Our 2019-2020 President’s Ambassadors were selected from a large applicant pool after meeting requirements and demonstrating a genuine understanding of the College’s mission, a commitment to partake in service to the college, and a desire and ability to share their personal story which provides tremendous insight into the life and experience of a Santa Monica College student.
Alec Bodolay
Hello! I am from Brazil, and I've been studying at SMC since Fall 2017. When I graduated
from High School in Rio de Janeiro, I had no idea what major I should choose. So,
like my father and my older brother, I began to follow the path of an engineer. As
I was studying nanotechnology engineering, I realized that it was not my passion.
After months of self-reflection and research, I found my calling: Neuroscience. However,
my country has very few opportunities in the research field, which was my field of
interest. In fact, Neuroscience as a major doesn't even exist there yet. That is why
I decided to come to the U.S. and pursue my dream. Out of many other colleges and
universities that I applied, SMC had my attention from the start. The idea of transferring
after 2 years of preparatory courses was the key for me. This gives me an opportunity
to explore other areas to make sure I'm on the right path, as well as giving me campus
life outside the classroom. Opportunities at SMC are endless. I got involved with
sustainability, worked for the recycling department for over a year, led sustainability
workshops for 2 semesters, and joined the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society where I am
currently the secretary. Finally, becoming a President's Ambassador was another blessing.
It gave me the opportunity to not only grow as a person and a professional but to
help others follow their path to success, which I am extremely grateful to be on.
Melissa Bruno
Growing up, my entire identity was wrapped around being a professional dancer. As
the stereotype of individuals aspiring to work in entertainment goes, I moved to Los
Angeles when I was 18, completely on my own and without much of a plan. After working
in the industry for a while, I realized it wasn't what I wanted to do, so I decided
to enroll myself back into school. I began my journey here at SMC clueless, crossing
my fingers that at least one field of study would catch my interest. As I entered
this accepting and motivated community of learners, and in taking my first science
class, my perspective on life took a drastic turn and I soon discovered my inner passion
in STEM that I never knew I had. Being that I am guided by a moral ethic of living
in symbiosis with the environment, I was naturally attracted to a field where we learn
the ins and outs of how we operate. After taking a few STEM classes, I decided to
pursue environmental engineering. I must mention how grateful I am that SMC provided
exposure to the toxic state of the current environmental status quo and the benefits
of living a "green" lifestyle. I would also like to thank the STEM and Scholars program
for challenging their students, and Adelante for providing an abundance of opportunities
for Latinas like myself. SMC has provided me with every resource needed to reach my
goals, and in becoming the Lead President Ambassador. I want to continue to share
the opportunity of growth that SMC provides. I want to help my fellow peers discover
themselves and make sure they are also using the wealth of resources and knowledge
given to them. Most importantly, I want to help all students realize that they too
have a place and space here, even if they do not know it just yet. This will be my
last year here at SMC so I want to make the most out of it by inspiring others to
believe that reaching their dreams is possible when you are Proud To Be, SMC!
Jakelyn Cruz
Hello! My name is Jakelyn (Jaky) Cruz! I was born in Texas, but raised in Orange County,
California. This is my second and hopefully my last year at SMC. I am majoring in
political science in hopes of pursuing a career in law. I hope to transfer to either
George Washington University or UC Berkeley. I have truly enjoyed my experience here
at SMC. Through SMC I was able to join clubs such as Phi Theta Kappa and Pre-Law Society.
Phi Theta Kappa introduced me to volunteering opportunities such as Monday's at the
Mission, which is a mentor based program for homeless teens in Downtown Los Angeles.
I can not picture myself not being there for those kids. Coming to SMC has been one
of the best decisions I have ever made. I believe SMC has introduced me to some of
the best people in the world and some of the best opportunities, such as President's
Ambassadors. I had my eye on President's Ambassadors the week that the application
was due! Luckily, I was able to write my essays and gather all the other requirements
to be able to summit my application on time. The reason why I wanted to be a President's
Ambassador is because I wanted to guide other SMC students to the resources on campus
that are available to them. Being a President's Ambassador has brought me closer to
the campus in ways I could have never imagined, and has helped me build lifelong friendships
with other President's Ambassadors.
