Higher Education for All Students

Higher Education for All Students [download]

meet Violeta Chavez >

Project Narrative

1. Please describe your activities during your Fellowship experience. Describe your final capstone project(s).
During the time of my Fellowship I had the opportunity to interact with the community of South Los Angeles, Boyel Heights, and Compton in California, The majority of the community members were Latino/a and African American. I worked with a nonprofit organization called Partnership for Los Angeles Schools through the Tarjan Center at UCLA. During my time working with this organization I was able to interact with parents, teachers and administrators.

The purpose of the organization is to provide equal and accessible education to all communities. It does so through various programs targeted toward the training of teachers, guiding of students and education of parents. The program I worked with was "Parent College." This program was intended to help parents become prepared advocates for their students’ education and future.

Monthly sessions would take place at the three central locations. The parents had the choice of attending different courses that best suited them. In order to increase attendance and ensure comfort of parents, free child care and food were provided. My role was to assist in the execution of these events and take part in the brainstorming ways to advance the academic knowledge of the community.

My time working with Partnership for Los Angeles Schools influenced for the creation of my capstone project presentation. The purpouse of my project is to inform parents and students about higher education and the different avenues that are available for students. The main goal of this presentation is to demonstrate that college is a possibility for all students and describes the resources available to everyone according to their specific needs. One of the primary purposes of the presentation is setting college as a goal on the student’s IEP.

2. Who did your project inform, help, influence or impact? (UCEDD, individual, community, state) How?
My project is intended to inform parents and students with disabilities. It is directed towards the minority community in Boyel Heights that I served during my Fellowship. Its purpose is to promote higher education for students with disabilities and demonstrate that the college experience is something that all students should have regardless of their disability. It includes information about application process, different schools, resources and the role students play in their education at the college level. I have also included information on the legal rights for students to know what they should be provided. By doing this they will be prepared when they choose to speak to their teacher or a college counselor about putting college as a goal on their IEP.
 
3. Why did you choose to work on that project(s)?
I choose to work on this project because higher education opportunities for all students means a lot to me. I related very well with the parents and students in the community I served during my time in the Fellowship. Many of them had similar backgrounds as I did and for them college was a distant thought that did not seem possible due to multiple reasons such as finances, lack of knowledge and guidance. I have felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend UCLA and experience all the things that come along with being a college student. Something I have learned during my time as an undergraduate was that attending a college or university is not only about completing a major. It is also a time to grow, learn independence, discover your interests, meet and network with new people, make decisions, be exposed to different cultures, and an opportunity to think critically. Students who do not have the chance to go through this process miss out on these opportunities that everyone should be able to experience. Not tomention that those who attend college are more likely to live longer, have better health, earn higher wages. I hope that this presentation will bring awareness to the community about the possibilities of attending higher education.

4. What did you gain from being a Diversity Fellow?
I feel that the main thing I have gained from being a Diversity Fellow is understanding the importance of political activism. One of my favorite parts was being able to attend the conference in March. It was such an amazing experience being surrounded by so many passionate people each with their own unique knowledge of the community they represented. During the conference the presenters informed us about the importance of relating laws and propositions to how it will affect different communities. They also discussed how personal stories can make a huge impact when speaking to representatives. Something else I gained from this experience was the understanding that in order to be able to serve a community you need to respect the beliefs and experiences of the community members.

5. How will this experience impact your education or career decisions?
This experience has influenced me to become more politically active with in my community. Since my experience, I have become more involved and aware of politics and how they impact others. I felt like that I have become more informed and willing to advocate for my community and family. I have also found that I share with others the value of knowing how politics impact our everyday life. From now on with my education, I feel that I will try and view things through multiple lenses and try to understand not only how the information I am receiving affects me but also the community around me. I will attempt to share my knowledge with my family those who I feel it can serve a purpose to. I hope to one day be able to play an administrative role within my community by being on the council or becoming more involved educating representatives on how their decisions impact individuals. One of my goals is to inform the Latino/a community about disability and mental illness to work towards removing some of the stigma that is associated with it. I would also like to work towards bringing more resources for individuals with disabilities to underrepresented communities.

6. What are your future goals? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
My goal is to become a doctor of Occupational Therapy. I would like to specialize working with children with developmental disabilities. Particularly I would like to be able to serve the Latino/a community. The lack of diversity in the medical field has been one of my motivations for my career goal. Currently I am completing my final requirements for graduate school and I will be applying in the Spring. 5 years from now I see myself in school working towards finishing my doctorate degree and serving the community as much as possible.

7. What recommendations do you have for other fellows?
My time as a Fellow has been remarkable. I have had the opportunity to see and experience things that I would not have been able to do on my own. With the guidance of my two coordinators I have grown not only professionally, but as a person as well. They were extremely supportive in all possible ways and always made sure I got the most out of every experience with the Fellowship. This opportunity is something I would recommend to anyone because it has truly impacted me. Something I would recommend to other Fellows is to make sure you take advantage of the time you have with the program. Pay close attention to the community you are working with and always have an open mind and be perceptive.