Transfer Story - Sandra Carrillo

 

What's Your Chabot Story?

I'm a "life learner". I stepped foot on the Chabot campus right out of high school in 1991. At that time my studies were exploratory but after some work experience, I decided to come back in 1999 and pursue my first A.S. in Electronics and Computer Technology, graduating with Highest Honors in 2002. This education opened doors for me in terms of employment and also landed me a 1+ year internship at NASA Ames Research Center as an Engineering Assistant for a research project for the Int'l Space Station. Although my career took me in a different direction than my field of study, technology was always my strength in every position I took on, and remained a passion of mine through the years.

Almost a decade and a half after my A.S. degree from Chabot, I decided to finally pursue a Bachelor's degree. I had excellent preparation at Chabot for my first degree in Electronics and expected the same for my Bachelor's preparation in Computer Science. As an older student, it was a long and windy road through the prerequisites for a UC transfer program. I had maintained straight A's my entire college career and therefore was disillusioned and devastated when a couple more letters of the alphabet appeared on my transcript during the last two years. Juggling personal and academic demands, as well as personal and family illness took its toll on me... but I never gave up even though I wanted to walk away a few times. I realized that success is NOT defined by "never failing". Success might include a few stumbles and perhaps even a few failed attempts, but it's developing strategies for how to deal with the bumps on the road and knowing how to continue moving forward confidently that will ultimately determine your success. Those challenges and disappointments only made me stronger AND made me a better student.

I'm elated to have been accepted at UC Berkeley. It's been a long time coming and I want to thank all of my classmates and teachers that helped me limp along through those difficult times, and gave me hope when it felt like I was running out of it. Chabot has been an important part of my journey -- spanning as far back as my teens. Thank you Chabot! I'm finally on my way. 

 

How did Chabot influence your life and career? 

The instruction I received at Chabot-Las Positas CC helped prepare me for competitive opportunities such as internships and, later on, even employment. School in general changed the trajectory of my life, but Chabot is what made it possible.

The faculty at Chabot has been very supportive and helpful in guiding my academic and career paths. My experience at Chabot is that the overall atmosphere between teachers and students has been one that fosters student growth and learning.

At Chabot there are also many student resources available that I took advantage of to assist me along the way, such as: valuable instructor & student tutoring at the STEM Center & also at Learning Connection; plus the many services provided by DSPS, including mobility services when I injured my ankle, and also accommodations made for me during personal illness, without which I would have had to stay out of school during recovery and lose valuable time in completing my academic goals. As an older student with varying responsibilities and issues, I needed all the help I could get; and I found what I needed to succeed at Chabot-LPC CC.

 

Why should anyone transfer?

Starting at a 2-year college provides an opportunity to test the waters and understand what college is about -- the expectations, the level of commitment, and the workload. Personally, it was a relief to have the freedom to explore different programs without pressure. I went as fast or as slow as I wanted, full-time or part-time. This flexibility allowed me to juggle other responsibilities while still attending school.

Having earned two A.S. degrees, a couple of certificates of achievement, and also industry certifications, I was well-prepared for specific industries. However, I came to understand that if I wanted to become a professional and compete for coveted positions, a higher education was necessary. Transferring to a four-year institution was the only option for me, as I did not prepare, nor had the resources to do so when exiting high school.

Not everyone starts from the same playing field. Attending a two-year institution such as Chabot-Las Positas CC is a great option for individuals like myself who, for various reasons, didn't follow a traditional path.

 

Shout Outs and/or Words of Wisdom?

Specific faculty members of Chabot-Las Positas CC were especially influential and instrumental in my achievements. Some inspired me, motivated me, connected with me, or expertly gave me that extra help I needed to continue.

My ability to move through the Computer Science program stems back to my first degree from Chabot in Electronics because it provided a strong foundation for my technical aptitude: For that, Thank You Mr. Nolly Ruiz and Mr. Al Roth.

To the man that made learning Math possible for "someone like me" (he knows what I mean): Mr. Dennis Knights, You have a true gift for teaching. You're the best!

Mr. Ming-Lun Ho: Thank your for your additional time and help with transitioning to Calculus and for making math fun!

The Computer Science program was challenging but rewarding thanks to Professor Keith Mehl: I left your classes each semester feeling accomplished. Thank you Prof Mehl for ALL of your individual help and advice, and especially for your patience during my meltdowns! :-) But most of all, thanks for raising the bar in order to make us better programmers.

And last but not least: Professor Bill Komanetsky: you're a special teacher and the least I can do is say "thank you" for your unique pedagogical approach; but above all for your demonstrated care and interest in the success of your students. ...Thank you, Chabot-LPC!

May 2020