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Angel Alcala
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biology and Business; 2029
Personal Background: I am a first-generation student, and the oldest of 3 kids. Growing up being the oldest helped me learn how to navigate a chaotic environment
even in stressful situations. It also helped me learn time management, since I helped my
family with chores, sibling with their homework, and ran errands while also being able to focus and work on my own stuff such as homework, study sessions, and my
small business where I arrange flower bouquets. I do have a good balance
between school and fun; I do this by finishing any schoolwork before I can
have fun. I know how and when to have fun but also when to be serious,
and productive.Describe yourself in 3 words: Shy, fun, and hardworking
Hobbies or interests outside of school: My hobbies are dancing, going to jaripeos, watching movies, and going out with friends.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to make connections and friends, receive my BA in Biology, and apply and be admitted into medical school.
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Sophia Alva
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Mechatronics Engineering; 2029
Personal Background: Throughout my life I have experienced constant struggles and obstacles that life has in its inventory. I have gone through school after school, home after home, group of friends to a different group of friends, and challenge myself. I have had highs and lows, but I always surround myself with people who help me grow. Within the darkness I am always able to find the light regardless of how difficult it may seem.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Caring, honest, and dedicated
Hobbies or interests outside of school: My hobbies include building Legos, playing chess, and watching movies.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? During my time at CSUCI I hope to create new connections by networking. This will lead to new experiences that broaden my academic and professional perspectives.
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Sergio Alvizo
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Mechatronics Engineering; 2028
Personal Background: I am a first-generation college student who lives with 3 friends. We are all majoring in Mechatronics, and we all come from the same high school.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Dedicated, motivated, and enthusiastic
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I like to play video games, play soccer sometimes, and skate whenever I can.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to get through school and have my name known here. If not as a Yardi scholar, then as one of the students who came here with 3 friends, and all graduated together. We all want to make a difference here!
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Aribell Ariza
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biology; 2029
Personal Background: I am a first-generation student from the Coachella Valley and the
oldest of four. Growing up in the role of being the big sister has taught me responsibility,
leadership, and the importance of setting an example. My career goal is to become
a veterinarian and eventually open low-cost clinics to provide care for animals in
underserved communities. I hope to use my education and future career to give back to
families like my own who may not always have access to affordable veterinary services.Describe yourself in 3 words: Determined, sincere, and reliable
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Outside of school, I enjoy volunteering, exploring different coffee shops, attending car shows, and farmers' markets. But most of all, I enjoy spending time with my pets.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? During my time at CSUCI,
I hope to gain meaningful research opportunities that will allow me to grow academically
and prepare me for my future career. I also want to be more involved with clubs and
organizations on campus to meet new people, build new skills, and give back to the
community. -
Cassidy Barragan
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Environmental Science & Resource Management; 2029
Personal Background: I am a first-generation Latina college student from Chino, California. As a kid, I moved around, so I've been to a few new places throughout my life. I also grew up with some pets so I love animals of all kinds. I am the oldest of three siblings, and I love supporting
my family and friends. I have always enjoyed learning new things and growing my skills
and hobbies.Describe yourself in 3 words: I would describe myself as creative, curious, and determined. I love being creative when it comes to any skill or task that I do, and I will always put my mind to things and keep going instead of giving up. I also like questioning things and having an open mind because it allows me to learn new things.
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Outside of school, I love to do anything art related. Ever since I was little, I've always loved collecting hobbies, so I like to say I can do a little bit of everything. I really enjoy doing hair and nails as well as painting, drawing, crocheting, building, baking, and many other things. I like to keep myself busy with activities that I love and enjoy doing
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope that while I am here at CSUCI, I will push myself out of my comfort zone, make more friends, grow in my learning and hobbies, and of course graduate. I am so excited and can't wait to see what these years ahead of me hold. I am so ready and happy for this new chapter in my life.
