In the Class of 2023, Wave-Makers graduated from nine University of California campuses, nine California State University campuses, three Ivy Leagues, one HBCU, and several private universities such as Scripps College and USC.

Within the graduating class from Making Waves Academy, 97% chose to pursue higher education and 3% chose vocational or military programs. “What a journey you have been on the last four years. And yet you thrived,” CEO Alton B. Nelson, Jr., shared in his speech at the ceremony.

“I’m a senior at Making Waves Academy,” shared Yoltzin Wallace. “That means I’ve been thinking about college since 5th grade! My older brother, with the help of Making Waves, showed me that anything is possible after I graduate… I can study and pursue my interests wherever I want.”

With support from Making Waves, Allison Cubillas graduated from UC San Diego without any student loans. “Whatever you want to be in life, be the best you can be at it.” The first-gen college grad said this advice from her late father drives her to this day, in her personal life and in her career.

Doris Martinez applied for our Making Waves program because of the “life-changing” scholarship, coaching, and other resources. “It was amazing because this scholarship would allow me to graduate from college debt-free,” shared Doris, who graduated from UC Berkeley this year and is starting a job at EY this January.

After a year-long brand analysis, we updated our brand in 2023 to match our mission. Our updated name, logo, and overall brand clarify our focus on education and help us reach more students and supporters. 

In one of the most popular stories for the second year in a row, College Coach Danielle Hall provides tips for taking advantage of internships. “The hope is that you’ll walk away with a better understanding of yourself and the field,” she shared.

A recruiter at Meta, Wave-Maker Ariadna Diaz shared an inside scoop for students on what matters most in job applications and interviews. “It’s so important to get an internship. The specific internship does not matter if you get some exposure to the workplace and skills that you can get from any type of work,” she shared.

Wave-Maker Anthony Jacobo Gonzalez was selected by the Office of the Governor as a College Corps Fellow focused on food security. “I’ll be able to help students not worry about food while they’re trying to break barriers in obtaining their bachelor’s degree,” the UC Davis student shared.

“I saw how many people in my community didn’t have people to advocate on behalf of them or inform them of their rights. I knew that the best way for me to become that person was to go to law school,” shared Wave-Maker Brenda Quintanilla, who is studying law at UC Davis and helping other future lawyers by sharing about her experiences. 

Alison Paxtor, a Wave-Maker alumna and Cal State East Bay graduate, shared her first-hand tips for making it to graduation. “As I reflect on my experience, college has brought many accomplishments into my life. However, college was not easy,” she shared.

Juritzy Mata, a Wave-Maker who graduated from Cal Poly Pomona and who was one of our inaugural marketing and storytelling interns, shared the strategies she learned to build a community and form connections in college.

Thanks to a new donation, we are excited to open our college and career success program to more students. We’re also using technology to better reach Gen Z. “We want to support more students to earn their college degrees, to be able to afford it, and to graduate with minimal to no debt,” shared CEO Patrick O’Donnell.