Pursuing Dreams to Become a Scholar, Educator, and Leader

This a Mentee Spotlight highlighting Nancy from Boyle Heights

Nancy, Boyle Heights | BA in History, CSULA, Class of 2023 | Professional Aspiration: Librarian/Information Scientist & Museum Curator

Ever since my high school years, MFC has continuously provided a lot of help. My mentor has stood by my side through my hardest moments and joyful moments, too. 

When I was in high school, I faced many academic difficulties as an immigrant student so my GPA wasn’t really competitive. I was really afraid about whether any college would accept me. However, through MFC’s mentorship program I regained the courage to start thinking about college. 

During my junior and senior years of high school, my mentor coached me through the entire college app process. She would drive all the way from Orange County to Los Angeles just to provide SAT workshops for my friend and me. I remember so many instances during the fall semester of my senior year that she would come over to my house to help me with my college apps and teach me how to apply for many different kinds of financial aid and extracurricular enrichment opportunities.

The mentorship program not only provided me with a great mentor and excellent college preparation through the Personal Development Workshops and college campus tours, but MFC also helped me to understand how to survive in the real world. I remember taking a Financial Literacy Workshop about how to save money and responsibly manage my finances. Also, the program taught me to value my community and remember to always give back. Subsequently, I became active in contributing to my community’s wellness as an advocate for tenants’ rights in Chinatown, junior docent for the Chinese American Museum in DTLA, and interpreter at a local Covid vaccination site. Through MFC’s mentorship, I was able to receive admission offers from multiple universities, get deeply connected with my community as a volunteer and advocate, and grow in my career development. 

Nancy preparing for her classes at Cal State LA

More importantly, I found a mentor who is always there for me. In fact, I still meet with my mentor for personal support, academic advisement for my major and graduate school plans, and career development counseling. Thus, I am grateful for MFC and all the ways it has actively empowered me to pursue my dreams to become a scholar, educator, and community leader.

Nancy at her first day as Student Assistant at Special Collections & Archives of JFK Memorial Library of CSULA