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Abel Magana

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Tennis
  • Basketball
  • Running
  • Volunteering
  • Reading
  • Baking
  • Church

Reading

  • Science Fiction
  • physics
  • theoretical physics
  • Adult Fiction

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

I am a passionate observer of the world around me, and I channel the majority of my passion into one area: learning. It’s something that I take very seriously because it makes me feel like I can accomplish anything. To follow my passion, I have decided to pursue higher education. I began at Ventura College in 2019 and stayed for three years during which I saw myself transform from a quiet 18-year-old with anti-social traits. Through my own diligent work and some help from my peers, I left as an outspoken leader and outstanding student. I ultimately became the student body president, a peer leader and mentor for many students, and a recognizable face among college faculty and administration. I graduated in May 2022 with Honors and addressed my school at the commencement ceremony. I received three associate degrees (soon to be four) and one certificate of achievement. I am now attending the University of California, Los Angeles to complete my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. While at UCLA, I hope to continue my growth and set myself further apart from the crowd. I want to cement myself as a high achiever and natural-born leader in the university community. When I finish up my time at UCLA, I want to get a job working in the electric vehicle industry. Tesla is the company I am aiming to work with, but I have dreams of starting my own company one day. I want to be a leader in the EV market, and an innovator in the field. However, I am also considering continuing my education to a master's or doctorate level.

Education

University of California-Los Angeles

Bachelor's degree program

2022 – 2024

Majors:
  • Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

Ventura College

Associate's degree program

2019 – 2022

Majors:
  • Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

Ventura College

Associate's degree program

2019 – 2022

Majors:
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Berkeley, Stanford University, Southern California Institute of Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, Rice University
Majors of interest:
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, Engineering Physics, Chemistry
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Student Assistant

    Ventura College First Year Experience

    Jan 2019 – Jan 2022

  • Driver

    Food & Beverages · Toppers Pizza Place

    Jan 2022 – Jan 2022

  • Board Member

    Philanthropy · Ventura College Foundation

    Jan 2021 – Jan 2022

  • Clubhouse Attendant

    Oxnard Tennis Center

    Jan 2019 – Jan 2020

  • Skate Room/Snack Bar

    Entertainment · Skating Plus

    Jan 2019 – Jan 2021

  • Retail Specialist

    Food & Beverages · Krispy Kreme

    Jan 2020 – Jan 2020

  • Chemistry Tutor

    Ventura College Tutoring Center

    Jan 2020 – Jan 2021

  • Athletics Liaison Officer

    Associated Students of Ventura College

    Jan 2020 – Jan 2021

  • President

    Associated Students of Ventura College

    Jan 2021 – Jan 2022

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing
Dream career goals:
Company Founder
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Pro-Life Advocates Scholarship
Winner
Life is a precious gift that is taken for granted much too often. It is the gift that keeps on giving, presenting those fortunate enough to possess it with many more blessings. The ability to listen to the ocean waves crash on the shore, to feel the burn of a flame from holding your hand too close for too long, and the cool sensation of dousing that hand in iced water immediately after are all things that make life worth living. Every moment of life, good or bad, carries a value that cannot be stripped away. And every life has inherent dignity that calls for love and respect. It is time for the world to wake up to this. I grew up in a religious family of the Roman Catholic faith. My parents did a good job of ensuring that I, and my siblings, had a solid core of Catholic morals and values. My dad put me in the Catholic school system from K- to 12th grade, and that is where I picked up my pro-life ideals. I learned about the sanctity of life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. I learned that all life had value, no matter how big or small the person was. And I learned that we must protect the most vulnerable beings in our world. Having an educational background in STEM worked only to reinforce my beliefs regarding life. The science presented undeniable proof that life was in fact real beginning at the moment of conception. The argument that a baby in their first days is just a clump of cells became more and more nonsensical. If someone can admit that a baby is a clump of cells, then they should also know from basic biology that a cell is the basic unit of life. This among other things solidified my views and strengthened my passion to get justice for the unborn. It also helped that I surrounded myself with friends who value life just as much as I do. Together, we would go out to pray rosaries for the unborn and join marches protesting abortion laws. In high school, we began a pro-life club which brought even more students to some of those marches. We stepped up even more in the years following high school when our community was threatened by an abortion clinic that opened up just across the street from the school. We protested against them and prayed rosaries outside for the repose of the souls of the aborted children. Still, the clinic remains and we keep fighting. My pro-life advocacy continued in college, where I served as student body president and prevented Planned Parenthood from being invited to indoctrinate students at a campus event. I am thankful to have been brought up with such morals that my respect for life stems from. I try to share my ideas with as many people as possible in hopes that they change the minds of other pro-abortion people they know too. It takes an army to make a change, but it only takes one to start.
SkipSchool Scholarship
My favorite scientist of all time is Nikola Tesla because of the determination and persistence he embodied. He spent a great portion of his career and life trying to find a way to harvest free energy which scientists now say is physically impossible. Quite literally, Tesla believed that he could achieve his impossible dream. He never accomplished his goal, but he never gave up on it either, and that is why he is my favorite.
Abel Magana Student Profile | Bold.org