Humans of GCC

(2/2) “ I have had to deal with all kinds of situations. I have lost a brother, two sisters and my mother, and after that, I ender up in a hospital for heart problems. However, after overcoming what happened in my life and being able to control my heart problems, I have realized that nothing will ever stop me from getting my degree. I want to be a productive member of society. Everything I experienced in live has also taught me how important family is. I want to be there for my grandchildren, a better husband to my wife, and of course my dog which has also been a great blessing.”

(1/2) “I work part time and I intern at huntington hospital in the detox unit for people who are trying to be clean and sober. I am interested in that job because I am a recovered alcoholic myself. Just like people helped me when I was trying to get clean and sober, I want to help others as well. In fact, my major here at GCC is Alcohol and Drug Studies. Education is important stick with it as much as you can. I have found out that the more you know, the better of you would be. My school was the streets, I joined a gang when I was very young and now that I go back and look at everything I have lived, I realize how happy I am of overcoming all that. What I imagined for my future was prison or me dying from a bullet from a member of another gang, but thanks to what I experienced, I have a new perspective in life.”

“I have a bunch of family in England. When I went there for the first time; my aunt took me to the Natural Museum where I saw this huge dinosaur, and I got very impressed. That had a big impact on me that day. In fact, every time we would go back to England I would go back to that particular museum and visit. I also had a biology professor last semester, and he is a researcher at the Natural Museum of Los Angeles. He takes students to be interns and do research there; which is what I am doing right now. It is cool because everything I ever dreamt of, is what I am accomplishing right now. My dream job was to be in medicine, but now that I am doing this internship, I have realized I want to pursue being a researcher. I feel that Being at GCC has helped me get places. I got involved very quickly, and I am very thankful because this campus has really provided me with resources to pursue my career. If you put yourself out there, GCC is definitely going to be a great place for you.”

For the first time in history a scholarship for black students has been established. In order to fund this scholarship Student Equity in collaboration with is sponsoring an event at Rosso's wine shop. Donations are graciously accepted and tickets are available for this event. Come out and support !

“There are three things that implicitly come to my mind. One of them is that the overwhelming majority of the students that go to Baja, they experience something that they've never done before in their lives. It's an experience that represents nature as it should be, the way it is in the wild. It doesn't feel like a travel program, it feels more like you're exploring nature. The other thing, at least from the perspective of an instructor, is that for my class, because I follow the data of my students, they do better than the ones on campus. In Baja, the average is usually a B or an A, compared to the C of a regular semester class. I think it's because of that community of learners that is formed in Baja. The hands-on observation and being in nature every day make the biggest difference. Finally, the third one is that you also get exposed to a different culture. You're going to a place where people are doing things differently than what we do here every day. So when you talk to the cook, Alejandra, or one of the fishermen, or one of the people in town and see how they deal with problems, you realize: 'Man, how do they deal with fresh water or what is their daily life like.' You get to see life from the perspective of some other culture, some other community which I think it's really important for a student. But to me, as a biologist, nature down there is striking, just the opportunity to go and see what it is like down there, there's no match for it. Those are the three things.” Applications for the Summer 2017 sessions are available now. For more information about the Baja California Field Studies Program, visit www.glendale.edu/baja

"The best part about owning your own comic store business was having to work with a lot of companies, a lot of suppliers, from all around the country. I had a network of people, I went to conventions, and being part of the greater industry and meeting the people in that world was really cool. I think one the best things about anyone who has ever worked in food or retail is the knowledge of this whole hidden world behind our everyday lives and it's so cool to be immersed in that; it's like the backstage of a theater production. So owning your own business is a constant job because nobody goes shopping at your store of you're not there to do all of this stuff. You get to see all of the cogs and the machinery of modern society in motion, which I thought it was neat.” Applications for the Summer 2017 sessions are available now. For more information about the Baja California Field Studies Program, visit www.glendale.edu/baja

“I really love animals, which is why I volunteer at the animal shelter. I'm really passionate about taking care of the dogs and cats and then getting them adopted. I'm also passionate about the kitten fostering that my family does. In a way, my personality is kind of a reflection of this. I try to be caring to people who can't help themselves. I don't know...it's just something I enjoy.” Applications for the Summer 2017 sessions are available now. For more information about the Baja California Field Studies Program, visit www.glendale.edu/baja

“I think that school is important for degrees and everything, but school is mainly good for learning. You need to learn. One of the things I do in my free time is just learning stuff. When you know things, you're that much better at being able to understand the world that's around you. Being able to share information or explain something to someone else is what makes us human. The world is a better place with knowledge; it makes more sense.” Applications for the Summer 2017 sessions are available now. For more information about the Baja California Field Studies Program, visit www.glendale.edu/baja

“I want to become a peace officer because I believe that when people are in a helpless position, there are only very few individuals able to help them within a matter of few minutes. A peace officer is a perfect representation of that. As soon as officers arrive on a scene, they are automatically trusted and are there to be of help to the civilians. The relief that you see on someone's face when you are there to help them with what they are tragically going through is a comforting feeling for them and you; both have each other to take care of and understand. The way an officer gets to help a person one-on-one mentally, physically, and emotionally is a very different way compared to other occupations.” Applications for the Summer 2017 sessions are available now. For more information about the Baja California Field Studies Program, visit www.glendale.edu/baja

(3/3) “We have more in common that we think, if we talk to each other. The power and beauty of humankind is that we are better people together that we can ever be apart, if we get rid of the things that tear us apart, and ultimately treat each other with respect and dignity. Don’t fall into the stereotypes of certain people. In terms of higher education, and future plans, it is very important to talk to people that are not like yourself. Whatever takes for you to be motivated and inspired to accomplish your dreams, do it.”

(2/3) “I started in Long beach City College, and I worked there for ten years. I have realized I just have a lot of love for the community college system because it was a vital part of my education component. I have been at different community colleges subsequently depending on promotions or career opportunities, and I landed here about a year and a half ago. It has been a wonderful opportunity for me here. I feel like I can do a great impact on students and their success. When people say they want to just go to school and go back home, they miss the opportunity of sharing experiences with not only students, but with staff that would impact their decisions in their educational paths. The networks and relationships you build will complement yours success.”

(1/3) “I had an interesting route to higher education and subsequently my career. I was not the best student in high school. I actually had to graduated from an alternative school, and even though both my parents valued education, school was not doing it for me. I unfortunately disappointed a lot of people in high school. In fact, I wanted to get a football scholarship, but my grades were not enough. Therefore, I decided to join the military, and I was only 17.
Being from a military family, that was always one of my choices. I was in active and reserve duty for eight years, and it was really one of the best things I ever did. Once I got out of active duty, I decided to enroll in community college, where I played football, joined different organizations and started being involved in student support programs. That is how I finished my requirements, transferred to a four year school, and finished my educational path.”