When I realized I had a passion for music and theater, I was fortunate to have a high school teacher who referred me to Modesto Junior College to study classical music with Dr. Lewis and Shirley Woodward – a true music teaching institution.

While at MJC, I had the privilege to sing with the community chorus, be part of the yearly musical, work for the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, and earn a full scholarship to the University of California at Irvine.

Growing up, I never thought college would be an option for me.

My immigrant parents worked tirelessly to provide for their kids so there was never much time to discuss the importance of higher education. No one in my family had attended college so I didn’t have anyone to help guide me through the process. I felt hopeless. However, my sister convinced me to try, so I decided to go to MJC. Even if I failed, I could at least say I tried. Once I started, I learned how great the MJC community is and met professors and mentors who changed my life.

As a poetry teacher, I think in metaphors all the time. A pencil, for example, is not just graphite and wood. It can be the most powerful and influential tool in the world if you use it well. I think this way about exercise too. So, when I heard about the Goggins (ultramarathon) Challenge I didn’t think about my feet hurting or lungs exploding. I thought about it as a metaphor for students who are at the starting line of their educational journey.

I was just 12 years old when I took my first class at Modesto Junior College.

I loved acting in school plays, so someone suggested that I try a class at MJC with an acting professor named Charline Freedman (aka Jeremy Renner’s mentor around that time!). Professor Freedman’s class was so inspiring that it and MJC left a very positive impression on me, far before I was old enough for college.