
Julia Barajas
I explore how college students achieve their goals — whether they’re fresh out of high school, or going back for the first time in years — and what support they get along the way.
My exposure to college began when I was a high school senior. In all my years of schooling, I’d never been assigned anything written by a person of Mexican descent, despite growing up in L.A. County. So when a brochure for East Los Angeles College appeared in my family’s mailbox, I tried out dual enrollment, and took an introductory Chicano Literature course. We read everything from Tomás Rivera’s “... And the Earth Did Not Devour Him” to Bernice Zamora’s “Notes from a Chicana ‘COED.’” And what I learned there — about writing, about history, and about myself — stayed with me. It informed my decision to major in literature and Latin American studies when I went on to earn a four-year degree, and it continues to shape the work I do now.
My hope is that all college students will get a similar chance to chart a course for themselves, guided by their own curiosities and ambitions.
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After the Supreme Court cleared the way for federal agents to treat the widely spoken language as grounds for suspicion, some Spanish speakers have opted to avoid using it in public. Others are doubling down.
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Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
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The beloved ice cream was discontinued in 2022. The Salt & Straw ice cream chain is aiming to improve on our childhood memories with a new version.
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The longtime lecturer was arrested in May and could face up to 3 years in state prison.
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Federal and state-based aid can help students pay for tuition and fees, as well as other essentials, offering some an opportunity for a debt-free education.
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Administrators say the bargaining units should be dismissed, or that they have no standing. One campus is going after the federal agency in charge of union activity.
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Faculty want administrators to resume contract negotiations, but administrators say the union “has no standing.”
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As UC leaders grapple with how to respond to research grant cuts and a potential billion-dollar penalty, some are taking a defensive stand.
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Newly revealed data shows that hundreds of thousands of Californians are struggling to make their monthly student loan payments.
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On Thursday evening, dozens of researchers hosted a science fair at UCLA to demonstrate the long-term impact of frozen grants.