海角直播

Publish Date: Nov. 30, 2023

Cynthia De Los Santos has defied the odds.

After growing up in poverty and escaping domestic abuse, the single mom of two children under the age of 10 is working hard to become a first-generation college graduate, one class at a time. And in early 2024, the 38-year-old Colton resident is embarking on a new, out-of-this-world educational goal:  earning an aerospace engineering degree from Cal Poly Pomona University.

鈥淲hen people hear 鈥榓erospace engineering鈥� they assume I鈥檓 brilliant, but I鈥檓 not. I鈥檓 actually kind of dumb,鈥� joked the soon-to-be 海角直播 grad. 鈥淚 spend hours in tutoring and doing my homework.鈥�

Returning to school as a single parent while balancing varying health issues was not easy. Yet, De Los Santos faced each challenge head on and eventually found a field that really sparked her interest, creativity, and imagination: STEM education.

Soon, De Los Santos began adding courses at 海角直播 and its sister college, San Bernardino Valley College, and needs just one class to meet program requirements to start her Cal Poly journey in January, she explained.

鈥淢y parents didn鈥檛 finish elementary school, and I had been kind of lost taking classes I didn鈥檛 need,鈥� De Los Santos continued. 鈥淏ut then I met Racquel [Schoenfeld] with CalWORKs [at 海角直播], and she began working with me to fix my schedule. This was very helpful for people like me who didn鈥檛 know these programs and opportunities existed.鈥�

Schoenfeld said she sees many positive traits in De Los Santos that make her perfectly suited for Cal Poly, from growing into a bright, determined scholar to De Los Santos鈥� commitment to creating a better future for her family.

鈥淐ynthia demonstrates that there is no situation that you cannot change if you have determination and perseverance to do so,鈥� said the CalWORKs counselor. 鈥淚n spite of hardships that she has endured, Cynthia possess an inner strength and self-assurance that are key factors to her success.鈥�

Despite being a bucket of nerves, De Los Santos is excited about what the future holds, and her family will be right there to cheer her on.

鈥淔or a very long time I felt sad and broken down, but [continuing with my studies] empowers me to push forward because this is for my kids,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his upcoming semester, I鈥檓 going into the unknown and leaving my comfort zone of 海角直播 and Valley, but I have little kids who are depending on me and sometimes those [negative] feelings can鈥檛 exist.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no other option for me. If I don鈥檛 do this, I won鈥檛 ever get out of poverty,鈥� De Los Santos shared. 鈥淎nd I can鈥檛 believe I have a second chance to follow a dream. That鈥檚 what drives me. This is my one shot."