The College Match Podcast

SEVDORA: The Power of Integrity.

“YOU HAVE TO VALUE INTEGRITY. IT’S LIKE DOING THE RIGHT THING WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING.” Get your tissues ready! Meet Sevdora, a young woman from Uzbekistan who moved to America when she was 12 years old. For most of her childhood, she lived with her grandparents and aunts in the countryside of Uzbekistan, traveling a total of 4 hours by bus with her cousin to school each day in the city.  When she was almost 5 years old, Sevdora’s mom moved to America to achieve the “American Dream” and ultimately to establish a life that would allow her to one day bring Sevdora. 7 years, and many obstacles later, her mom finally completed all the paperwork to bring Sevdora to America legally. After a long anticipated wait, Sevdora got on a plane for the first time, and began her journey to Los Angeles where her mom had started a whole new life.  In a few short years, Sevdora became fluent in English and excelled academically. She found her calling in Environmental Science and this year, despite the pandemic, led her Ocean Bowl team to a 3rd place win in the JPL Regional Competition! In addition to being the Team Captain, she has been really busy as a member of Bravo High School’s NErDy Club, the National Honors Society where she’s been volunteering at the LA Regional Food Bank and Excellibur, a student-made organization to close the gap in education and foster STEM interest. She is also a member of Bravo's Red Cross Club.  Sevdora was accepted to Dartmouth College through early decision and she will soon be joining the biggest College Match freshmen cohort this year. She was also recently notified of being selected to receive the 2021 PBWC Loren Mahon Book Scholarship Award and was invited to join the Professional Businesswomen of California’s 32nd annual conference in May.  We have no doubt that Sevdora will leave a lasting impression at Dartmouth and in her future career! **For a Video Version of Sevdora’s Podcast Interview, visit our College Match YouTube Page [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEO5uaEpv4MBGUIrWQNNNw] where you’ll be able to see a picture collage of Sevdora’s experiences and where you can also tune into our Virtual Graduation Ceremony that highlights where the rest of our College Match Class of 2021 are headed in the Fall.

HARLEY FRANKEL: The Story Behind College Match and our Inspirational Founder

For the Season 2 Launch, Harley Frankel, Founder of College Match Los Angeles shares his powerful story and his inspiration behind the program has changed thousands of students’ lives.  Harley was recently called a “Social Impact Hero” by Authority Magazine for the impact he has made in our world.  He has an extensive resume including a BA in Political Science and BS in Applied Mathematics from Columbia University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and several careers in public policy and professional sports management. Some of these jobs included serving as the General Manager for a professional sports team, the 1st U.S. Secretary of Education, the Executive Assistant to the U.S. Commissioner of Education, and he even helped get the Pell Grant Bill passed in 1974.  However, despite so many life changing careers, none compare to his time in College Match. In his words, “The career that he’s the most proud of is starting College Match and meeting so many wonderful students and their families.”  Also the first in his family to attend college, Harley had to find his place in higher education by being a strong self-advocate and appreciating the power of his network. When he started College Match, he saw many similarities in his own life to those of the first-generation students he worked with.   During the interview, Harley shares details about his past, where he grew up, and how his time working in Washington DC led him to a career in Education. He also explains why after several years working as a General Manager for a professional sports team, he decided to shift courses by starting College Match LA to dedicate his life to helping low-income, first generation students access their rightful spot at some of the best private colleges in the United States.  Tune in for more information about Harley’s career journey and hear first-hand from several College Match alumni about the impact Harley has made in their lives.  **For a Video Version of Harley’s Podcast Interview, visit our College Match YouTube Page [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEO5uaEpv4MBGUIrWQNNNw] where you’ll be able to see pictures of Harley as a child and a close-up look at his cherished retirement gift, a handmade blanket that College Match Alumna Karina Pichardo and her mom created using college t-shirts. If you’d like to learn more about College Match LA, visit www.collegematchla.org.

EDDY: The Importance of Self Advocacy and Financial Planning

“SCHOOL HAS REALLY ELEVATED WHO I AM.”  Meet Eddy, a true change-maker who exemplifies the power of self advocacy and determination. He is proud of his Mexican roots and comes from very humble beginnings.  When he entered high school, he was told that he was not placed in AP or Honors courses because when he was younger, he did not “test” into gifted classes. When he realized that label had followed him to high school, he dedicated his high school career to changing that. Since then, he has taken and passed 11 College Courses, secured a top spot in his graduating class, taken all the AP and Honors classes his school offers and plays a key role on his Varsity Football team. One of his proudest accomplishments was starting the first Business Club at his high school that focuses on teaching his peers the importance of financial planning, investing and saving.  In this emotional and heartfelt interview, Eddy credits a lot of his qualities to the powerful women in his life, especially his mom, aunts and grandma who helped raise him. He also recalls a series of memories as a child and a student that have shaped who he is today.  Eddy strives to one day come back to his community and continue to teach financial planning. He wants his peers to know that you can start investing and financial planning at any age. You don’t have to be a rich millionaire to plan a financial future.  Eddy also believes in the power of building genuine connections and getting involved. In his words, “Honestly, if you get involved, it could be one of the best experiences of your young adult life.”  His energy and genuine nature as a young male of color is inspiring to say the least. We have no doubt that Eddy will leave a lasting impression wherever he goes to college!  **For a Video Version of Eddy’s Podcast Interview, visit our College Match YouTube Page [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEO5uaEpv4MBGUIrWQNNNw] where you’ll be able to see a picture collage of Eddy’s childhood and much more. If you’d like to learn more about College Match LA, visit www.collegematchla.org.

*ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT* - ESMERALDA: Yale Class of 2020 and Chemical Engineer

“MY DREAM IS TO WORK AT BOEING AND GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY THROUGH MY JOB.”  Meet Esmeralda, one incredibly resilient young woman who was the only Latina Chemical Engineer in her graduating class at Yale University. She was also one of a few women in the program altogether. She has one powerful story to share.  Esmeralda credits her motivation and drive for success to her parents. They laid a humble foundation for Esmeralda and inspired her and her brother to go to college.  Her dad was a garment and factory worker and was the sole provider for their household. She often accompanied him to work where she saw first-hand the harsh conditions her father had to work in.  Earning 10 cents a garment, she knew that her father always deserved a better life.     When she was a sophomore at Bravo Medical Magnet High School, Esmeralda was introduced to College Match Los Angeles. Thanks to the support of her College Match Counselor, Michelle, she earned an admitted spot in 6 of the Ivy League Universities including Columbia, Princeton, Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth and Yale! In the end, Yale offered her the best financial aid package and she found them to be her “best fit” when it came to the campus environment.  Esmeralda had just started her final semester at Yale when COVID-19 hit.  Due to the pandemic, she was forced to shift to online learning and did not have a traditional Yale graduation ceremony. Sadly, her graduation would have been the first time her parents visited Yale. They never had a chance to experience their daughter’s huge milestone.   Despite some setbacks along the way, Esmeralda has always pushed through. She is an avid runner and has run 2 LA Marathons! As a Chemical Engineer, she dreams of working at Boeing while giving back to her community and supporting other first-generation Latina in STEM find a voice. She will surely leave an incredible impact in any company, just like she has done with College Match!  **For a Video Version of Esmeralda’s Podcast Interview, visit our College Match YouTube Page [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEO5uaEpv4MBGUIrWQNNNw] where you’ll be able to see pictures of her in action and much more. And if you’d like to learn more about College Match LA, visit www.collegematchla.org.

AIRIN AND ABIGAIL: Mariposas in Action and The Period Poverty Project

“DREAMS AND ACTION MUST BE WOVEN TOGETHER” Meet Airin and Abby, two young leaders in Los Angeles who apart, have their own unique talents and interests, but together, are a powerful duo that radiates with hope and positivity. They have joined forces during high school to create two impactful programs called Mariposas in Action and The Period Poverty Project.   Mariposas in Action is a student led, support group for rising first generation college students.  Their motto is “For Youth By Youth” and was started to spread the word about college access and success for students who do not have access to resources in their community. Using what they learn from College Match and other college access programs they are part of, they then bring that information to their peers. Very much a “Pay It Forward” mentality! Follow them @mariposasinaction [https://www.instagram.com/mariposasinaction/] to learn more! The Period Poverty Project is a collective effort to spread awareness about Assembly Bill 10 and the fundamental rights young women have to easily access feminine hygiene products at their high school. Together, Abby and Airin fought to get dispensers installed in at least 50% of the restrooms on their high school campus and are now creating a toolkit for other high school students to do the same.  Additionally, they have brought their efforts to the streets by creating care packages for the homeless and more vulnerable populations who do not have easy access to feminine hygiene products. To learn more about this effort, follow them on Instagram @periodprojectla [https://www.instagram.com/periodprojectla/] and check out the website they created at bit.ly/periodpovertyla.   [http://bit.ly/periodpovertyla] You can also help them spread joy to the community by donating to their GoFundMe Page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/2a33x-period-poverty?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet [https://www.gofundme.com/f/2a33x-period-poverty?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet] They are both very unique individuals outside of the classroom!  Airin believes in the power of storytelling and is very close to her Mexican roots.  She aspires to study politics and public health and wants nothing more than to make her parents proud and pass on this powerful message to peers: “Si Se Puede/Yes You Can!” Abby is very active in her church community and aspires to become a pediatrician one day. Her parents are from Guatemala and have passed on a strong sense of gratitude for all she’s been blessed with. In her words, “I possess the ability to become what I am destined to be.”  Both the first in their families to pursue a higher education, they will both surely make a lasting impact on their future college campuses next year.   **For a Video Version of Airin and Abby’s Podcast Interview, visit our College Match YouTube Page [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEO5uaEpv4MBGUIrWQNNNw] where you’ll be able to see pictures of them in action and much more. And if you’d like to learn more about College Match LA, visit www.collegematchla.org.