Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey:
From Community College
Student to President
NORTH
COUNTYINFORMADOR
An Empowering Latino Futures Publication Serving North San Diego County
September 2022
Community Colleges: Where 72% of Latinos in
California Take Their First Steps in Higher Education
Adentro: Salud, Servicios, Finanzas, Actividades para ti
Dr. Sunita Cooke:
From Science Teacher to
Education Trailblazer
www.NorthCountyInformador.com
September 2022
NORTH COUNTY
INFORMADOR
4 Services: Food and Book distribution v Servicios: Comida y libros
5 Events: Make Your Plans v Actividades: Hagan sus planes
6 Feature v Artículo
Dr. Sunita Cooke: From Trailblazing Scientist to Leader in Education
La Dra. Sunita Cooke: De científ ca pionera a líder en la educación
10 Feature v Artículo
Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey: From Community College Student to President
La Dra. Star Rivera-Lacey en el Community Collge: De alumna a presidente
14 Education: Stay Informed v Educación: Información importante
16 Feature v Artículo
Many Faces of Public Safety Event Brings Community Together
Evento Las múltiples caras de la seguridad pública reúne a la comunidad
18 Health: Counselors; Fruit Flies v Salud: Consejeros; aviso de moscas
19 Civic Engagement: Your Right to Vote v Civismo: El derecho al voto
20 Feature v Artículo
Budgeting: Have Money When You Need It
El presupuesto: Contar con dinero cuando se necesita
Empowering Latino Futures presesnts
The North County Informador Team
www.NorthCountyInformador.com
Editor: Yenni Patiño
Editor in Chief: Melanie Slone, PhD
editor@northcountyinformador.com
P: (760) 645-3455
Programs Director: Ana Patiño
Education Begins in the Home: Edward Becerra
Community Outreach: Martha Zamora
Graphic & Video Services: Daniel Perez
Publisher: Kirk Whisler
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We accept English, Spanish, or both.
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All materials are copyrighted by Empowering Latino Futures, a
501c3 nonprof t and the parent organization of North County
Informador.
North County Informador is a digital
weekly and printed every 2 months.
On the cover: Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey, the Superintendent/
President of Palomar College. Photo courtesy Palomar
College. Dr. Sunita Cooke of MiraCosta College.
In this issue
En este número
Welcome! ¡Bienvenidos!
Welcome to our f rst print edition of North County Informador. We
hope to become your bilingual go-to resource for the region. Help us learn
about you and the content you want to see by responding to our survey.
A huge thank you to all the team members who are putting their
hearts into serving the region, Yenni Patiño, Ana Patiño, Martha
Zamora, and Melanie Slone.
T ank you, readers, for your support. Reach out to us at
editor@NorthCountyInformador.com.
Bienvenidos al primer ejemplar impreso de North
County Informador. Esperamos ser su recurso bilingüe
preferido sobre la región. Ayúdennos a aprender qué contenido prefeieren
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editor@NorthCountyInformador.com.
Edward James Olmos, Chair
Kirk Whisler, President
Katharine A. Díaz, Vice President of Authors
Edward Becerra, Vice President of Education
Lisa Montes, Secretary
Martin Valdez, Treasurer
Rocky Barilla, Legal Counsel
Board Members: Julia Abrantes, Rene Aguilera,
Victor Gonzalez, Andres Tobar
ELF Emeritus Board Members
Nora de Hoyos Comstock, Dennis Hernandez, Zeke Montes,
Ambassador Julian Nava , Jesus Nieto, PhD
Empowering Latino Futures Board
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Volume 2, Issue 22
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September 2022
Services v Servicios
Bonsall Mobile Pantry
4980 Sweetgrass Lane,
Bonsall, CA 92003
2nd and 4th Fri., 10–11 a.m.
Fallbrook Food Pantry
1042 S. Mission Road
Fallbrook, CA 92028
Mon.–Fri., 9:30 a.m.–12:30
Foundry Food Pantry
120 North Ash Street
Escondido, CA 92027
Tues., T urs., 11 a.m.–1
p.m.; Wed., 4–6 p.m.
Neighborhood Healthcare
425 N Date Street
Escondido 92025
1st and 3rd Saturday,
1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Salvation Army Escondido
1301 Las Villas Way
Escondido, CA 92026
Every Monday and Friday,
10:30 a.m.
