“As a first-generation student and a parent of three young children, graduating means giving my children access to a path to higher education that was not available to me. My path here was also somewhat unexpected. I was a stay at home mom when I returned to community college in 2020 as the pandemic allowed for more free time. During an advising appointment I was told that, to my surprise, I had nearly completed the requirements to transfer to a UC. After learning that I could potentially continue my education, I worked tirelessly on my application to UC San Diego and was completely shocked when I was accepted. Despite being a student of a “non-traditional” age, I always felt uplifted with unconditional support from my peers and professors at UC San Diego. The confidence I gained through the university community and the supportive resources it provided really motivated me to succeed. There were constant challenges as a full-time student and parent of three young children, but living o...