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Veronica Castrejon
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Communication with an emphasis on Organizational Communication; 2029
Personal Background: I am the oldest daughter of immigrant parents, and I am a first-generation college student. I am the first person from both sides of my family to attend a four-year university. My goal for the future is to work in marketing or public relations after I
graduate from CSUCI.Describe yourself in 3 words: Passionate, driven, and optimistic
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Outside of school I love baking, hanging out with my friends, and listening to music. My favorite music artist is Taylor Swift.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? During my time at CSUCI, I hope to gain experience in marketing, make more friends, and be able to connect with my professors and the staff. I am also hoping to get the opportunity to study abroad soon
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Aaron Diaz
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biology, 2029
Personal Background: My name is Aaron Diaz, and I am a Channel Islands High School graduate. I live with my family which is made up of seven of us and a few cats. I grew up in the city of Oxnard for most of my life, excluding the rare moments I traveled to Mexico when I was a five-year-old. From most of the media I have seen, I am interested in being a marine biologist. The thing that pushed me away from that path was the reception one program in my high school related to marine biology. Growing up with my own pets and those of others as well as having taken courses related to animals and the healthcare field, I was able to get more of an idea about what I might be interested in. Generally, I feel comfortable with the idea of helping others directly with their health, whether they be people or our distant relatives in the class Mammalia.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Observant, Spontaneous, and relaxed
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Outside of school, I like to play video games and listen to music primarily. Although on a much more occasional basis, I also bake, doodle, and read. Also worth mentioning is that I do spend a negligible amount of time cooking and spending a lot more time with my cats. While sometimes it feels obligatory, most of the time, the former does feel worth it to me. With respect to the latter, it also feels necessary and that could arguably make it less of a hobby or interest, but I find a lot of joy having those moments with my cats.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? With the time I have here, I hope to become someone who can be much more responsible, contributing, and sociable. I feel as if I still lack those skills as I grew up, so hopefully the community this campus provides will help me achieve that growth. Further down into the future as a biology major, I want to continue my education in the medical field. I have ideas about becoming a veterinarian, but some part of me still feels like my call for this is not as strong as I would like it to be. I do not see this as something negative as I feel like CSUCI will be able to provide me with many opportunities to see what I want for my future.
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Orlando Flores
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Computer Science; 2029
Personal Background: I am a first-generation college student, from Stockton, hoping to be successful in my career while also living life. My family members are my biggest supporters, and I don’t think I would be attending college without the help of my mom and the friends that I made in high school.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Dedicated, ambitious, and focused.
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I like to play video games, tactical card games (like magic the gathering, one piece), and skateboard on my free time.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? Make friends with different people, have fun, and pursue opportunities that I find interesting all in the hope of making a career that I can be proud of.
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Daniel Gamboa
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Mechatronics; 2029
Personal Background: I was raised in Sunland-Tujunga, California. I come from a small family of three: my mom, my aunt, and me. I went to Pinewood Elementary and later graduated from Alliance Marine Innovation and Technology 6–12 Complex for my Senior Year. At home, I have two dogs, Goku and Duke, who I adore.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Driven, resilient, and ambitious.
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I like to kickbox and play soccer
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? Something I hope to accomplish during my time at CI would be to put my foot forward and try my hardest in what I really enjoy. I mean this because I want to come here to give it as much as I can and see where that takes me. Whether I succeed or fail, I will not give up on what I want to do. I want to see myself become successful from CI, so I hope to be the best version of myself.
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Samira Games
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Business; 2029
Personal Background: I grew up in Oxnard, California and graduated from Oxnard High School. I have a close relationship with my family in Mexico most specifically El Oro de Hidalgo.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Resilient, proud, and helpful.
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I love to hike. I’m a fanatic of the outdoors and I love to play soccer on my free time with my little brother.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to be able to join the Business Club and meet some new people in the same field as me to build strong connections. I also hope to maintain a healthy relationship with school and come out with good grades, for myself as a goal. Most of all, learn the resources to help uplift my small business through my major.