Brother Benno Foundation
3260 Production Avenue
Oceanside, CA 92058
Monday–Saturday, 6:30–
1:00 p.m.
Community Lutheran
Church
4507 Mission Avenue
Oceanside, CA 92057
3rd Sat. of month, 9–10 a.m.
North County Lifeline
3142 Vista Way, Ste. 400
Oceanside 92056
Every day, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
North County LGBTQ
Resource Center
3220 Mission Avenue, Suite #2
Oceanside 92058
Every Friday 12-3 p.m.,
bring your own bags
Lived Experiences
504 Calle Montecito
Oceanside 92057
Every Wednesday, except
3rd Wednesday of the
month, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Salvation Army Oceanside
(SAO)
3935 Lake Boulevard
Oceanside, CA 92056
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
10a.m.–1 p.m.
Shaback North County Hope
and Resource Center
272 E Via Rancho Pkwy
#157
Escondido, CA 92025
Daily, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Summit Church
292 E. Barham Drive
San Marcos, CA 92078
Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.–2:00
p.m.; T ursdays, 2:30p.m.–6:00
p.m.; 1st and 3rd Saturdays,
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Women of Promise Resource
Center
1605 Grand Ave #1
San Marcos, CA 92078
Monday–T ursday,
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
TriCity Pantry
165 South Eucalyptus Ave
Vista, CA 92084
Monday–T ursday, 9
a.m.–12 p.m.; Saturday, 9
a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Vista County Library
700 Eucalyptus Ave Vista,
CA 92084
Vista 92084
2nd and 4th Mondays, 1–2 p.m.
Neighborhood Healthcare
Food Distribution Centers
T ursday, September 1st
5–6 p.m. Lived Experiences
Laurel Elementary 1410 Laurel St., Oceanside
Sunday, September 4th 10–2
Universidad Popular HHSA
649 W. Mission Ave, Escondido
Volunteers welcome
Tuesday, September 6th 11 a.m.–1 p.m
Pauma Community Ctr. w/UP
16650 Highway 76
Wednesday, September 14th 6–7:30 p.m.
Valley High School
410 N. Hidden Trails Rd. Escondido,
Volunteers welcome
Sunday, September 18th 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Universidad Popular HHSA
649 W. Mission Ave, Escondido
Volunteers welcome
Tuesday, September 20th 11 a.m.–1p.m.
Pauma Community Ctr
16650 Highway 76
T ursday, September 22nd 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Fallbrook Food Pantry
140 N. Brandon Rd., Fallbrook
Wednesday, September 28th 4–5 p.m.
Lived Experiences
Libby Lake Park 424 Calle Montecito,
Oceanside
T ursday, Sept. 29th, 4–5 p.m.
Lived Experiences Crown
Heights 1210 Division St.,
Oceanside
Friday, Sept. 30th, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
LEAD Conference, Cal
State San Bernardino 5500
University Parkway,
San Bernardino
Free Books | Libros Gratis
Through ELF’s Education Begins in the Home program
www.NorthCountyInformador.com
September 2022
Events v Actividades
Saturday, September 10th, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sábado, 10 de septiembre, 11 a 16 horas
2456 Town Garden Rd, Carlsbad, CA 92009
A free day of wellness workshops, panels, and breakout
presentations.
Evento gratuito de talleres de bienestar, paneles y
presentaciones.
Self-care methods, inspiring information from dynamic
speakers, local experts, and staf .
DIY Succulent Arrangement Workshop
Yoga 101
Painters Splash Pad
Interwoven: Mindful Knitting Workshop
1 Hour of Paws-itivity!
Drumming Circle Workshop
Descubran lo más nuevo en la salud mental. Conozcan una
variedad de métodos de cuidado personal y encuentren
un lugar divertido y seguro para ver más allá del estigma.
Reciban información inspiradora.
Change Your Mind: Mental Health Festival
Latino Book & Family Festival
¡Estamos de regreso! T e Festival is back in person!
T e 70th Latino Book & Family Festival, and the 12th in
San Diego County.
Saturday, October 15, 2022
Sábado, 15 de octubre
10 a.m.–4 p.m.
