El Camino pre-engineering major Brenda Fernandez Martinez was recently awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, worth up to $40,000 a year for up to three years to complete a bachelor's degree at a four-year college or university. The outstanding pre-engineering major has been accepted to numerous selective universities, including Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and UC Berkeley.

"Coming from a place where I originally didn't believe I could attend a university and earn a degree due to my immigration status, it's absolutely crazy to see how far I've come," said Martinez, one of 72 students nationwide to win the scholarship. "The fact that all this was accomplished by a 'Dreamer' has a lot to say about how much our community perseveres through everything. I'm so honored to be a part of the Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship program and I am looking forward to connecting with transfer advisers and like-minded students."

Martinez is a member of the El Camino tennis team, EOPS, MESA, the Society of Women Engineers Club, the Robotics Club, and is a part of the South Bay Promise, a program that offers an affordable pathway to college through fee waivers and support for first-time, full-time students. She also enjoys hiking and painting landscapes in her free time. She is especially proud of her work as president of the UndocuWarriors Club, a group that offers a safe space for undocumented students and allies at El Camino College.

"When I was in high school, I was unsure if I could even attend college because of my Dreamer status; I had a lot of misconceptions and I was mostly on my own," Martinez said. "Now I want to make sure everyone knows that El Camino offers an inclusive college experience for all. I am really glad that I had the initiative to take action and find out what was available to me. Now I am determined to establish a Dreamer Center on campus so that students can find what they need in one place. I learned bits and pieces of information and resources from different places. I'm lucky to have found such resources by being proactive, but we can't expect every other Dreamer to do the same because it is extremely difficult for undocumented students to know who to trust. Now I'm looking to get easier access for others."

Martinez says she feels ready for university work, grounded with support from El Camino counselors, faculty, and staff. From bonding in study groups with other students to finding leadership opportunities that gave her a chance to improve the college experience for others, she said El Camino showed her the importance of being involved in her education.

"The opportunities I've had recently is 100% because of my involvement in El Camino," she said. "Straight A's are great and many people can do that, but that's not the only way you grow as a person. It's about putting myself out there, getting involved, and giving back to my community. That's what makes all the difference and that's what I intend to keep doing."