By Yultzin Angeles
Ed. Note: Graduation season is here and for many students that means the start of a new life. Some are graduating high school and heading off to college, while others are graduating college and deciding which career path they will take as they enter the workforce. South Kern Sol interviewed graduates from South Kern to learn about their plans after high school and what they hope their college career will look like. This story is part one of a two-part series looking at higher education among Kern County residents, where according to the Census 15 percent of the population has a college degree, just half of the state’s average.
What is your name and age?
Melissa Duran, 17
What high school will you be graduating from?
Ridgeview High School
What college will you be attending in the fall?
California Polytechnic State University
What is your planned major?
Psychology
What do you plan to do with your major?
Help those who can’t see things as they are or how they can be. I don’t want to only focus on the clinically unstable but also help those in the simplest cases, giving them the opportunity to talk openly about their bad days.
Was this college your first choice?
I chose this school because it was an option to get out of Bakersfield. I wanted to go find something that would open up more opportunities for me as I start my life in the “real” world.
What is your name and age?
Jorge Medina, 17
What high school will you be graduating from?
Golden Valley High School
What college will you be attending in the fall?
University of California Irvine.
What is your planned major?
Political Science and Pharmaceuticals
What do you plan to major in?
I want to pursue a career in medical law or health coding.
Was this college or university your first choice?
This was my second choice after Stanford. I chose UCI because of the opportunities it provides, it’s unique because it’s a growing university where I can leave a mark.
What is your name and age?
Nayeli Lopez, 17
What high school will you be graduating from?
Golden Valley High School
What college will you be attending in the fall?
University of California Davis.
What is your planned major?
Chemical Engineering
What do you plan to do with your major?
I want to be a quality assurance and quality control chemist for a cosmetics laboratory.
Was this college your first choice?
It wasn’t my first choice because I wasn’t planning to attend a UC school, however I chose it because I went to visit it for the second time and actually got to stay for the whole weekend. I love how the city revolves around the school and how safe the environment feels on and off campus. It’s just a beautiful and calm place.
What is your name and age?
Michael Cushine,18
What high school will you be graduating from?
Independence High School.
What college will you be attending in the fall?
US Air Force Academy
What is your planned major?
Aerospace Engineering
What do you plan to do with your major?
Become an Aerospace Engineer.
Was this college your first choice?
This academy gives me the opportunity to serve my country, excel as a servant leader of integrity, and to receive an amazing education at the same time.
What is your name and age?
Christian Romo, 17
What high school will you be graduating from?
Golden Valley High School.
What college will you be attending in the fall?
Taft Community College
What is your planned major?
Political Science
What do you plan to do with your major?
With this major I plan to go on to law school and become an attorney with hopes to one day run for public office.
Was this college your first choice?
Taft College was not my first choice. I got accepted into UCSB, but because it is so expensive and because of my financial situation I decided to stay in Taft. After two years I plan to transfer to UCLA.
