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- My name is Omar Rodriguez,

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and I'm a student at Irvine
Valley College.

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Growing up, I had a learning
disability,

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and I also was an
English-language learner.

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In high school, I had a teacher
that basically told me that

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because I struggled in math,
maybe college wasn't for me.

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Going into community college,

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I did have days where I
was, like, why am I here?

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I was not used to
a college campus.

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I didn't know how it was
going to be like.

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We have really great teachers.

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One time, I was really
struggling in math,

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and one of my teachers
basically told me

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I'm not giving up on you,

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and helped me pass the class.

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It boosted up my self-esteem
to the max.

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The professors, even the
librarians influenced me

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by just smiling
and waving at you.

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It just makes you
have a great day.

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I took public speaking,

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which was one of the general
required classes,

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and that's how I found out about
the communications major.

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I'm getting my associates
degree for transfer,

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so I can be prepared if I were
to go to a Cal State.

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Without financial aid, it would
be very, very difficult for me

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to attend college.

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Thankfully, I received
the BOG waiver,

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the Cal Grant and
the Pell Grant.

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I do all the volunteering on
campus and off campus

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because I like giving back to
the community.

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People doubted me in high school

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and thought I couldn't
go to college,

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but here I am, with a plan to go
to a four-year university

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and get a masters degree
from Stanford University.