Long Beach City College hosted its first virtual Latinx student transfer panel on Oct. 6, as one of the many events being held to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month at LBCC.
The panel was led by Linda Olmos, a LBCC training specialist.
The event consisted of four Latinx transfer students who discussed their experiences of being a Latinx pursuing higher education. Ruben Page, the transfer coordinator at Long Beach City College, also spoke at the event.
“It is a real conversation for Latino students, who have gone through the transfer process. It is a deep conversation on students who have faced the good, the bad, and the ugly when transferring,” said Olmos.
“LBCC is trying to uplift kids that their experiences are valid and that they can be successful,” Olmos said.
Each panelist shared stories from their educational journeys.
One panelist, Justin Mendez, started at Santa Monica College and went on to receive a master’s at UCLA for education with a specialization in race and ethnic studies.
Mendez said that one of his best experiences was joining different clubs in college. “Find your support group and find where you fit in,” he said.
Panelist Marie Montoya started at LBCC, then transferred to U.C. Irvine for her bachelor’s in psychology and social behavior, then earned her master’s at CSULB in counseling with a concentration in student development in higher development.
Olga G. Jaime is receiving her Ph.D. at U.C. Irvine in cellular and molecular biology. She also started at LBCC and transferred to CSULB with a bachelor’s in molecular biology, physiology and chemistry. She also received her postbaccalaureate there in biotechnology and stem cell science.
Ernesto Perez received his associate’s at LBCC in architecture design, then transferred to Cal Poly Pomona for landscape architecture, and he is now back at Cal Poly Pomona for his master’s in landscape architecture.
Each of these panelists shared their different experiences, including the mindsets that they had when transferring to a new school.
Mendez said that what helped her was talking to different advisors. “Closed mouths don’t get fed,” he said.
The panelists all emphasized that students should be aware of the many opportunities available to them.
“I think the beauty of community college is there is so much to offer. If students do not know what is next in their lives, having these conversations will give students a sense that they can do it. With different panelists with different backgrounds, students can see what potential they have,” said Olmos.
There will be more events coming up this month to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month that can be found at: www.lbcc.edu/latinx