Ruben Garcia
Hello! My name is Rubén Andrés García. I’ve never been the sort of individual who
is comfortable living in a way that's congruent with stereotypes. In fact I’ve never
wanted to. I know that most people probably make certain assumptions about people
who grow up in underprivileged areas, but my upbringing in an impoverished community
taught me respect, the importance of integrity, and the importance of standing up
for what I believe in.
For this reason, I value what it means to be a community member. The lack of resources
available in my community has inspired and motivated me to give back. Growing up,
I witnessed a lot of disparities in health care in my neighborhood. There were very
few places low income individuals could go to receive adequate medical care. I aspire
to be a doctor so that in the future, this can become less prevalent.
My experiences at Santa Monica College have been amazing and I would not trade them for the world. At first, I wasn’t too excited about attending SMC because there was a huge stigma in high school that community college education was subpar. Nevertheless, I was not deterred. I’ve had excellent professors and I’ve met amazing individuals. More importantly, while at SMC, I discovered who it is I want to be and how I want to get there. It is my duty to give back to SMC and I’m happy to be doing so this year as a President’s Ambassador.
Kyra Adela Gardner
Hi everyone! My name is Kyra Gardner. I am a second-year student at Santa Monica College
majoring in Business Administration and hoping to transfer to USC's Marshall School
of Business. I initially decided to attend community college to save money and chose
SMC after seeing it's impressive number of transfers to top universities. The beginning
of my journey at SMC wasn't an easy one. Considering the big stigma around community
college, I didn't feel proud to be here. However, getting to know SMC and what they
have to offer changed that feeling. After joining Black Collegians, the Scholars Program,
and Alpha Gamma Sigma, I learned that although I wasn't at a university where I expected
to be, SMC is definitely the place that will get me there. I also learned that SMC
has so much more to offer than transferring. The programs that SMC has offered, the
accepting and friendly community, and school pride has made my transition into community
college so much easier and most importantly, has made me proud to be SMC. My journey
is what encouraged me to be a President's Ambassador. As a President's Ambassador
I will do my best to offer you the help and support you need to succeed and will hopefully
be that voice that I needed to say that you're in the right place. If you see me,
do not hesitate to ask me questions or just say hi!
Michelle Arefi Hwang
Hi everyone! My name is Michelle and this is my second year here at SMC. I am a History
major and hope to ultimately attend law school. I actually spent quite a few years
away from the world of academia for a number of reasons -- one of them being the stigma
associated with community colleges and another being chronic illness. When I first
arrived at SMC, I was still experiencing a great deal of uncertainy and felt completely
overwhelmed to be attending classes full-time while working full-time. I kept isolated
and wasn't thinking about creating a social life on campus. It was when a professor
reached out to me and urged me to join the Scholars Program that everything began
to shift. Once I became accepted, I then joined SMC's Phi Theta Kappa honors society
and became a Commissioner for the Executive Vice President. I learned about other
incredible programs such as EOPS and Law Pathways. And now here I am, a President's
Ambassador. While I still deal with some of the issues I first arrived with, I can
honestly say that I feel so much more supported after having met some really spectacular
students and faculty members. As a first-generation college student, I feel so blessed
to have found my way to the educational haven that is SMC. If you're a struggling
student, please feel free to reach out to me. As the proverb goes: If you want to
go quickly, go alone. If you want to far, go together. Proud to be SMC!
Brenda Islas
Ever since I was a small girl, I was taught that three of the most important things
in life are family, education and health. That was a lesson I came to cherish immensely
as it impacted my life and way of thinking. I came to this country at the age of one,
alongside my older siblings. I watched as my parents struggled to learn English with
us and leave anything and everything they had ever known behind. To see that level
of sacrifice and strength all for the possibility of a better life is part of what
fueled my drive to obtain a higher education and become an agent of change on campus
through the clubs I joined: Phi Theta Kappa, I.D.E.A.S., and of course the President's
Ambassador's program.
