First-Gen UCLA Engineering Student Bridges Communities from LA to the Central Valley
McFarland, a small farming town in California’s Central Valley, is known for its hardworking families and tightly knit community. For Jasmine Herrera, a third-year electrical engineering student at UCLA who hails from the region, it’s also the foundation of her passion for community service.
As the finance coordinator for the Central Valley Project at UCLA — a student-led organization that assists high school students from Central Valley in pursuing higher education, Herrera mentors high school students from towns like her own. In her role, she manages budgets, organizes trips to the Central Valley and ensures mentors and students have the resources they need to pursue higher education. She also mentors students directly, drawing from her own experiences to help them navigate the college application, holding financial aid workshops and providing opportunities to foster leadership development with the help of other Central Valley Project mentors.
“Largely composed of various lower-income farm-working communities with drastically lower rates of bachelor degree attainment relative to the rest of California, high schools in the Central Valley suffer from lack of resources, funding and support for their students when it comes to post-graduation plans,” Herrera said. “These combined circumstances leave many students misinformed, believing that a post-secondary education is not in the cards for them.”
“Since childhood, my parents have emphasized the importance of a good education and worked so hard to give me a chance at a better future,” Jasmine Herrera said. “I knew UCLA would give me the resources and support I needed to succeed while staying connected to my roots.”
Growing up the daughter of Mexican immigrant farm workers in McFarland, Herrera watched her parents endure long hours of physical labor to provide for the family. Their sacrifice helped pave a different path for Herrera while instilling in her a relentless work ethic and a determination to succeed.
Herrera’s passion for engineering began early, sparked by hours spent tinkering with hardware components of video game controllers she managed to fix. Later on, an introductory electronics course she took in her senior year of high school further solidified her interest in electric engineering. When it came time to choose a university, she picked the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering for its top-tier academics, world-class faculty and a vibrant community not too far from home.
“Since childhood, my parents have emphasized the importance of a good education and worked so hard to give me a chance at a better future,” Herrera said. “I knew UCLA would give me the resources and support I needed to succeed while staying connected to my roots.”
At UCLA, Herrera has thrived in courses like ECE3: Introduction to Electrical Engineering, where she applied theoretical concepts from math, physics and computer science to practical challenges. She recalled building a line-following robot for the class project — a hands-on experience that deepened her enthusiasm for the field of electrical engineering.
Herrera joined the Central Valley Project at UCLA in her freshman year. On her first site visit, she observed fellow Bruins serving as mentors who shared their personal journeys with high school students. Seeing how these discussions inspired the mentees, sparking their curiosity and motivation to pursue college, motivated Herrera to get involved in the mission.
“Our mentees come from all walks of life, each with unique circumstances affecting their pursuit of higher education. Many of these challenges are familiar to first-generation and Hispanic communities, which especially resonate with me,” Herrera said. “Having navigated similar barriers with limited guidance, I strive to help those who are in the position I once was.”
Herrera herself has also found community and support through UCLA Samueli’s Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED). As a first-generation college student, she initially felt intimidated by the underrepresentation of students from her background in engineering. CEED provided mentorship, resources and a welcoming environment that eased her transition.
Through CEED, Herrera joined organizations such as the Society of Latinx Engineers and Scientists and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), where she gained professional development, networking opportunities and attended the SHPE National Conference in Anaheim, California.

Courtesy of Jasmine Herrera
As she gained confidence and leadership roles, Herrera said these experiences also helped shape her problem-solving and teamwork skills applicable to her technical projects. Her involvement in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers at UCLA and race car-design-and-building Bruin Racing Baja also gave her an opportunity to explore printed circuit board design and control systems.
“Hands-on projects have been an exciting way to see how theoretical concepts apply in real-world scenarios,” she said of her newfound passion for embedded systems. “They’ve given me a clearer sense of where I want to focus my career.”
Herrera has also been eager to pursue opportunities in the energy sector, including a summer internship in the Richmond, Virginia office of Dominion Energy — a leading producer of carbon-free electricity. The company provides regulated electricity service to more than 3 million homes and businesses in the region. Herrera said she is excited to work in a position that has a direct impact on efficiently managing and protecting the power grid.
For students from similar underrepresented backgrounds, Herrera encourages them to embrace challenges and seek out supportive communities.
“Don’t hesitate to reach out for help or change direction if something isn’t the right fit,” Herrera said. “With persistence and support, you can achieve more than you imagined.”
As she looks ahead, Herrera remains committed to both her passion for engineering and her dedication to helping others. While she is still finalizing her career plans, Herrera is determined to use her engineering knowledge to help advance technology and create meaningful change.
“I’m excited to continue learning and discovering where my skills can have the greatest impact. Every step I take is about building a future that honors where I came from,” she said. “As I succeed, I will always look for ways to give back, whether through projects my employer supports or other initiatives.”