1. Why were you determined to attend The Preuss School at UC San Diego? What impact did the charter school have on your education and life?

Medina: I was a young teenager with big dreams to go to college, but I knew I needed guidance and the right role models.  I also knew The Preuss School would provide me with all the resources I needed and help me transition from high school to college.  The school changed my life, as well as the life of my family.  My parents are originally from a small ranch in the mountains of Zacatecas, Mexico, where the population is only 500 or so.  Historically, the ranch residents begin to work in the fields as children, they get married at a very young age, have children of their own, and the cycle repeats itself.  The Preuss School allowed me to break this cycle, and I’ve been able to show the ranch community that they have other options.  The school also helped me reach my potential and my dream of being the first in my family to graduate from a four-year university.  The neat thing about Preuss is that this is my story, and every Preuss graduate has a story to share.  The school has touched so many lives.

2. What have you enjoyed most about being a UC San Diego student?

Medina: I love being a UC San Diego student because there are so many resources available, including the dedicated staff and faculty, opportunities to study abroad and the vast amount of research occurring here.  I also love that UC San Diego provides every single student with his or her own niche on campus.  I have grown up in San Diego and it’s been a blessing to be able to attend such a fine institution so close to home.

3. As a native San Diegan, what are some of the benefits of going to college in your hometown?

Medina: I’ve been able to maintain strong ties with my close-knit family, my community, my high school and my church.  I also get to be home to mentor my little brother who also wants to attend college when he grows up.  My family is extremely close.

4. Tell me about your job overseeing the tutoring and mentoring program at The Preuss School, Gompers Charter Middle School and Lincoln High School? Why is the job rewarding?

Medina: My responsibilities include recruiting UC San Diego students to intern, volunteer and tutor at the three partner schools.  Each school has roughly 75 to150 tutors every quarter and I make sure that UC San Diego students are placed at the school that best fits their skills, qualifications and needs.  UC San Diego students are great!

The job has been such a wonderful, rewarding experience.  I am able to give back to the school that changed my life.  I have touched countless lives and it is important to me to show the world that ALL students can attend college when given the right resources and support. 

5. Why did you choose sociology as a major? Tell me about your senior thesis and your unique hands-on research experience.

Medina: I chose sociology because I like to learn about our society and there is a vast variety of topics to study.  There is pretty much a sociology of everything!  My current research focuses on the obstacles that students of color overcome in order to get into college, including peer pressure from their communities that can inhibit academic excellence.

6. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Medina: I see myself married with a stellar career in marriage and family therapy.  I want to stay in San Diego and continue to be a role model for other first-generation students.

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