Mariana Carrola

She/Her

• What does being a First-Generation College Graduate mean to you?

It means changing the future of my family and accessing opportunities, knowledge, and resources that will help improve my quality of life and future college going family members.

• What is your proudest moment from your time at UCSD?

My proudest achievement from my years at UC San Diego was being able to do research on topics that I care deeply about. Leading my own research projects, receiving funding to conduct this work, and then presenting at local and national research conference gave me the confidence to pursue graduate school.

• What advice do you have for current or future first-generation students?

Find your community of support at university. Community is important for making the college experience not feel isolating and for encouraging you to pursue enriching undergraduate opportunities.

• Who are the staff, faculty or mentors who have been most influential throughout your college journey? Are there any words of gratitude you would like to share with them?

I would like to thank my Chicanx/Latinx mentors (Dr. Frances Contreras, Dr. Gerardo Arellano, Dr. Omar Padilla, and Brianna Ramirez) for seeing potential in me and for encouraging and supporting me throughout my undergraduate years. Without them, I would not have had the same experience at UCSD. They made me feel confident to pursue research opportunities and to pursue graduate school. Thank you for all of your hard work and support and for making me into the scholar I am today.

• What do you plan or hope to do after graduating?

I will be starting a Education doctoral program at UC Davis this Fall. My long-term goal is to become a professor and contribute to the growing number of Latinx educators in higher education. I want to support future generations of first-gen Latinx students to ensure they have great college experiences.

Campus Affiliations

Campus Involvement

• Member of the RRC Writing Collective

Student Retention & Success Programs

• Academic Enrichment Programs - TRELS

• OASIS - 2Excel

• OASIS - SummerBridge

• Undocumented Student Services

• URS Summer Research Program

Cultural and Resource Centers

• Raza Resource Centro

• Women's Center

• Undocumented Student Services Center