John Muir and Cal Poly Pomona Alumnus Miguel Reyes Joins College Access Plan Board of Directors
College Access Plan (CAP) (www.collegeaccessplan.org), a Pasadena nonprofit that provides free programs in college preparedness and success, has had the honor of supporting thousands of students who attend Pasadena’s public schools as they reach for their college dreams since 2006. CAP is proud to announce that Miguel Reyes has joined its board of directors. Miguel graduated from John Muir High School in 2011 and from Cal Poly Pomona in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. CAP’s board recently voted to include a permanent position for an alumnus/a of its programs, and Reyes will be the first to fill this role.
As a Muir student, Reyes always stood out academically and graduated as his class Salutatorian. He was very active in the Engineering and Environmental Science Academy and was a member of Muir’s championship solar boat team in 2010. Forever a proud Mustang, Reyes is particularly interested in sharing how the exceptional opportunities afforded to him as a PUSD student and the college readiness support provided by CAP through its after school drop-in program at his high school helped to set him on the path to his current success as an engineer at California Steel Industries. Reyes believes it is fitting that CAP will be his first foray into board service and says he is eager to “bring a student perspective as well as give back to my community and the amazing CAP family.”
Board Chair LaWayne Williams, Senior Director of Community Relations for the Tournament of Roses, says, “Miguel’s participation is one of those wonderful ancillary outcomes of the work that CAP does. Having someone on our board who knows the programs, has benefited from them, and who understands the current needs of students from the city he was raised in will allow CAP to continue to evolve.”
CAP Executive Director Mo Hyman adds, “Miguel brings a unique perspective to our board, not only as a former Mustang and CAP participant, but also in terms of his professional experience — he’s the first engineer we’ve had on the board, which helps diversify of our expertise and encourages us to reflect on the full array of our students’ backgrounds and interests.”
Reyes is not the first alumnus/a to join the CAP team. Elena Arellan, 2012 Muir graduate and 2016 graduate of University of Redlands, is a member of CAP’s staff as Program Assistant. A third alumni participant, Rebeca Souza, 2013 Blair High School graduate who is set to receive her bachelor’s from Humboldt State University this spring, has committed to CAP as an Americorps VISTA member and is set to begin her term of service this summer.
About College Access Plan
College Access Plan is an independent 501c3 nonprofit that prepares underserved students to succeed in college. Through partnerships with PUSD, PasadenaLEARNs, Lake Avenue Community Foundation, Learning Works Charter School, and other local agencies, CAP provides no-cost college readiness advisement and topic-specific workshops on site at high schools and middle schools, through program partnerships, and to PUSD graduates that attend college. This year, CAP will serve 1,300 students who aspire to Dream Bigger about their futures.
For more information, visit http://collegeaccessplan.org/
