UCSD - University of California - San Diego

09/24/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/24/2026 03:08

Helping Students Find Their Why

Published Date

September 24, 2026

Article Content

Haydee Salazar '07 went from searching for community as a UC San Diego student to dedicating her career to helping others find theirs. Now a 15-year staff veteran and the coordinator of the 2nd Year Experience Program at OASIS, Salazar shares in her own words the transformative power of helping students find their why.

My parents are originally from Mexico and I was born in East L.A., where a lot of my family still lives. Growing up, I watched family members navigate incarceration, teen pregnancy or gang violence. I wanted to be part of positive progress - to help my community navigate the legal system - and for a long time, I believed becoming a lawyer was the way to do that.

However, after four years at UC San Diego, I realized law wasn't my calling. What I found instead was a passion for student activism and support.

Coming to UC San Diego was a transformative experience, but it was also really scary and lonely in a lot of ways, which made me want to find community. I became really involved in student organizations like Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx por Activismo (MEChA), searching for my community and my passion.

After graduating, I took a year off to figure out my next steps and moved back home. A mentor from UC San Diego was working at a community college in L.A. and he connected me with a part-time opportunity in high school outreach. That experience confirmed for me that I love working with students and this could be my job. Education was an empowering experience for me, and I really believe that it can be the same for others, especially students of color.

Working with young adults is my jam. At that age, there's a lot of opportunity and potential to connect students to resources or tell them, 'I think you can do this.' That may be the first time they've heard that. You can see the impact that makes in their experience and how transformative that is. They're now willing to take a chance on something they didn't think they could do before. Those are the things that really light me up.

I've now been at UC San Diego as a staff member for 15 years. I came back to work with Chicano Studies as a coordinator and advisor, and I've been in my current position at the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS) as coordinator of the 2nd Year Experience Program since 2016.

I never thought that I'd come back to UC San Diego and be in OASIS, which was an important place for me as a student. My first college job was there and a lot of the mentorship I received was in that space.

The Second Year: A Pivotal Experience

At many universities, there's historically been an emphasis on the first year. While that is a very important year, we now know that the second year is really pivotal for students, especially for first-generation and historically underrepresented students. The second year is one where a lot of critical exploration happens.

In the 2nd Year Experience Program, we help our students find their why. 'Why do I want to do this? What am I passionate about? What are my strengths?' From there, we connect them to opportunities across campus that support students with career readiness, planning and personal development.

I frequently ask our students to reflect honestly: are you pursuing your major or career goals for yourself, or for someone else? What's actually driving you?

I use my own life as an example. I was the first in my family to go away to college, and while my parents wanted to be supportive, they weren't entirely on board with me leaving L.A.

Salazar at the Raza Graduation ceremony with a friend in 2007

When I'd come home from college, my mom would tell people I was going to be a lawyer. And for a long time, I didn't want to let her down. But the more I engaged with law, the more I knew I didn't love it enough to do it every day. Could I do it? Probably. But would I be happy? Probably not. I had to be honest with myself.

I tell students that this is the right time to ask these questions and explore these things for themselves. If you feel like you want to explore a different major, this is the right time to do it. I always tell students to do an internship. That's the best way to see how something is on a day-to-day basis.

Finding Community as a Staff Member

The importance of heritage months is to shine a light on the community, the history and the legacies we come from. Celebrating that never takes away from other communities or identities. It says we have a really rich history. We need to look back before we can truly move forward, drawing strength and wisdom from the past. We come from a beautiful, diverse tapestry and we should celebrate that.

I came back to UC San Diego as a staff member only a few years after I had graduated. I still had a lot of really rich connections to folks, but it was such an adjustment being on campus.

Joining heritage month planning committees has been one of the best decisions I've made. It's just as important for staff to build community and make meaningful connections as it is for students. Through the committees, I get to work with wonderful people I wouldn't normally cross paths with, collaborate in unexpected ways, and build friendships with folks who share my passions.

I'm really grateful I continue to do that.

UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on September 24, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 24, 2026 at 09:08 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]