Ivette Martinez

When looking back at her undergraduate experience so far, Ivette thinks of a couple highlights. “I am most thankful for having the opportunity to be a part of the Partners at Learning Program. I was enrolled in Education Studies: Introduction to Academic Tutoring of Secondary School Students, a course that focuses on the role of undergraduate tutors in building academic resilience in secondary students traditionally underrepresented at the university. It highlights the relationship between the school and community and opened my eyes to many of the struggles that encompass the education system. It gave me the opportunity to volunteer as a sixth-grade math and science tutor at an underserved school.”

This led the John Muir College Sociology major to write a summer research proposal. Ivette was accepted into the UC Scholars Program, an 8-week, full-time summer research experience. “Specifically, I compared the experiences of students who have lived on campus since their first year and students who were admitted to the university as freshmen, but commuted from their family home more than 20 miles away. I wanted to bring the experiences of college commuter students to light and give them a space to share their stories.” She presented her findings at the Summer Research Conference and was then one of five students invited to be a featured speaker at the Conference for Research in the Arts Social Sciences and Humanities.

As she completes her undergraduate degree, Ivette sets her sights on graduate school. “I am passionate about learning how education intersects with the issues of access, gender, race, and stratification.” She aspires to hold a faculty and researcher position at a local university in her hometown, San Diego, so she can work towards helping underserved populations reach higher education. “My educational and career goals stem from the struggles I have faced throughout my educational journey. I am the first in my family to pursue education past elementary school, and to now be thriving at UC San Diego, is my proudest accomplishment, although it has been quite challenging.”