CCSF | Review for International Conflict and Security
"The credits I earned transferred to my four year school and offered the flexibility to double major in math and biology without ever having to overload my credit counts."
Julian Wagner | CalTech | PhD Biology - Candidate | Math Club | Barret Honors College
"Through community college I was able to have more intimate classroom settings, get to know my professor, work and go to school at the same time."
Kristen Warren | University of California, Davis | Neurobiology - Physiology and Behavior | Biological Sciences Honor Society | Mathematics Honors Society | AGS Honors Society
"Community college gave me the opportunity to explore, be a part of college sports, work and go to school. I had a schedule that fit my life, and programs that allowed me to better my future as a nurse"
MacKenzie Bammer | Northwestern College | Nursing | Swim and Dive | Soccer | Nursing Club
"I did not want to go to any of the state schools I got into, I didn't know what I wanted to study, and it was economically a better decision."
Marlo Bourland | University of California, Davis | Political Science | International Forensics Association Finalist | National Forensics Association Finalist | Davis College Democrats
"The inexpensive tuition let me be more experimental and flexible with the classes that I decided to take."
Matt Lee | San Jose State University | Kinesiology - Rehabilitation Sciences | Community College Valedictorian | Honors Society | Swim and Dive | SJSU Swim Club
"Community College allowed me the time I needed to sort out what I wanted to do with my future."
Max Holmes | Belmont University | Entertainment Industry Studies | Swim and Dive | Basketball
"Don’t let anyone dictate your future because of social pressures and conformity."
Michael Eckles | University of California, Los Angeles | Sociology | Public Affairs | Swim and Dive
"I wanted to pursue nursing and did not get into any of the pre-nursing programs I applied to. Community College allowed me to still pursue nursing using a different route, and also save money."
Megan Chew | San Fransisco State University | Nursing | Climbing | Study Abroad-AIFS: London
“Community college is a second chance at success.”
Nathan R. Stroud | University of California, Berkeley | Political Science | Public Policy | Sierra College Economics Club | Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society | Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Student
"I wanted to experience college, even if it was not at a four year university just yet."
Noor Ahmad | Las Positas College | Psychology | Muslim Student Association | Poetry club
"Math classes pushed me in ways that no other classes had. They became somewhat of a one-person competition where I challenged my own ability to fully understand concepts and their applications."
Patrick Darrow | Las Positas College | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science | Ping-pong | Engineering Club | Math Club
"By participating in the Puente program, it has helped me and so many others in my cohort understand the system, find resources, and transfer within two years."
Rebecca Pollitz | California State University, East Bay | Speech Language Pathology | Puente | Ballroom Dance Club
"I wish I'd known about this option even earlier!"
Regina Yuan | University of California, Davis | Animal Science | Show Jumping and Dressage
"Community college gave me the opportunity to feel out my passions, strive for something that I didn’t think I could have ever done in high school both academically and athletically"
Ryan Eckles | University of California, Los Angeles | Sociology | ASG Honors Society | Swim and Dive
"It gave me the opportunity to work full time without falling behind on my academics."
Stephanie Liem | University of California, Berkeley | Global Studies | Education Initiative For Development (EID) club
"I had a tremendous opportunity to try new things. For example, I took a computer coding class, and realized how much I enjoyed this field. It helped me choose what I was going to actually major in, and I have now graduated with a degree in a related field."
Sydney Wagner | Coast Guard Academy | Operations Research and Computer Analysis | Coding Club | Swimming | Cross Country | Model United Nations | Triathlon
"I had uneducated misconceptions about the opportunities that community colleges offered and the quality of education there."