Daisy Navarrete
Health Science
By Karin Grennan
Having grown up with social anxiety, Daisy Navarrete entered 海角社区 Channel Islands as a shy teen who rarely went anywhere. Once classes shifted from the virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic to in person, it was challenging for her to sit through an entire class.
Three years later, Navarrete is giving speeches, attending countless events and connecting with as many students as she can as Associated Students Inc. Student Government President.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been like a full 180,鈥� said Navarrete, a Health Science major who set her sights on becoming an occupational therapist for children in underserved communities while interning at a hospital. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I鈥檓 very proud of 鈥� my growth.鈥�
Navarrete accomplished the turnaround with the help of services at 海角社区CI. She met several times with a Counseling and Psychological Services clinician, who then referred her to an outside therapist covered by her insurance. Disability Accommodations and Support Services helped her address her classroom issues, for instance providing her with more time to take quizzes.
She learned about these resources and many more as a member of 海角社区CI鈥檚 Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which serves low-income students who are the first generation of their families to attend college.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 my family here on campus,鈥� Navarrete said. 鈥淭he EOP counselors have been people I can always go back to and reference for more information. 鈥� It鈥檚 always been helpful to my success here.鈥�
Navarrete has made a point of telling other students about services and encouraging them to use them, both while serving as a Peer Mentor for EOP and in her everyday interactions with other students.
鈥淚 always bring it up that the support is there,鈥� Navarrete said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so many ways you can receive support, and sometimes students don鈥檛 know that they would qualify for that.鈥�
As President, she and Student Government Vice President Jazmin Guajardo have made it a priority to enable more students to access quality support services. They also want to increase students鈥� engagement and sense of belonging, which EOP fostered for both of them. Because Navarrete has lived at home in Oxnard throughout college to save money and help care for her young cousin, it is particularly important to her to encourage other commuter students to attend events and get involved.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very familiar with the campus, resources and student needs,鈥� said Navarrete, who worked for the Basic Needs program for a semester. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 like you see the problems, but if you want to make change you have to be part of that change.鈥