Juan Verduzco is a third year undergraduate student at University of California, San Diego. Following his passions, Juan is majoring in Social Psychology, at the same time, he is minoring in History and Biology. During his early years, he used to move between Mexico and the US. Despite the instability this could have caused in his academics, and the lack of guidance to pursue higher education, Juan managed to strive in an environment where failure and rejection are to be expected. Through self-determination and finding his support group, Juan is making the most out of his time at UC San Diego. As a first generation Mexican-American and first generation college student, he is aware of the challenges and struggles these types of students face. This interview covers his journey, the process he went through to get into one of the best public universities and how he has managed to thrive, in this unfamiliar environment. Also, Juan provides his opinion on the diversification efforts by UC San Diego

Audio Transcript

Francisco (Interviewer) (00:01):

Hello Juanka. First of all thank you for being here and I would like to ask first how’s your day going?

Juan (Interviewee) (00:08):

Well, thank you Francisco, for having me here. And my day’s been going, pretty good. Im not gonna lie, just doing a little work, doing some homework and everything. So, you know, a typical life of a college student.

Francisco (Interviewer) (00:20):

Yeah, I’m super glad to hear that you’re doing okay. And obviously it’s final’s season. So, I really appreciate your time. So, one of the things I would like to ask you isi, f you can mention some of your hobbies passions or something that you did as a little kid.

Juan (Interviewee) (00:36):

Well, some of my hobbies include; writing poems, you know, I like writing poetry, just something that I’ve been doing as a kid. I also like to play soccer. I mean, that’s my number one, passion as a little kid, you know, always have your little sports here and there. So it’s just a little things in between. I also am part of a club, which is Baile Folklorico, which, you know, I like to dance and everything. So a little bit of everything just being a little well-rounded I guess.

Francisco (Interviewer) (01:05):

Okay. that’s really interesting. I don’t know if you can mention a little bit more about Baile Folkroico, what is it about? what you do there?

Juan (Interviewee) (01:12):

So fFolklorico is a traditional Mexican ballet dance group. So you basically do dances from different regions of Mexico, which include obviously like you can include Jalisco, the typical ones. You can also include Baja, which is from Baja, California, different states, you know, and you basically get to learn some other traditions in there and you get to learn some other dances which represent basically at state that you want to perform for.

Francisco (Interviewer) (01:35):

Oh, that’s really interesting. And where’s that group located?

Juan (Interviewee) (01:39):

That group is thankfully located here in UCSD, it’s part of one of the UC clubs. That’s part of it’s called Baile Folklorico La Jolla de Mexico. So, I found it barely like this year, and honestly, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve could have taken.

Francisco (Interviewer) (01:54):

That’s that’s amazing. Basically you find something to do, like outside of like academics and, I believe that’s really incredible. So tell me about your major.

Juan (Interviewee) (02:05):

Well, my major is psychology with specification in social psychology, and I have a double minor; one in history and one in biology. So those are my majors.

Francisco (Interviewer) (02:18):

That’s really interesting. Like how did you came across those major. When did you start, like, thinking about those majors?

Juan (Interviewee) (02:26):

Well, first of all, I was looking to decide how to join UCSD and I personally always have been a fan of psychology. So I looked into their psychology departments, saw that they have different specifications and social psychology resonated a bit more with me since it’s a major where you have to basically see interpersonal relations between people, how that affects their surrounding, how that affects them. So that’s basically what attracted me to the major. I feel I could help out people doing that specific one. And then basically, I mean, my minors history is just a passion of mine. I I’m a history nerd. I like reading about what happened in ancient times and seeing how that portrays to like the more recent events, same thing with biology. It’s kinda something that just interests me in the end.

Francisco (Interviewer) (03:09):

That’s something really amazing to see like the broadness, like majors and minors that you are pursuing. It’s basically just a passion. So that’s really good to see that you’re following your passion and dreams, but tell me, how was the process to get to UCSD. Since when you knew, you wanted to go to UCSD and do you think that it was an easy process?

