Julia Barajas
I explore how community college students achieve their goals — whether they’re fresh out of high school, or going back to school for the first time in years — and how colleges help them do so.
My exposure to community colleges began when I was a high school senior. In all my years of schooling, I’d never been assigned anything written by a person of Mexican descent, despite growing up in L.A. County. So when a brochure for East Los Angeles College appeared in my family’s mailbox, I decided to enroll in an introductory Chicano Literature course. We read everything from Helena María Viramontes’ “The Moths” to Bernice Zamora’s “Notes from a Chicana ‘COED.’” And what I learned there — about writing, about history, and about myself — stayed with me. It informed my decision to major in literature and Latin American studies when I went on to earn a four-year degree, and it continues to shape the work I do now.
My hope is that all community college students will get a similar chance to chart a course for themselves, guided by their own curiosities and ambitions.
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For many of California State University's faculty members, the chancellor's salary and benefits are an example of executive pay run amok. -
The hundreds of thousands of students across 23 campuses won't have classes.
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In a town where USC, UCLA, and AFI tout their powerful alumni networks, community colleges have a stake in developing future members of the film industry.
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The Middle Class Scholarship is for students whose families earn a little over $200,000 a year.
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New Program Wants To Put More Community College Grads In Full-Time Professor Jobs, Diversify FacultyThe Compton College Faculty Prep Academy, in partnership with USC, will pair participants with a mentor and help them prepare for job interviews.
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Having trouble with the new 2024-25 FAFSA? You’re not alone. And there are other changes you might not know about, too.
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Every year we look back on the important stories of the past 12 months — and look ahead to the stories in the new year.
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Worm composting became especially popular during the pandemic, but it's never too late to get in the dirt.
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An English professor convinced her that she had a story worth telling — and the capacity to write professionally.
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The paid fellowship prioritizes students from Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Long Beach, and Long Beach City College.