MiraCosta College
1 Barnard Dr., Oceanside, CA
FREE admission & parking
Entrada y estacionamiento GRATIS
Hispanic Heritage Month
Sept. 15–Oct. 15
Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15th and
ends on October 15th to coincide with the independence
dates of several Latin American countries.
Events are held throughout San Diego, including at
colleges, parks, the
Mexican Consulate,
and more.
Check for info.
Southern Caregiver Resource Center
SCRC has been of ering FREE direct services to the
community since 1987. If you are caring for an adult
with a cognitive impairment that occurred af er the
age of 18, or someone age 60 and older in need of
assistance, our service are for you! We explore all
options to help you decide what is best for you.
For Free Services
Contact us today!
Southern Caregiver Resource Center
(800) 827-1008 or (858) 268-4432
Para Servicios Gratuitos
¡Contáctennos ya!
www.NorthCountyInformador.com
September 2022
Dr. Sunita
Cooke, the President/
Superintendent of
MiraCosta College says the
school is “committed to
making sure that we don’t
leave anyone behind or leave
people unserved.”
She knows what it is like
to be feel out of place. North
County Informador spoke
to her about how her own
experiences have helped her
understand students’ journey
maneuvering the community
college system.
Born in India, Dr. Cooke
moved to the United States
with her family when she
was about f ve. T e Indian
government allowed them to
take eight dollars per person,
so her family arrived in this
country with 40 dollars and
hope for a good education
for their children.
“Part of what motivated
my parents to leave India
was that we had a caste
system in place. And that
caste system determined at
the moment of your birth…
what you would do as an
occupation, who you would
marry, how much money
you would make, if you
would get an education or
not get an education.”
She says her family
believed in a culture where
all people could have more
opportunity. T ey knew
education was a key to that
Dr. Sunita Cooke: From Science Teacher to Education Trailblazer
The president/superintendent of MiraCosta College f ghts for equal opportunity for all
Forty Dollars to Spend
“In India, we were a minority religion. Only
2% of the population was Christian, but 98%
was Hindu. From the time of my birth I was
always a part of a minority group. And we don’t
use that word “minority” anymore, but it kind
of helps you understand that I’ve always sort
of been an ‘other’ in the places where I am. So,
I try to be really mindful of what that feels like
and how you really feel that you don’t belong.
And you’re given that signal almost every
day. And so, I think that’s something we try
to address at MiraCosta College. Because it is
painful. It sends a negative signal to people that
they’re not welcome and that they don’t belong.
And that’s the exact opposite of how we want
people to feel at MiraCosta.”
—Dr. Sunita Cooke
opportunity.
But the road was rife
with obstacles. “I would say
hardship has been a part of
my life throughout. I mean,
we came here literally with
nothing. Our family had
very few resources,” she says.
Her experience helps her
relate to her students, and
today, she honors her past
by working with them at
MiraCosta. “What drives me
is really making sure that we
have opened doors to people
who seek a better life, better
opportunity, and that we are
mindful that not everybody
comes to this place with the
same opportunity, or the
same background,” she says.
She says community
college is there to support
students on their educational
career journey.
“It certainly is what
MiraCosta College is about,”
she says. “Where we try to
be available to all those in
our community that seek an
opportunity for a better life,
a better education, a better
career.”
Making Decisions
Dr. Cooke understands that
the educational path is rarely
a straight line. “I didn’t make
the right choice necessarily
when I started college,” she
says. She f rst studied law,
but soon realized her path
was in science and math.
“And so, I changed my
major af er my f rst year of
college,” she says. “I always
Photo: MiraCosta College
By Yenni Patiño and Melanie Slone
Full interview at
www.NorthCountyInformador.com
September 2022
La Dra. Sunita Cooke: De
maestra de ciencias a pionera
en la educación
La presidente/superintendente de MiraCosta
College lucha por la igualdad de oportunidad
La Dra. Sunita Cooke, la
presidente/superintendente de
MiraCosta College, dice que
la escuela está “comprometida
con asegurarse de que no
dejemos atrás a nadie, ni que
se queden desatendidos”.
Ella sabe lo que es sentirse
fuera de lugar. North County
Informador habló con ella de
cómo su propia experiencia
le ha ayudado a comprender
el trayecto de sus alumnos
al pasar por el sistema del
community college.
Nacida en India, la Dra.
