Tag: Bay Area

Photo of Naidalyn smiling next to blue graphic with text for Voices of Making Waves
News and Stories

Designing Her Future in Game Design  

Naidelyn Aceves (she/her) is no stranger to navigating unfamiliar spaces – from being a first-generation college student from Pittsburg, California to attending UC Santa Cruz to majoring in art and design with a focus in games and playable media.

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Photos of Alejandro, America, and Camila with text for fund internships, fuel dreams and graphics of medical, science, and law objects
Career and Job Resources

A future professor, lawyer, and medical assistant share about their internship experiences

For many young people, an internship can change their career and life trajectory. Yet, 70+% of first-generation college students are missing out on internships. Making Waves has a created a new fund to support students to say “yes” to opportunities they might otherwise have to turn down due to financial barriers. Here are some of their stories.

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Making Waves Education Foundation logo and Kaiser logo above gradient blue and orange wave
Career and Job Resources

Making Waves and Kaiser Partner to Expand Career Pathways in Healthcare

Making Waves Education Foundation and Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences are partnering to launch the Hands-On Health: Paid Career Exploration Fellowship. The pilot program is designed to provide young adults with a paid opportunity to explore, gain skills, and make connections in the healthcare industry.

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Photo of students and professional shaking hands and text overlay for beyond the degree: economic mobility at making waves
News and Stories

Beyond the Degree: Reimagining Economic Mobility at Making Waves

Making Waves has excelled at supporting students from 5th grade through college graduation, but in today’s landscape a degree alone no longer guarantees economic mobility. CEO Patrick O’Donnell shares why he’s excited to reimagine what’s possible in expanding educational opportunity AND expanding career opportunity for our students.

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Photo of Romero damily at Pitzer graduation and light blue wave with text for Making Waves
News and Stories

Más de 10 años de colaboración con Making Waves para la familia Romero

“Ser parte de Making Waves cambió mi trayectoria”, dice Enrique Romero. “No tendría la formación para poder ir a la universidad”, explica él, graduado de la licenciatura en sociología por Pitzer College en California y de la maestría en políticas educativas por Harvard University en Massachusetts. Gracias al apoyo incondicional de sus padres y al acompañamiento de Making Waves, Enrique pudo tomar decisiones que lo llevaron a un futuro diferente.

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Top stories that made waves in 2024 text with photos of student in lab, student on field trip, and student on campus
News and Stories

Top Stories That Made Waves in 2024

Our programs provide students of color from low-income backgrounds with the educational opportunities, career skills and experiences, and financial freedom they need to meet their goals and thrive. Here are some of the highlights of what that looked like in 2024 and a preview of what’s to come in 2025.

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ysabel david in a science lab
Coaching For College

Uniting science, accessibility, and community in academia

“Sometimes lab research can feel very impersonal, but I really enjoy the interpersonal interactions and the community aspect of science,” shared Ysabel David (she/her), a first-gen college student and graduating senior at Scripps who is sharing about her path finding community and pursuing her passions for science, dance, and DEIB.

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Photo of Jezebelle in black shirt with arms on hips and text for Voices of Making Waves
News and Stories

A Wave-Maker’s Journey Researching Machismo Culture and Mental Health

As a sociology major at California State University, Stanislaus, Jezebelle Maldonado (she/her) chose an undergraduate research topic that wasn’t just about academics. It was personal. Now a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree to her name, Jezebelle is working in the healthcare field as a behavior technician and is considering a master’s degree in the future. “One thing I am taking with me from college is to not be afraid to build connections,” she said

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