After graduation, Jesus Ramos will be heading out to the East Coast and be on his way to becoming a “Yalie.” That is, a student at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. 

In addition to Yale, Ramos applied to a total of 31 universities and got accepted into 22 of them! Among those he applied to were UC schools like UCLA and UC Berkeley, CSU schools, and private universities like Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and USC. But the school that stood out for Ramos was Yale because he had received a very generous financial package and felt that he would be joining an incredibly supportive school community.

“These factors all resonated with me as navigating college in itself is already difficult, especially being first-generation and low-income,” Ramos explained. 

His friend Evelyn Sanchez said that Ramos is “very pragmatic” and that it made sense that he would choose Yale. Sanchez also thinks that her friend was admitted to Yale because he is goal-oriented and driven.

“He knew what steps he needed to take to realize his dream, more than any of my other peers…I think above all else, his want to make change within his community, specifically the Latinx community, is what led to his admittance. I’m sure the admissions officers saw his dedication and passion just like how I saw it,” Sanchez said.

Ms. Monica Adrian, Ramos’ ninth-grade English teacher and Mock Trial coach for four years, was initially surprised that Ramos chose Yale. She first thought UC Berkeley would suit him, considering that Ramos was such an active part of his community. Still, Ms. Adrian also noted that Yale is very lucky to be gaining a student like Ramos.

“He’s bright, motivated, involved with helping others before helping himself and above all he’s all about the greater good. I think that’s why Yale needs Jesus there. He’s got so much to contribute to their community, they’d truly be at a loss without him,” Ms. Adrian expressed.

Along with the fact that it seems Ramos is well on his way to becoming an integral part of the Yalie community, he has already planned what he will be studying too. He will be majoring in political science and ethnicity, race, and migration. Ramos explained that he chose these majors because they aligned with his plans in preparing for law school after earning his undergraduate degree and the passion he found as a youth advocate in his community. He hopes that his studies help guide him to become an immigration attorney.

“I want to give back to the community of Oxnard and immigration is a topic that I feel strongly about. I also hope to eventually become a politician to represent everyone who comes from an underrepresented community,” Ramos said. 

When Sanchez was asked about what her message for Ramos is as he prepares for Yale, she voiced overwhelming support for her friend.

“I want him to know that I’m extremely proud of everything he’s accomplished and I know he will do great and good things for people. I’ll always be there to support him every step of the way, even if I have to fly across the country myself!” Sanchez enthusiastically said.

As for Ms. Adrian, parting ways with her student will most definitely be bittersweet. 

“To say I am sad to see you go is an understatement, but I am so happy to see you chase your dreams, always set your goals high and dream big and never stop believing,” Ms. Adrian said in her message to Ramos. 

She also shared some college advice for Ramos, saying to have lots of fun while still studying hard  and that even though finding the balance between those two may be tough, college will be great once he does find it.

Yale University is just about one summer away from Ramos, and as he gears up to start the next chapter of his educational journey, he is excited to meet and engage with his soon-to-be fellow Yalies. 

“Getting to hear from new perspectives and seeing all the amazing work that people have done always inspires me,” Ramos mentioned.

And it is quite evident that Jesus Ramos will go on to make sure that his own voice is heard.