On Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, Career Services hosted the second Herman@s Career Retreat in collaboration with Puente. This initiative is led by Kalia Chavez Palacios (Career Readiness Coordinator), in partnership with Counselors Iveth Lopez Obeso (Dual Enrollment & Herman@s), Andrea Hernandez (Herman@s), and Angela Serrano (Puente).
Unique to this spring’s retreat was that we hosted all high schools in which the Herman@s Connection to College (C2C) program is offered, welcoming students from South San Francisco High School, Capuchino High School, and Peninsula High School. The Herman@s C2C program, “establishes a pipeline from middle school to college with the purpose of providing holistic support for Latinx youth. It aims to create a safe space for students and their families in an educational setting through academic counseling, family engagement, resources, and mentorship, offering wraparound services to help close the achievement gap.”
This collaboration is intentionally built to expand and bridge partnerships within the college to better serve our students.
The Career Retreat’s main objectives were to engage students in career exploration through interactive activities and workshops designed to help them decide on a major, a decision many seniors must make by the end of the semester. Additional goals included raising awareness of Career Services resources, providing an overview of the Puente program, and incorporating representation from other learning communities, such as Umoja-A.S.T.E.P. and Kababayan (noting that students do not need to identify with a specific culture to join). The retreat also created space for students to connect with Skyline College students and staff to begin building their support networks, should they choose Skyline as their college, or, more broadly, as they explore their options.
It is important to acknowledge that this event and collaboration were intentionally designed to support the larger goal of increasing access, retention, and graduation rates for Latine students in higher education. Experiences like this help students envision themselves in college, connect with supportive staff, and become more familiar with the programs and resources available to them.
A total of 72 high school students attended, along with students from Angela Serrano’s COUN 110 course, which also included Herman@s C2C, alumni.
The day began with a welcome from the Director of High School Transition and Dual Enrollment, Giselle Hendrie, who affirmed that choosing a major/career is a journey and that there is no single straight line from college to career. Students were encouraged to stay open, try new things, and take in what resonated with them throughout the day without feeling pressure to have everything figured out.
Students then participated in a career exploration workshop led by Career Readiness Coordinator, Kalia Chavez Palacios. The workshop focused on “career scripts,” inviting students to reflect on the narratives that shape their career decisions and to consider which scripts they want to reimagine, let go of, or challenge to pursue paths aligned with their interests and passions.
Kalia Chavez Palacios, Iveth Lopez Obeso, and Peninsula High School Instructor Gustavo Lopez also shared their personal journeys, reflecting on how they challenged expectations placed on them and navigated their educational and career paths. Their stories reinforced that career journeys often shift and evolve over time, sometimes becoming completely different from what one originally expected. The presentation also included career and education myth-busters and highlighted the wide range of opportunities that education can open up.
Next, students participated in a panel facilitated by Dual Enrollment Retention Specialist Alfredo Olguin. The panel featured students from Skyline College learning communities, including Kababayan, Umoja-A.S.T.E.P., and Puente. Panelists shared experiences ranging from time management, balancing work and school, to personal and professional growth during their time at Skyline. It was especially powerful to hear students speak directly to one another, offering advice, encouragement, and real insight into college life. A special thank you to our student panelists: Sandro Bautista, Margaux Althea Garcia, Crystal Rangel Cruz, Adam Rodriguez, Alex Rajo Soto, and Randy Garcia.
Prior to the panel, Counselor Angela Serrano provided an overview of the Puente program at Skyline College to familiarize students with the program. She shared Puente’s mission of increasing the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges, earn degrees, and return to their communities as leaders and mentors. She also emphasized that Puente supports first-generation and Latine-identifying students, while remaining open to all students. Proudly ending with the program’s slogan, “Once a Puentista, always a Puentista.”
After the lunch break, students participated in the final workshop led by Valeria Olguin, a full-time artist and educator who uses art as a tool for community engagement and social change. Valeria is also an alumna of the Herman@s C2C program at South San Francisco High School.
She began by sharing her personal journey through high school and college, including her early connection to Ethnic Studies through Herman@s, the challenges of navigating college applications, her transfer to the University of Oregon out of state, and the support systems that helped her along the way. She also reflected on changing her major, finding community on campus, and how her academic experiences (Although not directly connected) ultimately contributed to her path as a full-time artist.
Valeria then led a printmaking workshop where students created their own stamps based on the theme of their “why”—what inspires and motivates them to pursue education. Students were highly engaged and created beautiful prints to take home.
The retreat represented a braiding together of community, programs, and resources — a space intentionally cultivated for students. Not all high school students have the opportunity to experience a retreat like this, centered on representation, belonging, and access to college- and career-related knowledge.
We look forward to hosting our next Herman@s Career Retreat in Spring 2027, continuing to build on our partnerships and cultivating meaningful spaces for students that reaffirm college as an option and highlight the role education plays in career exploration and future opportunities.
Thank you to the full Strategic Partnership & Workforce Development team for their support in making this event a success.
Article by: Ana Aragona and Kalia Chavez Palacios
Photos: Claudia Paz
