Guidance and support make all the difference for adult learners
As the daughter of Spanish-speaking migrant workers who didn’t have a strong educational background, Veronica Jauregui lacked what many high school students take for granted: Family members with firsthand experience to help her navigate the complicated world of academia to find a path to success. Her counselor was also of little help, and Jauregui recalls them telling her outright, “You’re probably not even going to go to college.”
Rather than be discouraged, Jauregui decided to be the change she wanted to see.
“I had a lot of naysayers … a lot of people telling me I couldn’t do this, that my language barrier could be a problem,” she says. “All that negativity made me realize we needed more people like me in the field.”
Today, she is a first-generation college graduate and career counselor at Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) Adult Education, using her experience to guide students and enable them to build a thriving life for themselves and their families.
“If you improve yourself as a person, you’re going to improve the community you live in.”
Veronica Jauregui, Career Counselor, Mt. San Jacinto College
Planning to succeed
MSJC Adult Education prides itself on providing adult students the support they need to succeed. Starting their first semester, students work with counselors to determine their academic or professional goals and outline a plan to achieve them. New students are required to meet with a counselor for a planning session to go over available programs, services and academic procedures. Students are then encouraged to meet with a counselor frequently to ensure they’re on track.
“The primary goal of intensive counseling support at MSJC is to ensure that students can successfully access their education and make progress towards their goals,” Jauregui says. “It allows counselors to provide tailored advice and support based on each student’s evolving needs and circumstances. Counseling helps students set realistic and achievable goals and foster a sense of direction and purpose.”
For students looking to continue their education, counselors help ensure they’re ready to transfer to for-credit programs. And for students looking to transition into the workforce, counselors help guide them through the requirements for professional certifications or licensing.
Support in and outside of the classroom
Jauregui says many of the students she works with are either new immigrants, looking to start a new career, or people looking to reenter the workforce or refresh their skills to stay competitive. They’re also adults with jobs, families and other commitments. To help students stay balanced, MSJC Adult Ed offers a wide range of resources.
“We’re a well-rounded program where we not only support students in their educational or job needs, we also support them in their personal immediate needs,” she says. “Coming to school is not their only priority, and we understand that. We want to make sure that those things are taken care of so they can continue with their education and become successful.”
MSJC works with community partners like local unions and the Riverside County Workforce Development Board to connect students with employers, and they can also help connect students with legal services, housing assistance and more.
Sweet successes
Unsurprisingly, Jauregui says she loves seeing students progress and succeed. She says all manner of student accomplishments—whether it’s a major achievement like getting hired or graduating, or a small step like learning to access their student account online—are good signs that she’s doing her job well.
“If you improve yourself as a person, you’re going to improve the community you live in,” she says. “Our priority is to improve everybody’s life, so that one day you’ll be able to contribute, and pay your taxes, and give to others that need it. So it’s a full circle.”
For more information on how Mt. San Jacinto College Adult Education can help you achieve your goals, visit www.msjc.edu/adulted.
Written by Anne Stokes
| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| Southern California | Variety of Classes |