Juan (Interviewee) (03:30):

Well, honestly UCSD I was not even gonna apply to it. UCSD is a very prestigious high school. It’s a school that has a lot of recognition worldwide. So it basically is very competitive. That’s how I would describe it. So when I was looking into schools, my cousin was like, Hey, you know, you live in San Diego, maybe you should try UCSD you get four free chances. So in the end, I ended up applying just to see if, you know, if I was qualified enough for it. And thankfully my grades backed it up. Also my club activities that I have been performing in, like avid and soccer, all of that seemed to help out, in the UCSD scouting process. And as soon as they accepted me, I just thought that was the school for me the path. I mean, I wouldn’t describe it as easy. I did move from Jalisco, Mexico for some time, and then while moving from over there to here San Diego was a little Rocky transition at the start, but honestly we were able to overcome it and able to fulfill what was needed, thankfully to come to university.

Francisco (Interviewer) (04:39):

That’s, that’s really inspiring to hear. How old were you when you came to San Diego?

Juan (Interviewee) (04:45):

When I came to San Diego I had moved from here initially when I was in elementary. And then I moved back around when I was coming into high school. So I moved for three year, for around four years over there, five, and I was over here when I moved back, I was 15 again, and from there, I just I started going to high school and it was honestly a really good experience. I would describe it as well, as much as we can make out of it, honestly. So yeah, that was the transition.

Francisco (Interviewer) (05:16):

Yeah. That’s really interesting that you went back and forth, and that you were still able to get the best experience and to experienced both cultures. How was the high school that you came from? How did you feel when you came back from Guadalajara?

Juan (Interviewee) (05:30):

Well, I ended up going to Mar Vista high school. That’s the name of my high school. It’s located in Southern San Diego in Imperial beach. And I would describe the high school. It did have a big population of Latino students. Some of them did come from Tijuana, some of them were from here, but it also was pretty much divided. It had also a good amount of white students, and it had a minority also of black students and of Pacific students, which were mostly Filipinos. And I mean, it had a lot of ethnicities, a lot of races in there, but I mean, it was competitive. You didn’t have the same opportunities sometimes as, you know, the white people did, for example, fact that they had more resources when they came to studying. They had more things to basically look at and do with, and you had to compete a lot to get into some of the top percentage of the school. But yeah, I would describe it a little bit as a little bit divided to some extent. Yeah.

Francisco (Interviewer) (06:36):

Yeah. It’s obviously it’s something that we hear a lot, you know, normally Northern schools in San Diego, closer to La Jolla, like these areas tend to have the most resources for their students. And sometimes, the Southern area tends to be a little bit like, I wouldn’t like to say segregated, but it’s a reality. I work as a counselor at Southwest high, and I noticed how i havent seen anyone in the last year from UCSD go and give a talk to them, like tell them about UCSD. And all I see are people going from California state basically just from San Marcos and San Diego state. That’s the only thing that you get to see. It was really shocking for me to see the lack of participation of UCSD to promote the school in those areas. So, I’m surprised that you try and I’m glad that you did apply to UCSD and now you are here at one of the top pubic universities. With that being said, do you feel like, because you said that you came here, like when you were already 15, do you feel like you have the guidance to get all the requirements to be at UCSD or you were just learning as you go?

Juan (Interviewee) (07:50):

I would mostly say I didn’t really have that guidance when I came to U C S D yeah. What you were mentioning is true. A lot of Southern schools aren’t really well represented when it comes by the UC system. I still remember that in my junior year, it was the only time that a UCSD representative went and talked about the school. But besides that it was mostly because I was part of an AVID club that I learned a little bit more about it, but a lot of people from my school didn’t really come to UCSD out of all of us that I counted from my graduating class, which was around 428 students, only six of us ended up, I believe, coming here. So that’s a very big number (of graduates), even though we’re all part of the San Diego community. That’s a very small amount of students. The rest, as you mentioned, San Diego state university CSU San Marcos. So like the guidance, I wouldn’t say that necessarily was there. I did manage to find some good resources in my avid teacher that he did help me out, gave me more information, let me find a little bit more resources when it came to it. But honestly, a lot of my classmates, they didn’t have the same opportunities as I did, which I consider myself very lucky to have met upon.

Francisco (Interviewer) (09:02):

Thank you for sharing that with me. I really appreciate that. So will you say that when you start applying for schools, did it ever cross your mind, like thinking that UCSD was not a school for you?

