El Monte High School
Class of 1999

High School Days   |  College Years

HIGH SCHOOL DAYS


Reflecting on your Upward Bound experience, what were some of the highlights of your participation?
The summer internships were the highlights of Upward Bound for me. It’s been 10 years since my Capitol Internship in Sacramento, and, to this day, I still refer to the knowledge I gained working at the California State Capitol that summer. The experiences there and during the Georgetown summer prepared me for the business world better than any college could.

Upward Bound pushed me to my limits and encouraged me to apply to colleges both near and far, and I always felt like I had a helping hand ensuring that I reached my goals.

Which summer programs did you complete, and if you had to choose a favorite one (Academic Frontiers, La Jolla Science Project, Capitol Internship Project, Georgetown Project), which would it be and why?
I participated in Academic Frontiers, Capitol Internship Project, and the Georgetown project. All programs taught me something new about myself and pushed me to my limits.

The Academic Frontiers program prepared me for college by ensuring that I was excelling in all subjects in high school and was ready for the SAT’s and other college preps. If it were not for that program, I would not be where I am today.

The Capitol Internship Project was great in that I had my first internship working for an Assembly member in the California government. I gained invaluable experience there and completing my summer courses.

Georgetown Project was by far the most difficult program and also the most enjoyable for me. I was able to travel to new places I would never have visited on my own, and I will never forget my experiences working in the U.S. Capitol building during my internship. It was this project that, in the end, convinced me to go to school on the East Coast and move 3,000 miles away from my family.

Do you still keep in touch with any of your internship mentors?
I did for a few years or so after my internship. However, things fizzled out with people moving positions and changing email addresses. I still hold fond memories of my mentors, though, and learned a lot from them.

What are the most important lessons you learned from Upward Bound and do you feel that your participation helped prepare you for college?
Upward Bound proved to me that anyone can reach their goals if they use the resources around them to get them there. While I was in the program I constantly doubted myself and tried to “settle” for the easy way out, and Upward Bound always pushed me to move forward. Going to college having had the Upward Bound experiences put me in a league above many of my peers. I remember writing my first resume in college and having one of the longest set of skills of things I learned while in Upward Bound. I doubt I would have gone to my first-choice colleges if it weren’t for the help and guidance I got from Upward Bound.

COLLEGE YEARS

Which college or university did you enroll in after high school?
Georgetown University

Are you currently enrolled?
No. I’ve already graduated — Georgetown Class of 2007.

What is/was your major and how did you choose it?
I majored in English with a minor in psychology. I originally was a psychology major but changed my mind during my junior year. I realized that I didn’t want to limit myself to the “medical” aspects of psychology and realized that my true love was in communication and writing. My English major was concentrated on multi-cultural studies.

Ultimately, these majors will help me accomplish a goal of helping people all around the world. I feel like I’ve already begun on a local level through guiding other Upward Bound scholars. But I will one day be part of an international organization to help more people.

When do you plan to graduate? Or, if you’ve already completed your undergraduate education, are you planning to pursue a master’s degree?
I completed my undergraduate degree in 2007. I completed all of my credits for my major and minor in 2003, but had to later complete some elective credits that I let simmer for a few years due to family circumstances. I do plan to pursue a master’s degree sometime in the future.

What’s the best advice you would want to share with current Upward Bound high school students?
Enjoy your time with Upward Bound and don’t take your internships for granted. You can gain valuable work experiences and will be ahead of the game when it comes time to network for a job.  Also don’t slack off in class because college is even harder.