Hilda Guzman
Experiences in La Comunidad:
I am a returning student. In the past, I would only come to campus for class and never made any real connections with anyone outside of class. When it was time to return to college and reapply to GCC, I wanted a different type of college experience than the one I had. I wanted to be more involved. La Comunidad seemed like the perfect place to start, and I was right. La Comunidad has allowed me to meet students and faculty through its various events and activities. It also opened doors for me to get involved in other campus opportunities and be an involved student on campus. As a result, my experiences as a returning student have been more meaningful and more fun.
One of the most valuable things I gained from La Comunidad is knowing that I belong to a community on campus with other students who share similar backgrounds and journeys like my own. La Comunidad allows my voice to be heard on campus and celebrates my ethnic background and those of my peers. I am heard and valued here.
One of the biggest reasons why I would recommend La Comunidad to other students is the counselors. The La Comunidad counselors provide a safe space for students, they provide guidance on our academic journeys and encourage us to succeed. They understand the needs of Latinx students at GCC. Joining La Comunidad has exceeded the expectations I had and has taken me on a college journey that I could have never imagined. For that, I am extremely thankful!
Educational and Career Goals: I have earned my AS Degree in Health Science at GCC. My next academic goal is to obtain an AS-T in Nursing and transfer to a university for a BSN.
My career goal is to become a Registered Nurse and to work with underserved communities.
Jesus Aguilar
Experiences in La Comunidad:
I joined La Comunidad because a counselor at GCC suggested it would be beneficial for me, and I would get the chance to meet other fellow members and contribute to the program. One of the most valuable experiences from this program was that I got the chance to meet great people and get assistance with my transfer inquiries. I also learned from others’ experiences how best to succeed in a community college and at a university. I recommend this program to others. Being part of La Comunidad gave me an opportunity to join my fellow Latino/Hispanic people at GCC. We need to continue to help our fellow people succeed in acquiring their career goals to increase the rate of Latino/Hispanic graduates. La Comunidad helped provide academic counseling access, taught me to utilize campus resources, and provided community with our fellow students of color. I also learned about many other opportunities and joined other clubs and programs. I am now also a member of the College Corps program. I suggest La Comunidad to other fellows from the College Corps program so they too can join La Comunidad and gain the benefits that I did.
Educational and Career Goals:
I am studying Kinesiology/Physical Therapy. My future goals are to be able to complete my requirements to get my AA Degree in Kinesiology and AS Degree Health Science. I then want to transfer to CSU Northridge and ultimately achieve my career goal of being a Physical Therapist.
Madelyn Tapia
Experiences in La Comunidad:
I joined La Comunidad because I didn't have a community of support growing up and I hoped to connect with other people like me when I started college. I would 100% recommend La Comuidad. The program helps us learn about potential careers and identify career paths. Here, you will find caring mentors that can help you, support you, and guide you while at GCC... because no one succeeds alone! Every person that has grown wealth or created amazing things was supported through some type of community. Since I have a late ADHD and ASD diagnosis, I need someone to hold me accountable. The counselors here have been great, and they check in with me almost every week. La Comuniad has helped me realize I could actually reach my goals by working with me to plan it all out. Here, I have felt celebrated. The counselors have been excited about my successes throughout my journey and I've never had someone that truly supported my successes like this before. Because of the support system I get through La Comuidad, I have people that truly understand what it means for me to be accepted into my top transfer school and they acknowledged and applauded my accomplishments. Through La Comunidad, I was also introduced to other helpful programs at GCC that could enhance my experiences and help me grow. The program is truly amazing.
Educational and Career Goals:
I will be transferring to CSU Northridge this fall, where I will be working toward my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I later plan to pursue a Master’s degree in Psychology. I will then work on getting a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) and I plan to work with underprivileged communities, and together fight stigma and build resilience.
Yamilet Rosas
Experiences in La Comunidad:
Yamilet Rosas joined La Comunidad to get help in connecting to resources and to have a support system while at GCC. She is happy she joined because she has made lots of friends, feels connected to the equity counselors, and always feels welcomed by the office staff. Yamilet is grateful for the support the counselors have provided her and says, “they make me feel heard.” She likes teaching and is hoping to become an early education teacher. She also loves art and wants to be able to sell her artwork. Most of all, she strives to be a good role model for her younger sister. Yamilet highly recommends that her peers join a learning community because it has helped her feel belonged and feel like she is a part of something.
Laura Escobar
Experiences in La Comunidad:
Laura Escobar joined La Comunidad because she wanted a sense of community at GCC, and she loves the program because it was able to provide her with exactly that. In addition to the sense of community, she has enjoyed meeting with the student equity counselors because she has gotten the support and guidance she needs in making decisions and pursuing her goals. Laura is planning to enter the field of healthcare. She is interested in Health Administration as well as Medical Coding.
effort to help with their success while in college. La Comunidad was established to help our Latinx students’ with retention, completion, and transfer. La Comunidad creates a community on campus to help students build networks, stay engaged on campus, and obtain necessary guidance in order to set goals and stay on track toward reaching their educational goals. La Comunidad provides a safe space for students, provides specialized counseling, offers targeted activities, workshops and seminars, as well as social mixers and events that gather and celebrate Latinx students as they transition in and through GCC. At the same time, students are encouraged to explore opportunities beyond the learning community and are guided to take advantage of on campus and off campus opportunities in order to promote growth.