Juan (Interviewee) (09:14):

Honestly, yes. I honestly used my fourth free option that FSA gives you as UCSD just because my cousin told me, like, why not? But I did think it was a school that was a little bit far beyond my own reach, even though I had a good GPA, good academic standing. I was part of like the upper percentage of my class. I still didn’t feel like I, I had enough requirements when it came to U C S D just because I wasn’t out well informed of it. I wasn’t, I looked at it and I did see that like the population here was mostly Asian was mostly white. So I did feel a little bit scared when it came to that, just because I was gonna be out of my zone. I was scared when it came to the application, just because I was going into very competitive school, but I mean, we somehow ended up here and we’re trying to make the best out of it.

Francisco (Interviewer) (10:06):

I’m really glad to hear that. I know you mentioned that you’re part of Folklorico at U C S D. Other than that, do you feel like U C S D has welcomed you with open arms and were you able to find your people, or a place where you belong. Do you feel comfortable like around campus and your classes?

Juan (Interviewee) (10:26):

Honestly at the start, not really. It was kind of hard for the simple fact that as I mentioned before you come in here and then you start seeing that you’re not really with kinda people that resemble you a lot. You hear mostly with like with like Eastern nations. A lot of like Chinese students, a lot of like white students. So I didn’t feel the most comfortable and the most confident, just because it wasn’t my zone basically. And I mean, my first year I didn’t really meet a lot of my people. I only met a good amount for the simple fact that I was part of a summer program where I managed to meet some other people from San Diego that looked and were similar to my own traditions and cultures. But since then, it was kind of hard to met a grasp and feel who else was also part of like my own community until until the end of my second year that I ended up meeting a group called Hermanos Unidos, which is for the retention of Latino male students and to make them graduate out of the university.

Juan (Interviewee) (11:33):

And because of that, I was able to feel a bit more at home. They welcome me with open arms and it helped me connect with people that at least have some similarities to me when it comes to, you know, background and when it comes to different ways of like upbringing. Basically,

Francisco (Interviewer) (11:52):

That’s really interesting to hear about that group. And I’m glad to hear that they came across with this group where they can support each other. I’m glad that you found your support system there. And as you mentioned, it was your second year and now your third, you’re going to your fourth. You’re basically almost there. So congrats on that. I know you got this. So , would you say, Hermanos Unidos is like a big organization, is it a small, is it growing, what’s the status of the organization at U C S D. And do you feel like the university is providing them with resources to reach out to more male Latino students?

Juan (Interviewee) (12:28):

Honestly the org, when I joined my second year, it was thorugh Zoom. It was a very small organization. When I joined there were about 16 of us going to the meetings. It was, I mean, COVID did impact it a lot. Now this time around, it has been growing a lot from the past quarters to the end of this quarter, which is the end of my third year. But it has been mostly because of our own recruitment. The same students have been reaching out to other students that look similar to us, reaching out to other students that share certain heritage, just like us. And because of that, the number has been growing a lot. It has been growing from those 12. Now at this point, there’s like 50, 60 of us at this point. And thankfully it keeps on growing, but yeah, the university itself I wouldn’t say at least from what I can notice, hasn’t really been providing a lot with reaching out to other people like us when it comes to, when it comes to your looking for organizations and things, they always do mention the big one, like Raza Resource Center

Juan (Interviewee) (13:31):

But besides mentioning that you don’t really hear about like other sub basically clubs kind of like ours until you start investigating yourself a bit more or know someone that’s part of it. That’s when actually you start knowing a bit more about it. But besides that, I wouldn’t really say the university has been doing a lot to promote it.

Francisco (Interviewer) (13:50):

It’s really sad to hear that, you know, knowing that even though latinos are not a majority, there’s a, a good amount of latino students and seeing that they’re not like being provided with the resources to connect with each other and feel like more at home. Because home sickness is a reality for most of us. I personally lived at the I house, so I got to see people feeling a little bit down because they did miss their families, their parents, especially coming from a different country, different traditions. It can be tough. So I would like to definitely see Hermanos Unidos get more support, so they can reach out and help more. But other than just being a support group, is there something that airman, so news promote that try like improve like the students or like as a person?