Cooke llegó a Estados Unidos
con su familia cuando tenía
unos cinco años. El gobierno
indio les permitió llevar ocho
dólares por persona, por lo que
su familia llegó a este país con
40 dólares y la esperanza de una
buena educación para sus hijos.
“Una parte de lo que motivó
a mis padres a que dejaran India
fue que había un sistema de
castas. Y ese sistema de castas
determinaba al momento del
nacimiento…lo que se pudiera
hacer como empleo, con quién
uno se casara, cuánto dinero
se ganara, si se consiguiera una
educación o no”.
Ella dice que su familia
creía en una cultura donde
toda la gente pudiera tener
más oportunidad. Sabían que
la educación era la clave de esa
oportunidad.
Pero el camino estaba lleno
de obstáculos. “Yo diría que
las difcultades han sido parte
de mi vida siempre. Digo,
llegamos aquí literalmente sin
nada. Nuestra familia tenía
muy pocos recursos”, dice.
Su experiencia le ayuda a
relacionarse con sus alumnos, y
hoy, hace honor a su pasado al
trabajar con ellos en MiraCosta.
“Lo que me impulsa es
realmente asegurarme de que
hayamos abierto las puertas
a la gente que busca una vida
mejor, una oportunidad mejor,
y estar conscientes de que no
todo mundo llega a este lugar
con la misma oportunidad, o
los mismos antecedentes”, dice.
Ella dice que el
community college está
para apoyar a los alumnos
en su trayecto educativo.
“Es seguramente de lo que
se trata MiraCosta College”,
dice. “Donde intentamos estar
disponibles para las personas
en nuestra comunidad que
buscan la oportunidad de una
vida mejor, una educación
mejor, una carrera mejor”.
Toma de decisiones
La Dra. Cooke comprende que
el camino hacia la educación
pocas veces es derecho. “No
tomé necesariamente la elección
adecuada cuando empecé en
la universidad”, dice. Primero
estudiaba leyes, pero pronto se
dio cuenta de que su camino iba
por la ciencia y las matemáticas.
“Así que, cambié mi carrera
después de mi primer año de
universidad”, dice. “Siempre
digo a los alumnos, ‘Nunca se
sientan que se han equivocado.
Todo lo que aprenden en la
universidad es aprender qué es
lo que te gusta, qué no te gusta,
lo que quieres estar haciendo y
cómo quieres pasar tu tiempo al
pensar en algo”.
MiraCosta puede ofrecer
a los alumnos el espacio
para tomar estas decisiones
sin emplear tantos recursos.
El college ofrece becas y
subvenciones para ayudar a
los alumnos a asistir gratis
durante dos años, para que
no se endeuden, y después
puedan pagar sus gastos
universitarios con más
facilidad. “Solo un porcentaje
muy pequeño de nuestros
alumnos pide préstamos para
asistir al college”, dice.
Nos pide recordar que el
éxito de y la equidad entre los
alumnos están al núcleo de lo
que la escuela hace y ofrece
consejos para los alumnos que
pudieran enfrentar retos.
“A veces es difícil creer
en ti mismo por todos los
mensajes que pudieras haber
recibido a lo largo de tu vida”,
dice, pero MiraCosta está para
ayudar en el camino.
“No hay nadie que llegue
a su objetivo, nadie llega a la
meta de su carrera sin contar
con un apoyo signifcativo
de los demás”. Ella pide a los
alumnos no sentirse cohibidos
para pedir ayuda, ya que la
comunidad entera de los tres
planteles está para ofrecer ese
apoyo.
En los tres planteles, dice
que están usando fondos
para construir un portal
“que ayude a los alumnos
a comenzar bien”, donde
puedan encontrar todos los
servicios que requirieran
en un solo lugar, entre estos
la asistencia fnanciera,
admisiones, archivos y
asesoría. “En este momento,
tienes que ir a buscarlos y no
es fácil encontrarlos y esto se
convierte en una barrera para
los alumnos”, explica.
La construcción que se está
diseñando ahora ayudará a los
alumnos a futuro a navegar
los servicios de manera
meas efcaz. “Realmente nos
emociona eso”, dice.
Dr. Sunita Cooke.
Por Yenni Patiño y Melanie Slone
www.NorthCountyInformador.com
September 2022
Modelos a seguir y pioneros
El primer puesto como
profesora de la Dra. Cooke fue
en un community college en
Houston, Texas, donde era la
única mujer en las ciencias en
aquel momento y era una de
dos profesores de color en la
escuela.
