# @ucsandiego on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DU6NTaFkslh
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/56804287-ucsandiego-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/3971c6047d.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-02-18T18:34:46.000+00:00

## Caption

“UC San Diego is where my world opened up.

I grew up in Compton, outside of Los Angeles, and attended UC San Diego for college. I was in Earl Warren College and lived on campus. At a school like UC San Diego, you meet people from different places and you learn so much from each other. My dormmates and I had many late-night conversations and debates about a wide range of topics. That was part of the learning experience.

My experience at UC San Diego truly shaped me into the person I am today. It sparked my commitment to becoming a volunteer and a politically active person. It also increased my understanding of the world around me and what it meant for me to be in it as a Black woman. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to study here.

It was never my intention to stay in San Diego. I always thought that I would go back to Los Angeles and do great things. But San Diego is very difficult to leave, and after graduation, I was offered a job on campus and from there I have built an incredible career. I have had so many positions on campus in different areas and all of them have taught me something.

Heritage months like Black History Month tie so deeply into the student experience. University is often the first place you are exposed to cultures, languages, people and ideas beyond what you grew up with. Learning how to think critically from extraordinarily smart people is life-changing. At their core, heritage months are about education and community building. They create meaningful connections that improve our understanding of how we are all connected. 

I am so fortunate that my career has come full circle. In my role, I give back to my foundation, the undergraduate colleges. Every day, I lean on my UC San Diego education. I am grateful for what this campus, UC San Diego has given me.”

-Pamela Frugé (she/her) ’87, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education 

#TritonStories #UCSD #UCSanDiego

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- **Likes:** 1,698
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- **Comments:** 23

## Tags

tritonstories, ucsandiego, ucsd

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