From IVC to Ivy League

Good news this morning from the Department of Memorable Students:

Some will remember Sara Ivette Merced. She graduated with distinction from IVC a couple years ago. She transferred (with a full scholarship) to USC to pursue her bachelor's in Psychology with a minor in forensics and criminality.  She graduates this Spring.

Sara was one of our older students, a single mother who returned to school in her early 40s after raising her two children. She was a distinctive presence in Rebel Girl's Writing 1 class for many reasons. Sara's strong sense of social justice was rooted in her pride as a Puerto Rican-American. Her deep joy in scholarship and her intellectual curiosity were inspiring in the classroom and on the page. 

This morning Sara accepted an offer from Columbia (with a most generous scholarship) to study in a Master's program in clinical psychology with a specialty in psychopathology. Her career goal is to work at-risk urban youth.

Columbia! Scholarship! A master's degree!

Footnote: Sara's two daughters, Lauren Winder and Elise Merced, attended IVC as well. Lauren came to IVC before Sara and transferred to and graduated from Berkeley. She now works as an editor.

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Here's a link to Rebel Girl's write up of Sara's daughter Lauren, during the days of Occupy at Berkeley:
Occupy Cal: a former IVC Student Reports from Sproul

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