“Entonces, tengo una
larga historia de comprender
cómo es no caber dentro de
la norma tradicional, ser una
mujer en las ciencias, ser una
mujer de color en las ciencias.
Siento compasión por la
gente que mira a su alrededor
y siente que no pertenece
porque he pasado gran parte
de mi vida en esa clase de
circunstancias”, nos dijo.
Está agradecida por todos
los modelos a seguir que le
han abierto las puertas y dice
que ahora hace lo mismo para
los demás.
Para derrumbar
barreras, habla del enfoque
en los grupos de alumnos
marginados. MiraCosta
College es una institución que
sirve a los hispanos, y más o
menos el 40 % de los alumnos
son de esta etnia.
El año pasado, a la escuela
la colocaron entre las mejores
3 a 4 por ciento en tasas
de graduación de alumnos
latinos, según la Dra. Cooke.
“Es el resultado de que
nuestro college se ha enfocado
en el éxito de los alumnos y
en eliminar las brechas de
equidad durante siete años”,
dice.
Los alumnos latinos han
aumentado en la obtención
de grados AA en un 85 %
Solo 40 dólares
“En India éramos de una religión
minoritaria. Solo el 2% de la población era
cristiana, pero el 98% era hindú. Así que,
desde el momento de mi nacimiento siempre
fui parte de un grupo de minorías. Y ya no
usamos esa palabra “minoría”, pero en algo
ayuda a entender que siempre he sido como
una “otra” en los lugares donde estoy. Así
que, trato de estar muy consciente de lo que
se siente eso y de cómo uno realmente siente
que no pertenece. Y se te muestra esa idea casi
todos los días. Así que, creo que es algo que
intentamos abordar en MiraCosta College.
Porque duele. Manda una señal negativa a
la gente de que no está bienvenida, de que
no pertenece. Y es justo lo opuesto de lo que
queremos que la gente sienta en MiraCosta.”
—Dra. Sunita Cooke
tell students, ‘Don’t ever feel
like you’ve made a mistake.
Everything that you learn
in college is learning what
you do like, what you don’t
like, what you do want to be
doing, and how you want to
spend your time thinking.’”
MiraCosta can ofer
students the space to make
these decisions without
employing so many
resources. Te college ofers
scholarships and grants to
help students attend free for
two years so that they don’t
get into debt and can more
easily pay later university
costs. “Only a very small
percentage of our students
actually take out loans to go
to college” she says.
She asks us to remember
that student success and
equity are the heart of
what the school does, and
she ofers some advice for
students who may be facing
challenges.
“Sometimes it’s hard to
believe in yourself because
of all of the messages that
you may have received
throughout your lifetime,”she
says, but MiraCosta is there
to help along the way.
“Tere is no one that gets
to their endpoint, no one gets
to their career goal without
having signifcant support
from others.” She tells
students not to be shy about
asking for help, because the
entire community of the
three campuses is there to
ofer that support.
At all three campuses, she
says they are currently using
funds to build a gateway
“that helps students start
strong,” where they can fnd
all the services they need in
one place, including fnancial
aid, admissions and records,
and counseling. “Right
now, you have to kind of go
hunting around for them,
and it’s not easy to fnd, and
that becomes a barrier for
students,” she explains.
Te planned construction
that is currently being
designed will help future
students navigate the
services more efciently.
“We’re really excited about
it,” she says.
Role Models and Trailblazers
Dr. Cooke’s frst teaching
position was at a community
college in Houston, Texas,
where she was the only
woman in sciences at the
time and was one of two
faculty members of color at
the school.
“So, I have a long history
of understanding what it’s
like not to ft the traditional
norm, to be a woman in
science, to be a woman of
color in science. I have a lot of
compassion for people who
look around the room and feel
like they don’t belong because
I’ve spent a lot of my life under
those kinds of circumstances,”
she told us.
She is grateful for all
the role models who have
opened doors for her and
says she is doing the same
for others.
To knock down barriers,
she talks about the focus on
underserved student groups.
MiraCosta College is a
Hispanic-serving institution,
with about 40% of students
from this background.
Last year, the school
was ranked in the top
3–4% for graduating Latino
students, according to Dr.
