Transferring & Mana Learning Community

Transcript

Let’s meet a student who recently transferred from College of San Mateo to Stanford University. Leila loved her time at CSM and was set up for success to transfer by the faculty here and the different learning communities she was involved with on campus. Let’s check in with Leila and see what she has to share with us.

– Thanks, Alex. or hi everyone. I graduated high school during the pandemic while our family business struggled. To save money, I enrolled at CSM. I was told I was making the wrong move and detouring from my path. All stigmas wrongfully associated with community colleges. Thankfully, I didn’t listen because going to CSM was the best decision for my future. They set me up for success as I transferred from CSM to Stanford University. Researching what CSM had to offer, I found the MANA Learning Community, a program focusing on Pacifica or Pacific Islander students. My mother, who was from France, raised me by herself, so I grew up without much connection to my Tongan, Samoan, and Fijian heritages. MANA offered us wraparound services, including Pacific studies courses, wellness counseling, transfer coaching, and leadership development opportunities. This community was instrumental in my growth as a student scholar, community organizer, and human. For the first time in my life, I saw my people thriving in academia as PhD holders, faculty, staff, and counselors truly carving out a safe, sacred space for us. MANA and our mentors affirmed to myself and my peers that Pacifica people belong in higher education and inspired me to pursue becoming an educator to pay that love and support forward. In addition to MANA, I had access to other resources such as financial aid and the Honors Project Learning Community. Under the guidance of professors, I explored my academic dreams and was introduced to the field of ethnic studies and the vast potential of interdisciplinary research. CSM taught me that college is about community and relationships beyond just academics and professional training. The skills I learned here enabled me to thrive at Stanford. College of San Mateo laid the foundation and gave me the tools I needed to achieve my goals. Mahalo, thank you for listening, and back to you, Alex.

– Leila, thank you for sharing your story. What a journey from College of San Mateo to Stanford University, which is just down the road from CSM. Your story is so inspiring. Now as you can see, College of San Mateo set Leila up for success by exposing her to a field of study that became her passion. Keep up the great work Leila and thank you for sharing your story.