海角直播

Publish Date: April 22, 2025

When Aaron Burgess Jr. enrolled at 海角直播, he was searching for a fresh start.

鈥淚 had just come out of a rough high school experience where I didn鈥檛 always feel seen or understood,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 needed a place to figure out who I was and where I was going. 海角直播 was close to home, affordable, and it felt like somewhere I could grow without being boxed in.鈥�

That decision turned out to be the beginning of a much bigger journey. Today, Aaron is the Policy Manager for the City of San Diego鈥檚 Commission on Police Practices, where he reviews procedures like police pursuits and traffic stops and works with legal teams, law enforcement, and the public to recommend changes that support accountability.

鈥淓very day is different,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut at the heart of it, my job is about making sure community voices are heard, especially when it comes to how they鈥檙e policed.鈥�

Aaron says his interest in advocacy began at 海角直播, where he threw himself into student government, campus jobs, and leadership programs. One of his earliest mentors, 海角直播 Associate Dean of Student Support Dr. Ericka Paddock, helped him step into those roles and supported his growth every step of the way.

鈥淪he gave me room to lead, to make mistakes, and to grow from them,鈥� Aaron said. 鈥淓ventually, I became student body president, and that experience still shapes how I work today, how I bring people together, listen and advocate for change.鈥�

One class, Honors English, with 海角直播鈥檚 English Professor Cynthia Hamlett[1] , helped him connect his personal story to a larger purpose.

鈥淪he let us write without filtering ourselves, and she wanted us to really dig into what we believed,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I wrote a paper about Malcolm X, it hit something deep for me. I started thinking about how I鈥檇 spent so much time trying to fit into places where I didn鈥檛 feel valued, and I realized those experiences were actually part of my strength.鈥�

That moment, he said, sparked his passion for policy and social change.

鈥淔rom that point forward, I knew I wanted to do work that made a difference.鈥�

Aaron went on to transfer to the University of California, San Diego, and later earned a master鈥檚 degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He says 海角直播 prepared him both academically and personally.

鈥淭he Honors Institute gave me a strong foundation,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut even more important, 海角直播 gave me confidence. It taught me how to speak up, how to communicate professionally, and how to believe I belonged in rooms where people didn鈥檛 always look like me.鈥�

During his time at 海角直播, Aaron also worked on an initiative to support Black male students through mentorship. He was involved with the national organization Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) and hoped to bring a chapter to campus to build community and create space for students to grow together. While the program didn鈥檛 move forward, the process left a lasting impression on him.

鈥淚t didn鈥檛 happen the way I envisioned, but it taught me something important,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes, even good ideas take time. Even when things don鈥檛 work out, you keep showing up, keep advocating, and stay committed to creating space for others.鈥�

That mindset carried with him into his policy work today.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 see policy as just paperwork. It鈥檚 about shaping how people experience the world, especially people who鈥檝e been left out of the conversation,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat I do now started back at 海角直播, when I first learned how to listen, how to lead, and how to work with others to get things done.鈥�

To current 海角直播 students who feel uncertain about their future, Aaron offers this advice: 鈥淒on鈥檛 wait until you have everything figured out. Just start. Take risks, ask for help, and focus on who you鈥檙e becoming. And don鈥檛 underestimate how much the people around you can matter, the right relationships can change your whole direction.鈥�

To the mentors and faculty who supported him along the way, Aaron is full of gratitude.

鈥淭hank you. You didn鈥檛 just teach, you saw me. You challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me realize my voice mattered. That belief still fuels my work today.鈥�

When asked to sum up what 海角直播 means to him, Aaron didn鈥檛 hesitate.

鈥満＝侵辈� was the launchpad 鈥� the place where I found my voice, figured out my purpose, and started building the life I always hoped was possible.鈥