This 4-part story was shared on LinkedIn in spring/summer 2025. It captures the learning culture story of a first-generation Latina student majoring in civil engineering at UCLA.
PART 1
Sharing educational wealth: “Aracely’s story” Part 2 – another student success story!
After sharing Aracely Duarte Perez‘s story one month ago on LinkedIn (pictured below – enjoy Aracely’s “Twin Effect!” story on the Turning on the Lights blog at tinyurl.com/yd3z9nkv), I was contacted by a first-generation sophomore Latina student, a Thrive Scholars program participant majoring in civil engineering at UCLA, who shared, “I connected to Aracely’s story and found myself in the same situation. I was not doing well my first year at UCLA, and still continue to struggle in my second year. I do feel like I self-sabotage as well.” Without hesitation, I directed her to immediately complete the steps highlighted in green in the “Message from the Corner Man” handout (available at tinyurl.com/43sdb4as and on the Turning on the Lights website) to be empowered with the learning culture, including 1) having a mindset for learning (most important part!), and 2) knowing how to approach the learning – and she did!
She checked-in with me yesterday to report on her learning culture experience, and it is dramatically evident that a powerful transformation has taken place. The student, who was experiencing anxiety in the dark, is now in control of her learning and loving it. She added, “I feel empowered!”
I’m very proud of her. She is well on her way to creating her own success in the bright light of the learning culture, yet how many other students are being traumatized in the dark because the “system” is failing to make the learning culture explicit for them. This is all too common at UCLA and across higher education. Also, UCLA recently celebrated the opening of a Latinx Success Center, but success centers and centers for first-year/first-generation students must be the “home” of the learning culture on every campus; otherwise, the celebration is only short-lived and the speeches about “commitment to student success” ring hollow because students will continue to be traumatized in the dark. Higher education leaders must be “student-centered” and have the urgency to turn on the lights to empower students with the learning culture (pictured below) when they begin their college studies because the learning culture must be the foundation on which student success is built! The learning culture revolution has begun at turning-on-the-lights.com. There is no longer a reason for any student to remain in the dark with regards to the culture for learning which exists in every institution of higher education. Thank you for sharing. Revolutionaries are invited to take this revolution wherever it is needed!
PART 2
Sharing educational wealth: Question – students are now participating in outstanding 2025 summer internship and research programs, but do they really know how to make the most of this valuable opportunity for personal and professional development – and perhaps even have a strategic plan?
Answer – not likely, and especially if they’re first-generation college students. This is the inspiration for the Strategic Plan for Summer Programs in Turning on the Lights. See the outline below for details.
As I previously shared on LinkedIn (tinyurl.com/29bapfd2), I have been mentoring a very talented, first-generation sophomore Latina student (from East Los Angeles!) majoring in civil engineering at UCLA, who contacted me this spring because she found herself struggling academically and experiencing anxiety in the “dark.” Fortunately, once in the bright light of the learning culture, she finished the spring quarter in control of her learning and feeling empowered!
Plus, her transformation continues because she is starting her summer internship today empowered with the 10-point strategic plan to make the most of her summer experience! In particular, she is prepared to determine the status for points 1-4 on Day 1 of her internship. She is well on her way to creating her own success as a scholar and engineering professional. I’m very proud of her.
As captured in Turning on the Lights, beyond developing scholars, the learning culture develops leaders, but our educational leaders must be “student-centered” and have the urgency to “turn on the lights” to help transform student lives! The learning culture revolution has begun at turning-on-the-lights.com. There is no longer a reason for any student to remain in the dark with regards to the culture for learning which exists in every institution of higher education. Thank you for sharing. Revolutionaries are invited to take this revolution wherever it is needed!
PART 3
Sharing educational wealth: “Learning culture” – the hidden curriculum which higher education leaders DO NOT want students to know!
Today is another day for celebrating student success. I have been chronicling my mentorship of a very talented, first-generation sophomore Latina student (from East Los Angeles!) majoring in civil engineering at UCLA, who first contacted me in April because she found herself struggling academically and experiencing anxiety in the “dark” (April post tinyurl.com/29bapfd2). Fortunately, once in the bright light of the learning culture – including 1) having a mindset for learning (most important part!), and 2) knowing how to approach the learning, she finished the spring quarter in control of her learning and feeling empowered! Plus, her transformation continues because she is making the most of her summer internship experience empowered with the 10-point Strategic Plan for Summer Programs found in Turning on the Lights Part IV Leadership, Internships & Research (June post tinyurl.com/mrsvzyjb).
We celebrate her success today because she messaged me to report, “I got my spring grades. I was able to pass all my classes!” The learning culture has given her hope and true empowerment, and she is well on her way to achieving her goals and dreams. This too epitomizes the power of the learning culture because without it, in the dark, she was well on her way to academic disqualification in her sophomore year, after taking leave for one quarter in her freshman year.
Here is another reminder that students are being traumatized in the dark because the “system” is failing to make the learning culture explicit for them. This is all too common at UCLA and across higher education, where speeches about “commitment to student success” ring hollow as long as students are in the dark. “Business as usual” is unacceptable. Higher education leaders must be “student-centered” and have the urgency to turn on the lights to empower students with the learning culture when they begin their college studies because it must be the foundation on which student success is built! The learning culture revolution has begun at turning-on-the-lights.com. There is no longer a reason for any student to remain in the dark with regards to the culture for learning which exists in every institution of higher education. Thank you for sharing. Revolutionaries are invited to take this revolution wherever it is needed!
PART 4
Sharing educational wealth: “I was able to present myself the way I define myself!”
I continue to celebrate the success of a very talented, first-generation, soon-to-be junior Latina student (from East Los Angeles!) majoring in civil engineering at UCLA. As I have been chronicling, I began mentoring her when she contacted me in April because she found herself struggling academically and experiencing anxiety in the “dark” (April post tinyurl.com/29bapfd2). Fortunately, once empowered with the learning culture – including 1) having a mindset for learning (most important part!), and 2) knowing how to approach the learning, she finished the spring quarter in control of her learning to successfully pass all of her classes! (June post #2 tinyurl.com/ar9t94tt). Plus, her transformation continues because she is making the most of her summer internship experience empowered with the 10-point Strategic Plan for Summer Programs found in Turning on the Lights Part IV Leadership, Internships & Research (June post #1 tinyurl.com/mrsvzyjb).
Last week, our rising engineering intern had the privilege of attending the 2025 ITE Western District Annual Meeting (June 29-July 2). Demonstrating her transformation from anxiety and imposter syndrome in the dark to hope and true empowerment in the light – when I asked about her conference experience, she shared, “The conference was great! I learned a lot from the technical sessions they hosted. I was able to describe my experiences with traffic engineers and consultants effectively, and I was able to present myself the way I define myself, so that was great!”
This too epitomizes the power of the learning culture, but is anyone listening? Higher education leaders must be “student-centered” and have the urgency to turn on the lights to empower students with the learning culture when they begin their college studies because it must be the foundation on which student success is built! (if there is still any doubt, then seek the opinion of my UCLA mentee!) The learning culture revolution has begun at turning-on-the-lights.com. There is no longer a reason for any student to remain in the dark with regards to the culture for learning which exists in every institution of higher education. Thank you for sharing. Revolutionaries are invited to take this revolution wherever it is needed!