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Amy Garcia
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Psychology; 2029
Personal Background: My personal background consists of not only being a first-generation Latina student but also an older sister to my younger brother who relies on me for help academically and personally. My household consists of my mother, my younger brother and I. So, graduating high school was obviously a big accomplishment because my mother never got the chance to graduate from her school. She immigrated here as a teenager so just as she's my role model, I'm hers as well because I'm living through her. Every accomplishment and experience yet to come will be shared with my mother.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Loving, passionate, and organized
Hobbies or interests outside of school: My hobbies include going to the beach, going out to watch movies, and cooking with my mom. We're constantly learning new recipes. I'm interested in the folklorico dance club.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? During
my time at CSUCI I hope to receive my bachelor's degree and later get my master's degree whether it's here or elsewhere. Since I'm known as a very organized person, I like knowing what I'm going to do next, I hope to know my exact plan after college graduation. -
Santiago Gomez
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biology; 2029
Personal Background: My name is Santiago Gomez, and I am a first-generation college student. My parents are both Mexican. My mother was born in California, and my father came here illegally. I have two brothers, an older brother and a younger brother.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Quiet, hardworking and attentive
Hobbies or interests outside of school: The hobbies I do outside of school are painting, playing video games and reading.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? What I wish to accomplish in my time in CSUCI is get a BS in Biology and get good grades and make it to medical school. After Medical school it is to start my career as a neurologist. In general, I do not want to disappoint and waste resources. The Yardi Scholarship has done so much for me, and I plan not to waste that opportunity.
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Eduardo Hernandez
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biology 2029
Personal Background: I come from Oxnard and am a first-generation student at
CSUCI. I went to Channel Islands High School where I did the medical pathway and
fully decided I want a career in the medical field. My main drive has always been
spreading positivity and well-being onto others, which a medical career can allow me
to help many people in a variety of ways.Describe yourself in 3 words: Perseverant and focused
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I love exploring different art mediums any chance I get. Currently I am doing acrylic painting and sketching, however I’ve also done
watercoloring, clay sculpting, and oil pastels. I also enjoy story-based video games
that delve into deeper themes that are not widely discussed. Lastly, I write stories based on several different themes based on relationships that people can form good and bad.What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to make many new connections with people of similar interests to me throughout my time at CSUCI. I want to join organizations or create a student group to provide resources to people who need them the most. I have also wanted to do another mural related to field workers similar to the murals at the SUB.
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Kimberly Hernandez
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biochemistry; 2029
Personal Background: I’m a first-generation college student, which means I’m the first in my family to attend college. It’s something I take a lot of pride in because I want to make my family proud and set an example for my younger relatives. My Mexican heritage is also an important part of who I am. It has shaped my values, my work ethic, and my appreciation for community and culture.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Funny, smart, and Mexican
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Outside of school, I really enjoy gaming, hanging out with friends, and working. Gaming helps me unwind, and spending time with friends gives me a break from all the stress that comes with classes. I also like working because it teaches me responsibility and helps me develop real-world skills.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? During my time at CSU Channel Islands, I hope to meet new people, build lasting friendships, and gain more experiences that help me grow both personally and academically. I want to get involved on campus and learn from different perspectives.
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Wesley Hopkins
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Computer Science, 2029
Personal Background: First-generation college student
Describe yourself in 3 words: Funny, hardworking, and focused
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Playing guitar, skating, and listening to music
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at Personal Background: First-generation college student
CSUCI? I want to get my PhD in Computer Science eventually, so I need to get my bachelor's now.
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Alexa Jimenez
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Computer Science; 2029
Personal Background: I am a first-generation Mexican American student from the Los Angeles/Gardena area.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Hilarious, friendly, and shy
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I don’t do much outside of school, I mainly work, read, take late night walks, and play the guitar.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? What I hope to accomplish during my time at CSUCI is to overall have a good experience, not letting any negative moments change my entire experience here. I hope to join a club and make lots of friends
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Samantha Ledezma
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Health Science & Chemistry; 2029
Personal Background: I am First Generation college student, and I come from a family of immigrant parents. I grew up on the Central Coast, specifically around the Santa Maria Valley area. I also grew up in the business sector as my parents own a small local restaurant and put all their savings into their dream. I was the kid that sat at the back table doing my homework or cleaning up tables while my parents were working in the kitchen or waitressing. I am also the oldest of 4, I have one younger brother and two younger sisters. I feel like I was very independent growing up as most of the time I didn’t spend with my parents due to them putting a lot of their time and energy towards the restaurant while I helped watch my siblings and kind of figure stuff on my own. Being the oldest, I took care of my siblings most of the time and basically became like a second mom to them as I helped them by cooking, cleaning after them, and helping them with their homework. I fun fact about myself is that I share the same birthday as my grandma, October 22nd.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Determined, curious, and loving
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Some of my hobbies outside of school are volunteering, reding, cooking, baking, watching F1, listening to music, watching movies and musicals, and exploring the world. I feel I have many things that I love that I can feel I can write a whole page putting all the things I love to do.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? During my time in CI, I hope to do some research, get an internship, volunteer, get involved in some clubs and organizations, learn how to surf and ski, explore more of Southern California, and possibly study abroad.
