10,000 Degrees

Inspired and re-energized after speaking at the Undocumented Student Success Summit! 🌟 It was a privilege to share the stage alongside dedicated partners from Immigrants Rising, Southern California College Attainment Network (SoCal CAN) (Southern California College Attainment Network), EdTrust-West the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office. It was a powerful reminder of what collective action can achieve. Together, we reflected on 25 years of AB 540 and redefined what student success looks like today—moving beyond access and enrollment to fostering a deep sense of belonging, wraparound mentorship, and career readiness. 25 years ago, many of our students navigated their education in the shadows; today, there is a vibrant and powerful network of support opening doors of opportunity. A true highlight was watching 10,000 Degrees alumna Ariana Aparicio Aguilar, Ph.D. present her research and leadership. Seeing our scholars come full circle—from navigating these complex systems to leading and guiding the next generation—is the heart of why we do this work. (And on a fun note... I somehow walked away as the conference-wide Rock-Paper-Scissors champion! ✂️🪨📄) This 25th anniversary is a celebration, but also a call to action. We cannot look away or stop insisting that all students have access to the full spectrum of educational and career opportunities. Side-by-side with our partners, 10,000 Degrees remains deeply committed to breaking down systemic barriers so our undocumented students can persist, graduate, and thrive. #UndocumentedStudentSuccess #AB540 #HigherEducation #10000Degrees #EducationalEquity #ImmigrantsRising #SoCalCan #EdTrustWest

A couple of months ago, I transitioned into a new role as Fellowship Experience Manager at 10,000 Degrees!  In my time as a Lead Advisor and later Program Manager, I discovered that just as meaningful to me as supporting students is supporting the people who support them. I’ve always loved helping students reach their goals, but it’s also been an incredible privilege to watch my team grow into amazing advisors and professionals. In this newly created position, I oversee the full Fellowship experience for all 29 Fellows working across our eight Bay Area counties and supporting students nationwide through our Access and Success teams. My role spans hiring, onboarding, professional development, career development, and creating opportunities for Fellows to build community and connections across the organization. I’m also building and strengthening the systems, resources, and programming that support Fellows throughout their Fellowship, while collaborating with leadership and teams across the organization to ensure they feel equipped to support students and prepared for their next career steps. This transition feels especially meaningful because, over the past year, I had the opportunity to co-lead our organization’s Fellowship Committee. Together with our amazing Fellows, we’ve strengthened feedback loops between Fellows and leadership, launched a Fellowship Committee newsletter, and created Fellow-requested programming, including a Former Fellow Career Panel and an All-Fellow Bonding Event. Since stepping into this role, I’ve already hired four Fellows, with the goal of filling all eight open positions by November 2. I’m also revamping our Fellow Onboarding experience, using direct feedback from Fellows to shape the programming, resources, and sessions all Fellows will receive during their first two months. I’m especially excited to develop a full year of professional development and career programming that supports our Fellows’ growth and helps them explore their futures. Many of our Fellows are first-generation college graduates and first-generation professionals, and I’m honored to help create an experience where they feel supported, equipped, and empowered to grow into the professionals they aspire to be. I’m also excited to continue growing as a leader, strengthening my skills in organizational strategy, systems-building, and talent development. I’m passionate about exploring how intentional professional development, strong systems, and supportive leadership can help both individuals and organizations thrive. Below are a few photos from our FIRST-EVER All-Fellow Kickoff! It was a special opportunity to share more about my journey and what inspires me about this work, connect with our incredible Fellows, and introduce the projects and programming I’ll be working on throughout the year. Here’s to supporting the people who support students! ❤️ #EducationalEquity #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipDevelopment