Sylvia's Journey: Championing Access to Higher Education and Community Engagement

November 06, 2023

We are excited to have Sylvia Juárez-Magaña back as an Executive Cultura Ambassador. Read all about her and how she continues to impact our community, especially students, in a positive way as they head out into the world.

As a first-generation student and professional, Sylvia has worked to promote access to higher education for individuals from marginalized communities. Her efforts have been dedicated to facilitating the admission of underrepresented students to competitive universities and colleges. She has established services and programs for undocumented students, implementing innovative ideas to increase awareness of various career paths and professions for students from diverse backgrounds. Her career highlights continue as she works in a post-COVID era to support communities, encouraging academic engagement across different grade levels. Sylvia hopes to eliminate challenges that have historically affected first-generation students, such as college affordability and ensuring that institutions of higher education remain true to their mission of inclusivity.

She has been involved with the University of California in various capacities. Her work has included supporting admission offices and different programs on various campuses. Her expertise has been recognized by community colleges and other 4-year university systems. Her business has partnered with school districts and non-profits to promote and prepare a diverse group of students, including parent engagement.

During her recent visit to Chapman University with middle school students, she took some time to explore their library and even checked out some books. In her free time, she enjoys reading, doing word searches, and, lately, playing Tetris. She values the time spent with her family, including her sons and husband. Her parents still live in Indio, CA, where she was born and raised. Her educational pursuits have taken her to the Bay Area and NYC. She also enjoys traveling and discovering new opportunities to promote to students and their families.

Did you enjoy reading about Sylvia? Then we invite you to share this article with your friends and family!

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