Alan Aguilar

"NAV2CAL and NAVCAL have been the greatest contributors to my growth. I fully believe that I would not be who I am today if it was not for these programs and the lessons I have learned through them. I have learned the importance of working with our community to uplift one another rather than viewing each other as competition. Through NAVCAL, I was introduced to a community of like-minded people from similar backgrounds that I feel supported by, which is hard to come by. This community is one that I know will always be in my corner, and the support and guidance provided by it have contributed immensely to what I have been able to accomplish this semester. NAVCAL feels like a second family to me and through it, I have been given a space to grow as a person, student, and leader" - Alan 
Job title: 
NAV2CAL Fellow, NAV2CALMentor, NAVCAL Intern
Bio/CV: 

About Alan: 

Alan Aguilar (he/him) is a first-generation, Filipino, second-year student at University of California, Berkeley. He is the only child of Filipino parents, and comes from Pinole, CA. On campus, Alan is involved with NAV2CAL and NAVCAL as a mentor for students. They are also a part of other communities such as EOP (Education Opportunity Program) and DSP (Disabled Students Program). He is motivated by their peers’ and own experiences with mental health to become a resource that students can rely on for support. As a result, they are a part of the College of Letters and Sciences with intentions to major in Psychology. He was a NAV2CAL intern in which they worked closely with nontraditional students from the West Contra Costa Unified School District to assist in writing personal statement essays and other parts of their UC applications for submission. Currently, Alan has also taken on the role of a mentor/intern for NAVCAL Fall 2022 while learning how to navigate the campus themself. They have supported a cohort of four first-year, nontraditional students for their first semester at Cal by helping them access and utilize resources on campus, including but not limited to, obtaining DSP accommodations, attending office hours, submitting scholarship applications, and personal/professional development. Additionally, he co-facilitated a NAVCAL course and continues to seek and take advantage of opportunities to build upon their leadership skills. In the future, Alan aims to pursue a Ph.D. and a career as an onsite school therapist to become an accessible resource in schools for underserved students.

Accolades

Scholarships/Awards/Internships

  • $2,500 Richmond Snowball King Scholarship Recipient

  • $1,000 SWFCU Scholarship Recipient

  • $1,000 Pinole Rotary Interact Scholarship Recipient

  • 2x $2,000 Cal Alumni Association The Leadership Award Recipient

  • 2x $1,000 Moving Forward Scholarship Recipient

  • Bear for Financial Success Participant and Scholar

  • Intern/Mentor for NAV2CAL Summer ‘22 & ‘23

  • Intern/Mentor for NAVCAL Fall ’22, Spring ‘23, Fall ‘23

  • Labor Center Solidarity Spring Participant 2023

  • Orion Fund Grant Recipient

  • Chime Scholarship Recipient

  • Affect The Youth Beyond 12 Scholarship Recipient

  • Public Service Center College Corps Scholar 2023-2024

Research interests: 

Mental Health, Disparity, Minority Communities

Role: 
NAV2CAL Student