Jessica Padron, Peer Academic Advisor: "I desire to make a difference in the lives of youth."

Senior Jessica Padron, School of Education Peer Advisor, is pursuing a double major in Education Sciences and Psychology and Social Behavior.

Below she shares how her engagement at UCI has enriched her undergraduate experience while advancing the academic aspirations of other students, preK through university peers.

November 2018

Originally born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, I moved to SoCal in hopes of living independently away from home. I was particularly interested in the diversity and prestige of the UCI campus and the opportunities I would encounter at UCI. Upon admittance, I had the chance to develop my passion of being an educator. 

During high school, I desired to make a difference in the lives of youth and fell in love with my work as a camp counselor in San Francisco. I immediately developed a desire to help youth and my passion transferred over to my current work as a college student. 

For two years of my undergraduate career, I served as a High School Outreach Facilitator in Santa Ana. I also served as an Americorps member for Jumpstart, where I worked with a group of preschoolers. 

During my second and third years of college, I pursued research on adolescent development, and this has continued into my senior year where I currently serve as a research assistant for the Motivation and Identity Research Lab. 

In addition to research, I am involved as a Peer Academic Advisor for the School of Education. I enjoy making not only an indirect impact on students through research, but also a direct difference in undergraduates' experiences through academic counseling. 

My last current involvement is being a board member for the Kababayan Club as the Academics Coordinator. Through this position, I am in charge of a Kababayan Academic Mentorship Program where I assign mentor and mentee pairings based on academics and similar interests. 

After earning my degree, I look forward to pursuing a teaching credential program and working with elementary school students.