By Jaime Wilson-Chiru
Daily Bruin Contributor
For nearly 30 years, the Academic Advancement Program has helped
disadvantaged UCLA students like Linda Calvillo succeed at the
university level.
Calvillo was one of 80 students who, along with their families,
took part in AAP’s first Graduation Reception, titled
“Celebrating Excellence.”
Calvillo’s parents emigrated from Mexico and settled in
South Central Los Angeles. She was the first in her family to go to
college, which made the transition from high school to college more
difficult than it is for most students.
“I did the Freshman Summer Program put on by AAP. That
helped a lot, I don’t think I was ready for the competitive
nature of the classes. I came from a public high school, and I was
competing with people who were valedictorians of private high
schools,” she said. Calvillo will be attending Harvard
Medical School in the fall.
AAP Director Adolfo Bermeo emphasized AAP’s success in
helping students to graduate.
“It started as a commitment of the university to make sure
disadvantaged students had the opportunity to flourish at UCLA.
Today we have the highest retention rate of any other retention
program in the country,” Bermeo said, citing the fact that
that 76 percent of AAP students go on to graduate.
The reception was held in the Faculty Center Wednesday in honor
of students in AAP and the Program Leading to Undergraduate
Success. The program included speeches given by undergraduates,
graduates and professors who talked about their experience at UCLA
as members of AAP.
Judith Smith, vice provost for undergraduate education, gave a
keynote address that encouraged students to continue to become
leaders of their community.
“I hope the horizon does not end for them, that they
continue to reach for new challenges,” Smith said.
Smith awarded eight students with prizes in recognition of their
efforts in school and their dedication to AAP. All of the
recipients, including Calvillo, have served as mentors and tutors
for fellow AAP students.
After the keynote address, several AAP students and graduates
spoke about their struggles at UCLA.
“We are privileged to be here now. It’s a hard
struggle and we need everyone,” said Jose Gutierrez, a
graduating student who came from a migrant farmworker community of
6,000 people.
Many AAP students are peer counselors who fledgling students can
look to for support during difficult times.
“It was hard balancing time for work, school, volunteering
and family as well. It helps to have that guidance,” Calvillo
said.
Calvillo became a peer counselor herself. She and the other
counselors met with younger AAP students at least three times a
quarter to discuss academic and social life.
Later in the program, Devon Carbado, a professor at the UCLA
School of Law, talked about the hardships he and his family faced
as immigrants.
“My mother is Jamaican and my dad is Cuban. I don’t
think they imagined that I would find a place at UCLA,”
Carbado said.
Carbado also spoke about the instrumental role AAP has in
guiding disadvantaged students.
“AAP provides a space for intellectual development, social
development, and more than that, a family,” Carbado said.
At the end of the ceremony, Bermeo gave all the graduating AAP
and PLUS students graduation certificates.
When AAP was founded in 1970, it was a small program with less
than 700 students. That number has grown, and today AAP has 5700
members.
“AAP builds a multiracial academic community for students
of all backgrounds,” Bermeo said. “That’s pretty
neat in a big place like this.”