Mariane Christina Kacou
I was born and raised in West Africa Ivory Coast. I come from a family of four children
and after my father passed away, my mother, my older sister and I were forced to embrace
poverty. I remember being chased away from the school bus because my mother could
not pay my fees which were about $29 per academic year. Bullied in high school I never
believed in myself until I realized that trials bring out the best in you, diamond
and gold need to go through fire to be refined. After my high school diploma, my sister
and I applied to SMC because of the diversity of students and how it was California's
number one school in transfers to UCs, USC & LMU. I'm currently majoring in interior
architectural design and will be graduating with an AA degree in June 2020. I plan
on transferring to a four-year university to earn a bachelor's degree. SMC has provided
me with many resources and counselors that helped me with my classes and personal
questions. As a President's Ambassador, I want to help my peers to feel welcomed and
share with them all that SMC offers and most importantly inspire students to believe
in themselves first no matter what background they have or where they come from. #ProudToBeSMC
Yan Daniel Lashchev
When school is in session, I get comfortable in my second home, the SMC math lab,
MC 72. This is usually where you will find me most of the day, as I also work there
as an instructional assistant. I get interesting evaluations from the peers that see
me day to day, words like: bright, talented and gifted. Though I am humbled and appreciative
of such kind words, those are qualities, hat in hand, I do not identify within me.
I had a troubled upbringing that led to dropping out of high school at the beginning
of my sophomore year. By the time I was 18, all I had was a GED and 7th grade level
math under my belt. My first year at SMC was a complete disaster as I consistently
failed math courses. Things got worse that year when my father lost his life battling
alcoholism. I was completely lost. Luckily a professor kept an eye on me as I battled
my inner demons. My conversations with this professor took place in the hallways of
the math complex and lasted no more than two minutes, but the wisdom he shared in
that span completely turned my life around. It made me the person I am today. It is
why I decided to become a math major and live and breathe SMC 14 hours a day. I began
to study very intensely and learn about college resources that would excel my education.
I eventually was offered a tutoring position. I joined the STEM program, EOPS, and
achieved an Alpha Gamma Sigma honor. I am not smart or gifted, I am just an exhaustively
hard worker. My perseverance has led me to a new chapter of having the honor of being
a President's Ambassador. My mission nowadays is similar to the empathetic gesture
that professor once gave me. I dedicate myself to helping others shine on campus and
reach their goals. I will always offer my friendship, experience, and knowledge of
resources. I extend that offer on and off campus to anyone and everyone who ever seeks
help. It is sadly my last year here but I have never been more proud to be SMC. My
mission does not end here because when I leave, I will continue helping others. It
empowers me to push forward against all obstacles and capture my dreams.
Eliana Catalina Marcu
Like a lot of people attending Santa Monica College, I come from what you could call
a non-traditional academic background. I'm a first-generation high school graduate,
a first-generation college student, and a first-generation American. Moreover, rather
than attending college right after graduating high school, as is usually expected,
I chose to take a gap-year in order to truly figure out what it was that I wanted
to pursue next. Considering I had a year's worth of time on my hands, I decided to
get a full-time job so I could travel as much as possible. After traveling extensively
in and out of the country, a road trip landed me in Santa Monica, California, and
I unintentionally stumbled upon SMC. I instantly decided to learn more about the school,
and Los Angeles as a whole, and then made the decision to move 2,183 miles away from
home for a fresh start and better opportunities.
Nearly as soon as I moved here and started school, my perception of myself began to change. I had always seen myself as a photographer and thought I was bound to end up at an art school. I couldn't imagine an identity or life for myself that wasn't entirely tied to a career in the arts. However, after my first semester, I discovered that I had many different passions that reached beyond what an art school could offer me; I was far more interested in learning about the world around me than I was in learning how to perfectly wield a camera. My new found love for literature, and pondering existential questions really stood out among other things, so I decided to pursue a double-major in English and Philosophy, and I hope to transfer to either Columbia University or Barnard College next fall.
