Agustin Rangel-Gonzalez

Agustin graduated from California State University Channel Islands with a B.A. in Communication, in 2017. He currently works as the Educational Advisor for TRIO Upward Bound at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Agustin’s Message:
Words cannot explain the profound impact EOP had on my life. EOP provided me with a platform where I was able to flourish beyond what I thought capable. Many of my memories relate to working as a peer mentor every summer where I learned so much about being a voice for others. By being a mentor for students, I too learned how to embrace who I am; my mentees had an impactful role in my own self-acceptance. Prior to these experiences, I was ashamed of being a first generation student and ashamed of my sexuality. Through my interactions with

EOP students, I learned from and embraced what I thought were flaws, turning them into a source of pride. This included becoming more comfortable with talking about my sexuality and advocating for students who might have been in my shoes at that age. Thanks to the experiences and platform EOP provided me with, I developed a passion for assisting students like myself.

As a future counselor or educator, I believe I’ll continue learning from students each and every day. Advocating for the rights of minorities such as Latinos, individuals with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community is something I will do every day as a counselor. Having a student tell me, “thank you for believing in me and changing my life,” was reassurance that counseling is the career path that I want to pursue.

Thanks to EOP, I was able to find my passion and have a chance to make a difference at a very young age.

I believe future EOP students should cherish the opportunities EOP provides. EOP will always be your backbone and drive you to continue pushing forward. As we say at CSUCI, #EOP4LIFE!