Occidental College Barack Obama Scholars Program

Welcome to another PLUS ME Partner Spotlight! We have worked with the Obama Scholars Program at Occidental College for three years. Last month, we spoke with Candace Mixon (Obama Scholars Summer Faculty Mentor) and Jhozibel Medina Gonzalez (Obama Scholar) to learn more about what keeps us connected:

Candace says Richard is “a good model of what’s represented in who we recruit for the Obama Scholars Program in terms of first generation students, transfer students, persons who have had an unusual path, perhaps, to their college education. So they can see a little bit of themselves in getting to meet with PLUS ME Project.” For the programming this summer, Candace sought a relatable role model to inspire and connect with the Obama Scholars cohort. She says, “I keep wanting to work with Richard and PLUS ME Project because I see how important that storytelling skill is, and that everyone has these different perspectives.”

The cohort was invited to the PLUS ME Storytelling Center to engage in personal storytelling. Our Center offered a unique opportunity for the cohort to come together after interning at various job sites throughout the day. During that afternoon, Richard shared his story and invited the Obama Scholars to do the same. Using their My Story Matters Journals, the cohort wrote about their role models, unforgettable events, and valued life lessons. One Obama Scholar, Jhozibel, tells her experience of reflecting on and sharing her story with others. She says, “One of the questions was, Who was a teacher that impacted you? That was one of the most impactful questions that could’ve been asked to me because it really made me reflect on how I got to this point, and who was there supporting me.”

Candace adds on that Richard created a safe space for the students to decompress and be vulnerable. She mentions that his compelling storytelling makes PLUS ME stand out from other organizations. “More of what I realized with both my students and myself is that it’s really about telling a story. I mean that’s what we do in every cover letter, that’s what we do in every interview, that’s what we do in reaching out to anyone. And so continually honing that skill is both inspirational to see Richard do it really well, and to see that that itself can be a skill to be developed.”

We look forward to growing our partnership with the Occidental College Barack Obama Scholars Program and empowering future leaders dedicated to the public good!

Richard Reyes