Senior Spotlight: Lost Hills Scholar Melissa Juarez Heads to UC Irvine with Three AA Degrees

Before she even crossed the stage at graduation, Melissa Juarez of Lost Hills had already earned three associate degrees — an extraordinary achievement for a high school senior.

“For three years, I thought I was going to graduate with one, and then it turned out that I was able to graduate with three,” Melissa said.

A proud graduate of Wonderful College Prep Academy, Melissa is part of just the second graduating class from the school’s Lost Hills campus. Through a partnership with Bakersfield College, she began taking dual enrollment courses in her freshman year, with the initial goal of earning an associate’s degree in Agricultural Business. However, by the end of her junior year, Melissa learned from her counselor that she had also completed enough credits for an AA degree in both Business Administration and Liberal Arts. 

And while her degrees are impressive, they don’t define the path she’s chosen. This fall, Melissa will enter UC Irvine as a Materials Science and Engineering major — a decision driven by her love of all things STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

“Every semester I said I wanted to be something different, but it was always related to STEM,” Melissa confided. “My teachers would encourage me to do something with math and science, because I was really good at it.”

Her dream? To one day work in the technology industry, designing and improving upon the materials we use every day, as well as the technology of the future.

“It makes me so excited to know I’m really going to be doing that, just making things better overall,” she said.

Although her interests once included law — she even attended summer mock trial programs at Stanford and UCLA — Melissa found herself drawn more deeply to STEM fields. Although she was accepted into the University of Southern California, UC Davis, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara, it was UC Irvine that allowed her to pursue her STEM passion, accepting her into the program she wanted. Irvine also awarded her the highly competitive Chancellor’s Scholarship, which gave her peace of mind, knowing that she wouldn’t be burdened with steep college costs. 

“One of the biggest reasons why I chose UC Irvine was that it was surprisingly the most financially supportive toward me,” she said. “They did give me the Chancellor Scholarship, which they give to very few kids. I was very grateful for that. I think that’s what really helped me.” 

Melissa will enter Irvine this summer through the Summer Bridge program, which helps first-year students — particularly those from underrepresented communities — adjust to college life. As a first-generation college student, Melissa is eager for the new experiences ahead, while already preparing to stay rooted in her culture and identity.

“There’s this club of Hispanic Girls in Engineering that’s perfect for me,” Melissa said. “In order for me to feel comfortable, I have to be within my Hispanic community. So I really want to join something related to that.”

Her journey has been anything but ordinary, and her high school years were packed with meaningful extracurricular activities. Melissa served for two years in ASB as the public relations representative, participated in soccer, volleyball, golf, and track and field, and was a member of the Wonderful Club, which organized school fundraisers. Outside of school, she joined the Youth Club, founded by her sister, to raise money for students in Lost Hills to travel and explore the state.

“A lot of kids usually aren’t able to travel because we come from a low-income community,” she shared. “With those fundraisers, we would go out and travel around California.”

And then, there’s the crown: Melissa, while admitting to being quite shy, stepped out of her comfort zone to compete in local and county pageants, ultimately earning the titles of Miss Lost Hills and Miss Golden Empire. Not only did competing in pageants earn her scholarships, it allowed her make new friends and gain confidence in herself.

“I feel like that organization has really helped me to be able to step out of my shell in my community,” Melissa said. “Going from a small town to a big city in Irvine, it’s going to be a big change, but I feel a little more ready because of that experience.”

Melissa credits her sisters for helping shape her ambition. Her oldest sister attended UC Berkeley, and her second sister attended UC Davis — examples that made Melissa realize she, too, could thrive beyond the boundaries of her small town.

Her family, especially her mother, Maribel Vargas, couldn’t be prouder of all she has accomplished and where she’s going. She said she’s excited to see her youngest daughter find the same success as her older sisters. 

“We already miss her, and she hasn’t even left yet,” her mom joked. “One of the most valuable things in life is education.”

Melissa hopes to inspire others from Lost Hills to dream beyond what’s familiar, encouraging students not to settle for less, whether it’s taking advantage of dual enrollment and early college opportunities or breaking out of their comfort zone to attend college somewhere new.

“Going outside of your community will get you a lot more opportunities,” she emphasized. “Bakersfield is great, yes, but you’re already familiar with that. Go out and try new things, and if you don’t like it, you know you can always come back.” 

With scholarships in hand and the support of her family behind her, Melissa Juarez is headed to UC Irvine, ready to engineer a better future for herself.