As a President's Ambassador, I hope to inspire other students to similarly step out of their comfort zones, and push themselves to grow, whether that means exploring a new field of study or joining a new club. If I would have stayed within my little self imposed bubble, I wouldn't be in this position today, and as a President's Ambassador I would like to empower others in this same way.
Mia Moreno
Hi, my name is Mia Moreno. I am in my second year at Santa Monica College majoring
in Anthropology and Biology and applying to transfer this fall. I decided to attend
SMC to further develop my fundamental skills in order to do well in college. Attending
SMC has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only have I improved
academically, but I have gained the confidence and skills needed in order to do well
in the STEM field. I decided to become a President's Ambassador to be a friendly,
informative and engaging resource for students. Stepping onto a college campus can
be very intimidating and I hope to be a welcoming and friendly face to those who are
nervous about SMC or college in general. My goal is to address the health disparities
in minority communities. I am interested in improving minority women's health disparities
as an OB/GYN doctor. I am currently learning more and more about the challenges that
affect my community and want to be a positive force in battling these challenges.
Salima Zainab Muwakil
Hello Future Alumni,
My name is Salima Muwakil, I am the Vice President of the Black Collegians Club, a
Veteran and a first-generation non-traditional student. This is my second year at
SMC majoring in Nursing. I am honored to be one of your President's Ambassadors this
year and would like to tell you my story. I grew up in a household that was not emotionally
supportive and had few resources to offer me. This along with my immaturity resulted
with me graduating high school with a 1.6 GPA, which convinced that I was not smart
enough to go to college. One day I walked into a coffee shop telling a friend my life
story and a man stopped me and said, " I don't mean to bother you but I overheard
your conversation. I think that you should give college a try." He was Professor Nate
Donahue. He then handed me his business card and told me to call him if I needed any
help with admissions or signing up for classes. I thought to myself, " What kind of
school employs Professors that take the time to help strangers?" I had to see for
myself. The very next day I came to campus, took the placement test and signed up
for classes. During my first semester, I found out about the Black Collegians Club
and became heavily involved right away. Mrs. Bradford, along with Dr. Dowd, Mrs. Turner
and Dr. Woodard started to mentor me and shower me with love. I have never met so
many people in one place that were constantly cheering me on and were there to comfort
and push me when I felt like giving up. Due to my resilience, hard work and perseverance,
I finished my first semester with a 4.0 GPA and was able to join programs such as
Scholars and Phi Theta Kappa. I did all this while living out of my car. I wanted
to become a President's Ambassador to inspire students who, like me, had a rocky past.
I want students to know that it is never too late to become the person you always
dreamed you would become. I recommend that all students participate in a club and
find a mentor. Doing this can make a big difference in your time here at SMC. Shout
out to Black Collegians/Latino Center staff Janet Tercero and Edwin Cruz, I love you
both and would not be a President's Ambassador today without your help. A special
shout out to Math Professor Sheida Rahmani. Thank you for your mentorship and for
showing me that regardless of my past, the sky's the limit.
Christine Eva Tai
Hello everyone! My name is Christine Tai and I am a second year Political Science
major here at Santa Monica College. Something interesting about me is that I am ethnically
South Korean, but am a citizen of three countries: the US, Canada, and South Korea.
I was born in the United States, grew up in Canada, attended three years of high school
in South Korea, attended my senior year in Irvine, and finally moved to Santa Monica
to attend SMC. What ultimately drew me to this College was its #1 transfer rate to
the UC's, CSU's, LMU, USC, and some top private universities. In addition, going straight
to a 4-year university out of high school was going to be a financial burden for me,
as I would not have been classified as a resident. Near the end of my first year here
at SMC, I saw an advertisement on the school's social media encouraging students to
apply for the President's Ambassadors program. Upon seeing it, I knew I wanted to
become a PA simply because I love reaching out to others and I wanted to be that first
face that would welcome future alumni to the SMC community. Now that I have shared
this, my hope is that students who have taken the time to read this would not be afraid
to approach me if they see me on campus, whether it just be to say hello or ask for
help. I would be MORE than happy to help!