Adriana Garcia
Adriana excelled as a member of .XL2 by showing leadership, ambition to succeed, and generosity. She volunteered for 2 years as a Conexión and MESA tutor/mentor and then transferred to UC Santa Barbara in 2006, where she is majoring in mathematics.
.XL opened a lot of doors for me. Take advantage of the opportunities that come your way! I did!
Carlos “Tito” Altamirano
Tito graduated from the University of Southern California in 2006 with a B.A. in history, and will be working on his Master's in history in the near future. Tito has continually been part of the TLC volunteering as a Conexión tutor/mentor and is working as a recruiter and instructional aide for the .XL summer bridge/first-year experience program.
I just want to thank the TLC staff for your endless support. Just know that whether or not we are your students, all of us in the TLC are grateful for all you have done for us. I can proudly say that I am the fruit of your labor, and you too should be proud. Again, thank you.
Elia Cabuto
Elia is a dedicated TLC student who has a yearning to help others. She volunteered as a tutor for the Conexión program and in fall 2007 will transfer to Mount St. Mary's with a major in nursing, another path towards helping others.
Through the TLC I have been in contact with amazing people who have helped me with the obstacles I have encountered. As a tutor/mentor I have learned that I am not only helping others learn, but I am also learning with them. There is a great difference between a TLC class and a regular class offered at PCC, namely the teachers who are more willing to go out of their way to help their students.
Abran Esparza
Abran was a member of the first group of .XL students and has since struggled to achieve his goals. Although Abran saw that his road to success would be difficult, he took great advantage of the TLC to achieve his goals. Abran successfully completed all his required courses and in fall 2007 will be a student at Cal State Los Angeles with a major in psychology.
I call the TLC “the 180” because when I was confused or in need, the TLC was there to help. They helped me turn around and find the right way out.
Emerzon Cruz
Emerzon entered the TLC in 2004 as an .XL3 student and has since shined in all he has done. He joined MESA to further his mathematical skills and serves as a Math Jam tutor. Emerzon's major is engineering, and he plans to transfer to a UC school in 2008.
.XL3, MESA, and Math Jam have allowed me to blossom academically.
Javier Carbajal-Ramos
After three years of being here at PCC, Javi has realized that college would have been much harder for him if it had not been for the massive amount of help that he received from all of the services provided by TLC. Javi came here as a pre-college-level student in math and English and is now tutoring new under-prepared students in both areas.
Thanks to the TLC staff for all of the support that you and your staff have given me during my struggles here at PCC!
Joe Sandoval
Joe Sandoval (on the left with fellow tutor Ben Minkwu) was a member of PCC's first .XL cohort of students. He is a junior at Cal State University Northridge, where he is majoring in sociology and Chicano Studies. He shows his commitment to the TLC by tutoring math in the Conexion program.
I want to thank you for all your help and support and most importantly your friendship. I feel fortunate meeting all of you in the TLC and being apart of the .XL program. I encourage anyone I come across that will being going to PCC to join a TLC program - they'll meet great people there and receive the help they need to succeed.
Kim De La Peza
Kim worked relentlessly at everything she did while at PCC. She joined numerous groups, including MESA and Conexión, and received several scholarships and awards. Kim transferred in 2006 to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and is now studying to become a veterinarian.
Thank you for all your help in achieving the All-California and All-USA scholarship. I could not have achieved all that I have without the assistance of the TLC program and its staff members. As a TLC student, I have discovered that college is much more than an educational commitment. For me, it has become a life life-encompassing experience.
Loreina Gonzalez
Loreina was one of the most ambitious .XL 2 students. However, because she was an international student, she struggled more than the average student. Nevertheless, she still carried heavy study loads during her stay here at PCC. In 2006 Loreina started attending New York University, demonstrating that TLC students are capable of overcoming any obstacles that are presented to them.
My experience with the TLC's .XL2 program was one of the best experiences in my life!
Nina Cousins
Ever since she joined .XL's fourth cohort, Nina has been working hard to reach her goal - to transfer to UC Irvine and major in forensic pathologist. In addition to her classes, Nina tutors for Conexion and works in the MESA center. Everyone she meets appreciates her positive attitude and great big smile.
.XL has taken me in and guided me in the right direction. TLC has given me a comfortable and quiet place to study. MESA has given me the resources, drive, and knowledge and told me I deserve it. All combined, they have handed me the tools I need to succeed.
Maggie R. Torres
Maggie joined .XL4 in 2005 and has demonstrated over and over her willingness to work hard, persevere, and learn. She has struggled at times but has never given up - she will transfer to Cal State next year.
The entire TLC staff is dedicated to students. Thanks to this program I met a lot of new people, made new friends, and learned to be confident in school.
Maria Limon
Maria is a student who is not afraid to ask for help. Her willingness to seek assistance and help others has enabled her to become a valued member of the TLC. She has been accepted into San Diego State University for fall 2007.
Being at the TLC has been fun and worthwhile. I met some of my best friends there. The lab was a great help because sometimes my computer from home was not working and the computers in the TLC saved my life. And free printing -- I love that! The best thing about the TLC is it's location in the center of campus; it's so easy to get to.
Cesar Palma
Cesar, shown here with MESA director Juan Carlos Morales, was an awesome MESA student and math and science tutor for two years. In 2006 he received a scholarship to study physics at the University of Michigan.
PCC's MESA program is the best! I made great friends and was able to help a few who were struggling in math. I learned a lot and discovered resources that helped me get to U of M. I couldn't have done it without Juan Carlos's help.
Ben Minikwu
Ben Minikwu, an .XL4 student from Nigeria, thrived in the TLC, tutors math in the Conexion program, and just won a couple of PCC scholarships. He is now studying architecture and plans to transfer to a university architecture program in 2008.
As a young boy I was never interested in math but since studying in the .XL program, my confidence and interest have increased. I now get A's in higher-level math courses and tutor in the TLC. I deeply appreciate everything the TLC staff has done for me!
