Campus news

Genesis Alfaro: 'I plan to major in math and set an example for Latinas'

By Public Affairs

Genesis Alfaro, born and raised in Oakland, transferred from another charter school at the start of her junior year because she did not feel she was being well-served. She proved to be a diligent worker.

I am a Salvadorian woman, and I am a minority. And I come from a single-mother household.

Genesis Alfaro
Coming from a community that has a low rate of teenagers even graduating from high school and an even lower rate of matriculation into four-year colleges, I’ve had to fight for my education. I chose the community of California College Preparatory Academy because I knew that I would be well prepared for my college career. They have challenged me and made me go above and beyond my potential academically.

I know that I have a lot of competition worldwide, but I am sure that the skills I have developed in Cal Prep have prepared me to take on the challenge of attending Cal for my next four years in college. Being admitted to UC Berkeley  for the fall has given me a lot of motivation because now I know that hard work pays off. My acceptance into Cal has helped me keep on persisting even with the great tragedy in my life — my dad passing away only a month ago. Even though I’m experiencing this loss, I commit myself to performing to my fullest potential because I have learned to fight against anything.

At Cal, I am planning on majoring in applied mathematics. Knowing that I will be one of the few Latinas that choose this career, I hope to set an example for women who, like me, who have gone through many painful experiences of the kind people in my community are faced with. With my education, I will help educate them and guide them to the path I took.

I want to be that Latina from Oakland, California, who made a significant improvement for herself and for the women she represents.