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Athena Molina
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Business; 2029
Personal Background: I come from a first-generation family. Only one of my parents went to college, and she is still attending but does not have a bachelor's degree. My dad also never went to college due to financial challenges. My mom has done everything she can to give us a good life and ensure we have everything we need. My dad also works incredibly hard to help me understand what college means.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Creative, determined, and positive
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I like reading, arts & crafts - sewing, embroidery, painting, sketching, clay work.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to study abroad and have new experiences from all the services that CSUCI.
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Angie Mota
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biology; 2029
Personal Background: I am from a small town called Fillmore and I was raised by a single
mother. I have suffered from asthma since I was little, and I have managed to overcome many difficult obstacles and situations. I am a person who will always keep a positive mindset and persevere no matter how difficult things are.Describe yourself in 3 words: Extrovert, creative, and joyous.
Hobbies or interests outside of school: My hobbies outside of school are
drawing, reading and listening to music. I also like to go on walks with my dogWhat do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to make
connections and find the right path to take for my future. I want to be able to graduate by giving the best of myself. -
Isela Robles
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Information Technology; 2029
Personal Background: I am a first-generation student from a low-income Mexican family. I am also the oldest in my family. I went to Pacifica High School and joined a three-year
program called Code Academy. The program taught me skills such as critical
thinking, problem-solving, and typing skills. As I attend college, I want to set an example for my siblings to indicate that furthering their education will positively
impact their future.Describe yourself in 3 words: Motivated, adaptive, and realistic
Hobbies or interests outside of school: My hobbies are hanging out with friends and family, playing video games, drawing, and reading.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to gain new skills as I attend CSUCI such as time management, planning, and finding methods that would help me study. I also wish to meet new people and form a network to make it easier to transition from school to adult life. Along with that, I hope to get experience in my field of study from an on-campus job to get an advantage when I apply for another job.
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Jonathan Roman
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Business; 2029
Personal Background: I was born in Ventura and raised in Ojai. I recently moved to Oxnard during my junior year of high school. Now I attend CSUCI.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Tall, Hispanic, and male
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I enjoy playing video games and sports. I like basketball and volleyball, and I want to go fishing.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to
graduate and find an internship that can turn into my career. -
Mark Romero
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Mechatronic Engineering; 2029
Personal Background: I grew up in Pacoima, California, but I was born in Sylmar, California on January 12,2007. My parents are immigrants from Mexico, with my mom being from Jalisco and dad from Mexico City. They came to the United States when they were around my age on a visa and never went back. My parents since coming here have worked hard to get to where they are right now. Which is one of the reasons why I want to work towards my degree. To be able to repay them for all their hard work, even though they always let me know that my success or what I achieve in the future is for my future family.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Caring, charismatic, and wholehearted.
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I like to play video games, basketball/sports, and I would like to make more time out of my day to read my Bible.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to graduate with a degree related to Engineering and using my degree and education to help those in need in any way I can.
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Hannah Saso
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Biochemistry; 2029
Personal Background: I come from San Gabriel and I’m a first generation
student.Describe yourself in 3 words: Reserved, honest, and empathetic
Hobbies or interests outside of school: I read, hike, volunteer, and I love to feed and take care of stray cats.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? I hope to accomplish my academic goals such as graduating on time as a biochemistry major, taking the MCAT, and participating in research and internships. I also wish to accomplish some personal goals such as volunteering for diverse causes, meeting new people, socializing more, and joining organizations at CSUCI for fun and expanding my knowledge in diverse fields.
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Sofia Sandoval
Major & Expected Graduation Year: Health Science and a minor in Communication; 2029
Personal Background: Some background on me is that I come from a Hispanic family background and I come from a family of 6, I am the second oldest of 4, I have two younger sisters and one older brother.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Kind, loyal, and sympathetic
Hobbies or interests outside of school: Some hobbies and interests that I have outside of school are that I like to volunteer at my local hospital and help others.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at CSUCI? During my time at CSUCI, I hope to learn a lot of new things, and I also want to accomplish all my goals.