Cooke. “Tat’s the result of
our college having focused
on student success and
eliminating equity gaps for
our students for over seven
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September 2022
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durante este tiempo, una cifra
15 % más alto que para los
alumnos en general.
“Así se cierran las brechas
de equidad”, dice la Dra.
Coooke. “De la misma
manera, hemos visto estos
aumentos entre nuestros
alumnos afroamericanos y
los de etnias de las islas del
Pacíf co”.
El college también busca
asegurarse de que los docentes
ref ejen la representación
dentro de la comunidad.
La Dra. Cooke dirige los
esfuerzos para conectarse con
la gente, dentro del plantel
y fuera de él. “Me invitan
seguido a eventos de Día de
los muertos u otros eventos
en la comunidad”, nos contó.
Esta conexión ayuda a que
los alumnos se sientan más
cómodos en el plantel”, dijo.
“Siempre hay un espacio para
ustedes en MiraCosta”.
Save Energy
Did you know you can help California prevent rotating
power outages? By volunteering to reduce your energy use
during a statewide Flex Alert, you can make a dif erence
during times of high grid-stress and emergencies.
Find out more at FlexAlert.org.
Ahorre energía
¿Sabe que puede ayudar a California a prevenir apagones
rotativos?
Al ofrecerse como voluntario para reducir su consumo
de energía durante un Flex Alert estatal, puede hacer una
diferencia en momentos de emergencia y de alta tensión
en la red.
Obtenga más información en FlexAlert.org.
Dr. Sunita Cooke congratulates a graduate receiving her diploma.
years now,” she says.
Latino students have
increased their associate
degree attainment by 85%
over this time, 15% higher
than the overall increase.
“T at’s how we close
equity gaps,” says Dr. Cooke.
“Similarly, we’ve experienced
those increases for our
African American students
as well as Pacif c Islanders.”
T e school also attempts
to make sure the faculty
mirrors the representation in
the community.
Dr. Cooke leads the
ef orts to reach out on
and of campus. “I’m of en
invited to go to Día de los
Muertos events or other
events in the community,”
she told us. T is outreach
helps students feel
comfortable on campus.
“T ere is always a space for
you here at MiraCosta.”
www.NorthCountyInformador.com
September 2022
10
Not so long ago, she was
a student at a community
college; today, she is the
president of one.
“I tell everybody I’m
a proud product of a
community college. I am
proof that community
colleges work,” Dr.
Star Rivera-Lacey, the
Superintendent/President of
Palomar College, told North
County Informador.
Still, like for many of
her students today, the
path forward wasn’t always
smooth. “When you come
from a low-income, f rst-
generation background, you
have the thought and the
idea of the importance of
education, but you may not
know how to get there,” she
said.
Born and raised in
Oceanside, Dr. Rivera-Lacey
says she is now giving back to
the community. T e daughter
of Salvadoran parents, she
feels fortunate that her family
valued an education. Her
parents took some English
classes at Palomar College, so
she has
photos of
herself on
campus
as a child.
Today, as the f rst Latina
president in the 75-year
history of Palomar College,
she feels she has come full
circle.
Community college
opened the door for her. “I
used to always think that
college was expensive.”
T en, she learned about
programs that of er
assistance for students.
Now, she has her PhD,
thanks to the Extended
Opportunity Programs and
Services (EOPS), which has
helped her and thousands of
others with their education.
“For a lot of people, going
to college is a daunting
experience,” she says.
Palomar works with these
programs to help people
overcome these fears.
Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey: From Community
College Student to President
Photo: Palomar College
Community College
Success Story
“[When I was a student], I had to make a
decision between going to take my f nal or
running out of gas, and let’s put it this way:
I ran out of gas. So, there were real dif cult
times. … A girlfriend of mine who now has
her doctorate degree… we used to … f gure
out who had the most gas in their car … She
had this…green truck that was so old. And
when I would sit in the passenger side, if I
moved the… f oormat, I could literally see the
street. And I thought, y, Dios mío, I’m going to
fall through the seat… T at was a moment in
time that is not my reality anymore. T e only
dif erence between that moment in time and
this is that I went to school.”
—Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey
The First Latina President of San Marcos’ Palomar College Shows How Representation Matters
Visit to see the full interview.
iew.
By Yenni Patiño and Melanie Slone