Juan (Interviewee) (14:40):

So yes, most definitely. It’s not just a social group. It has pillars in there that basically help promote different areas in people. So they have the academic pillar, which helps students basically study, helps them keep on track to graduating those four years. It has community service pillar, which basically helps give back to the community. And because of that, you know, also keep a bridge with our San Diego community that we are around. Cuz sometimes we take for granted, you know, everything that has been coming for them. And yes, we also have the social networking pillar, which basically helps us, you know, network more around with other people that already have either graduated or people that are graduating right now at the moment and are getting to different fields that can help us out basically. And basically the slogan of the group, is basically doing things for the “Nuevo Hombre”, which basically to figth the machismo that has been rooted to us by our past generations and to basically become a better version of of a person overall.

Juan (Interviewee) (15:42):

So you do get different resources that help you study more, to help you outreach more, and that do help you. Also, just overall becoming a better person and to give back to your community.

Francisco (Interviewer) (15:53):

That’s really interesting. I’m glad to hear that. Because, as a Latino myself, I do see that standard of machismo and I even experienced that in my own family. So it’s hard sometimes for us to open up to other people or even look up for help because we don’t see that as something that “Hombres” dont do. So I’m glad to see that they’re promoting those values where you can open yourself up, where you can be vulnerable and because you know, they have your back. So I’m really glad to hear that you have that and definitely wishing the best for the organization, and I look forward to getting closer to them too. Something you mentioned, how they have like alumni, which is basically you can reach out to older students, have you like been able to connect with people, so they can guide you. Would you say that you find the most guidance towards your future career?

Juan (Interviewee) (16:48):

Yes. most definitely. Basically because of that, they do promote a lot like LinkedIn and you’re able to reach out to other students. So for example, with me I’m in the psychology field, there was a student that graduated, her name was Kate and right now she’s working towards her upper degree, basically she did study clinical psychology. But because of that, she’s able to give me guidance of like what labs to apply to what the other resources are for me as a psychology student.

Francisco (Interviewer) (16:49):

Thank you Juanka, I really appreciate your time. So, last thing I would like to ask maybe is about the future how the future is looking out for you, what are your plans?

Juan (interviewee) (17:01):

Well, I mean, I am close to graduating. My plan for after graduating have two routes depending on how this last year goes. One of them may be able to reach out for higher education, get a master’s hopefully if not, I plan to take like a little gap year, take some experience in, and if anything, maybe try what I’m aiming for, which is an industrial organization, psychology, you know, to help out the workers, help their efficiency go up, but also, you know, reach out for their mental health.

Francisco (Interviewer) (17:44):

Thank you so much, Juanka. And just to wrap this up, what would you say it’s something that you would like to recommend the university, in order to promote people like you and to succeed at U C S D or to get into U C S D?

Juan (interviewee) (18:14):

Something I would say, maybe for the university to do target schools, more Southern in the San Diego area. There are schools that are a lot more Latino basically based compared in the south compared to the Northern schools. So if they would be able to send a little bit more outreach, maybe try to make a joint program where for example, with one of the Northern schools that I know, like Hoover, which is a low resource school, and they have a joint collaboration of like students they’re able to graduate from there, they may have a scholarship to U C I wish they would extend that opportunity for more schools in the south. And just to be able to have also students from UC, from basically San Diego, stay here at UC San Diego and try to reach out for like, you know, the higher education that we’re all aiming for.

Francisco (Interviewer) (19:15):

Okay. Thank you so much. And something you would like to add on basically once students are here, what’s something that they could do like to make them feel more welcome.

Juan (interviewee) (20:08):

I would say to try to look out for the different resources there. Sometimes it is kind of hard to try to get out your comfort zone to try to be more informed on things, but if they are able to reach out and basically try to find out, you know, groups that aim more towards, you know, maybe their cultures or their their beliefs, because of that, that would make ’em feel a little bit more welcomed, maybe more at home, because yes, as you mentioned feeling homesick does happen a lot of times, and, but at least if they’re able to feel with people of their culture and they’re able to be basically surrounded by that familiar warmth, that always would help the students out. And it gives them a more positive experience overall, instead of just having that Outback outcome.

Francisco (Interviewer) (21:01):

Thank you so much. Juanka for providing this insight information. I really appreciate your openness to be, to talk about your past your present and your future. I really appreciate that. I wish you all the best and thank you so much.

Juan (interviewee) (21:15):

Of course. Thank you so much, Francisco.