Sergio Iribe '20, Education and Public Policy
Education Concentration: Community, Policy, Leadership

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from UCR! What inspired you to study education? I always wanted to work with youth, so I wanted to take steps toward accomplishing that. When I entered UCR, the education major wasn’t offered yet; I started off as a business economic major because I wanted to work with economics for non-profits. After realizing the program wasn’t the right fit, and learning that there were new majors available in education and public policy, I decided to double major in public policy and education, as those presented a better match for me and my goals.

Tell us a little about your time at UCR and some of the activities that you participated in. My time at UCR has been a lot of fun and a great learning experience. I started to get involved during my third year, when I began working with GSOE’s education research group, Center for Educational Transformation. From there, I joined the inaugural Education Student Ambassadors, participated in the UC-Sacramento program, and worked with the School of Public Policy as a Peer Academic Advisor. All of these opportunities had a big impact on me, and really made my time at UCR that much more memorable.

What has been one of your favorite things about being a student at UCR? My favorite thing about UCR, aside from the majors, was being part of Costo Hall. Costo Hall is where many of the programs that help students feel more welcome on campus are located. It is a great resource for students, and I felt that I greatly benefited from these organizations.
 

What advice do you have for entering undergraduates? My advice would be that whatever you decide to do, do it with a purpose, and NETWORK. You do not have to be a part of a bunch of clubs, in honors, or have tons of internships to gain great experience and connections. Those things obviously help, but you should not feel like “if you aren't doing that then you're failing.” Do things related to the career or field that you are leaning towards. If you are not sure what that is, explore early and often to help you make that decision.

How do you feel your experience at GSOE prepared you for your career goals? I really enjoyed being a part of GSOE because I felt like I grew with the program, as the program itself was new when I transferred into the major. GSOE does a very good job cultivating collaboration and community, as staff, faculty, and students all work together, and if you want to work in education like I do, those things are key. The program helped me gain hands-on experience, while learning the material, by providing me with opportunities to work with students, coordinate events, and pushing me to obtain field hours.

You’re graduating! What’s next? I plan on extending my stay at UCR to earn my Master’s in Education with a Teaching Credential from GSOE! I hope to start my career as a teacher, and then potentially become a principal or work in a school district in some capacity, but who knows. I might end going in another route. It is always good to plan, but you should always be ready to adapt.