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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Every year, Cal State Long Beach accounting students prepare taxes for dozens of classmates and other community members. -
Since January, the Trump Administration has taken a series of actions that touch virtually every aspect of higher education in Southern California, from campus protests to financial aid.
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Some services will be limited as thousands of employees walk off the job, including many healthcare workers.
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The number of Californians using the FAFSA has been lagging, so the deadline has been pushed back to April 2.
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Core emergency services will remain available, but some appointments will be delayed as 20,000 employees walk off the job, including many healthcare workers.
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Interns work on a project throughout the summer to gain hands-on experience, and participate in other activities related to environmental stewardship.
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All Los Angeles Unified campuses are now 'phone free' during the school day, and students say they’re seeing fewer devices.
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Los inmigrantes indocumentados y las familias de estatus mixto están tomando medidas para hacerse valer y prepararse ante situaciones adversas.
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Completion rates for FAFSA and other support are down compared with last year, though the deadline has been extended for many SoCal students.
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During the latest round of layoffs, the tiny team was among the hundreds let go. And though some parts of the educational program remain, educators across the country mourn what was lost.
