On Thursday, October 23, 2025, Rocio Aguilar Pedroza and Kent Gomez, Promise Scholars Program counselors, hosted a Transfer Legacies Student Panel, a HyFlex event that welcomed nearly 20 students in the Intercultural Center (Building 4, Room 240), with others joining online. The gathering honored the journeys of Promise Scholars alumni who have transferred to universities across California—each carrying forward a story shaped by perseverance, identity, and community.
The panel featured six Promise Scholars Program alumni who have continued to grow their educational and professional dreams beyond Skyline College. Madison Barker transferred to UC San Diego to earn her B.S. in Psychology and is now pursuing her Master’s in School Counseling at San Francisco State University. Jackie Fuentes transferred to San Francisco State University, where she is completing her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Counseling, while Sarat Meas is also completing her B.A. in Psychology at San Francisco State. Milenna Montoya transferred to UC Berkeley, earned her B.A. in Sociology, and is now participating in COOP Careers’ Digital Marketing program while preparing to pursue an MBA. Irah Tancioco transferred to San Francisco State University to complete her B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Public Health, and Isabella Villegas transferred to CSU Fullerton, where she is completing her B.A. in Psychology and preparing to pursue graduate studies in Applied Behavior Analysis. Together, their stories illuminate the many different paths students may take, and the shared strength found in community support, courage, and self-belief.
Sharing Journeys, Challenges, and Triumphs
During the panel, each alum reflected honestly on their transfer journeys—how they chose their universities, how personal values and family influence guided their decisions, and how they reshaped their sense of belonging in new academic environments. Many described moments of culture shock and imposter syndrome and spoke openly about the emotional work of affirming that they deserve to be where they are. They highlighted the importance of support programs such as Promise Scholars, Puente, EOPS, and Kababayan, which provided not just resources but spaces where they were seen, heard, and encouraged. Through vulnerability and insight, they reminded current students that growth often happens outside of comfort—and that community makes that growth possible.
A Legacy of Transfer
The event’s theme, Transfer Legacies, emphasized that transferring is far more than an academic step—it is a meaningful chapter in one’s personal and family history. Panelists reflected on how their educational progress honors their parents, their communities, and their younger selves who once wondered if college was even possible. Their journeys carry hope, possibility, and pride forward.
To current Skyline students, their collective message was clear and heartfelt:
Your transfer journey matters. Your story matters. You are building a legacy. And you belong here.
Each panelist offered a closing piece of advice, but the shared message resonated like a chorus of encouragement:
Trust your path. Ask for help. Keep going—even when the way forward feels new.
The Transfer Legacies event did more than celebrate accomplishments—it reminded students that they are part of a lineage of dreamers, scholars, and leaders who lift one another as they rise. Every transfer journey becomes a legacy, and every legacy leaves a light for others to follow.
Article written by Kent Gomez, M.S., Promise Counselor
