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“My parents Inspired me to go into higher education” said Gabriel Adame, Executive Director of Y2L, who was raised by teen parents and his grandparents who worked in the fields. Growing up he was surrounded by negative influences, yet his mother always encouraged him and his brother to pursue a higher education. 

Although Adame’s mother didn’t get her Bachelors until later on in life, he took her advice and went to Bakersfield College after high school. Adame took multiple years to complete his education and graduated from California State University, Bakersfield with a Bachelors in Science.

Now he is a passionate advocate for youth who are underrepresented in Kern County wanting to pursue a higher education. Looking back on how college has changed him he says, “ It has taught me how to be responsible, disciplined, and the importance of time management, which are all skills that I use till this day.” As a college graduate Adame understands that navigating the complexities of higher education isn’t a walk in the park but he illustrates, “ Never give up. I stopped going full time mid way through my college years but I always took one class and because I did that it kept me in the mindset of school.”

The future for higher education is constantly changing but the experiences are full of skills used in any career field.