A Journey of Resilience, Leadership, and Success
Former foster youth Ruben Garcia is preparing to end his term as SRJC Student Body President and is to transfer to a four-year university. He applied to several universities, including Ivy Leagues, and is waiting to hear back. His top choice would be Stanford.
How did he make his way when success seemed so hard to attain not so long ago? His story is one of perseverance, determination, and a resolute commitment to making a difference. Today, he stands on the cusp of an even brighter future, propelled by an impressive new scholarship and a deep-seated passion for student empowerment.
Born in Napa to a migrant family, he is a first-generation Mexican American Chicano, the son of an undocumented immigrant and a mother who battled substance abuse. When he was eight years old, he was forced to enter the foster care system, along with his three siblings. With no clear path to college, once he finished high school, he relied on his resourcefulness and determination to find a job and support his family. “No one in my family went to college,” he recalls. “The only thing I learned growing up is that you have to go to work. School wasn't really emphasized. I had to figure it out by myself.” He earned certifications in phlebotomy and telemetry and worked as a Telemetry Technician at Sutter Health.
Ruben came to SRJC for the Emergency Medical Technician program, but soon, he realized that while he respected the medical profession, his true passion was elsewhere. He changed his path to business and finance, fields that he saw as vital to personal and community empowerment.
At SRJC, Ruben discovered the Bear Cub Scholars, a program dedicated to enhancing the success of former foster youth in college. He also got involved with several student clubs, serving as the president of the Business Club, and then he was elected as Student Body President. Along with his team, Ruben worked tirelessly to revitalize student life post-COVID, create opportunities for students, and advocate for financial literacy education. “I want to make financial literacy accessible to everyone because it’s such a huge problem,” he states. His mission extends beyond SRJC—he envisions a future where financial education is integrated into college curricula nationwide.
His hard work and impact were recently acknowledged when he became one of the inaugural Safelite Scholars through Foster Love and the Safelite Foundation. This program selects a select group of former foster youth nationwide who have shown academic excellence. Ruben received a $60,000 scholarship as well as a fellowship program to aid his career development. This scholarship will assist him in transitioning to the next stage of his academic journey as he prepares to transfer to a top business school. His ultimate goal is to work in investment banking.