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Daniel, a college third-year, shows how commitment, curiosity, and a strong support system can shape a student’s journey toward a meaningful career. Daniel just finished his associate’s degree at MiraCosta College, and has transferred to UC Irvine to study genetics.
Daniel joined Reality Changers during 12th grade at Mission Vista High School. He had always wanted to attend college and felt like Reality Changers could help him realize his goal. “It’s nice to have people helping you apply to college,” Daniel explains, “especially with other students that are going through the same thing. It was helpful to have that support.”
As a college student, Daniel continues to stay involved with Reality Changers. He has attended virtual workshops focused on college success and career readiness. According to him, “[The workshops] help you with meeting people and building soft skills; like organization or time management.” Through these workshops, Daniel learned about an internship opportunity called Project Onramp, a program of Life Science Cares. He applied and landed a competitive internship at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, an international biotech company.
At Takeda, Daniel worked on the biobank team, which maintains samples used in clinical trials. He researched international clinical trial regulations and compiled the information into a consolidated resource for the company. “It was pretty fun,” Daniel says. “Just being at a large global company, you kind of see how everything works and how different teams are interacting. I learned a lot about regulatory research – data analysis, documentation, Excel, technical writing, that kind of stuff.”
He also had the opportunity to connect with team members across different departments and ask them about graduate school, career paths, and navigating the industry as a professional. Ultimately, Daniel feels that the internship helped him grow professionally: “It helped me think about what I might want to do long term and who I need to talk to along the way.”
When he reflects on his Reality Changers experience, Daniel emphasizes how the program doesn’t just help students with their academic goals, it sets first-generation youth up for post-college success. “It really helps you slowly build up your career through connections,” he explains. “Nowadays, having connections is very important, not just for getting jobs, but for knowing what’s going on in an industry.”
At Reality Changers, we are proud of the connections Daniel has made and can’t wait how he leverages those connections for college and career success. We will continue to support him as he continues on at UC Irvine and beyond.