Sara Boquin | CEO, Barrio Logan College Institute

In this spectacular seventy-second episode of the Gap-Minders, we were so fortunate to get to speak with the incredible Sara Boquin, the CEO of the Barrio Logan College Institute!

In this episode’s great conversation, Nancy and Jose are joined by Sara Boquin, the CEO of the nationally renowned Barrio Logan College Institute. BLCI has created a college readiness model that has positive, proven outcomes in enrolling students in college and helping them be successful while there. To date, 100% of BLCI students enroll in college. A statistic like that is almost impossible to achieve given the social and economic resources impacting our students and their communities. Yet, BLCI has continued to defy the impossible and provide every child with access to higher education, not limited by culture or status, resulting in a thriving community and a better world.

And where does this passion come from for Sara? At the age of three, Sara’s parents decided to move her family back to their home country, Honduras, Central America. They lived in San Pedro Sula for over six years, where she and her sister further developed their native language, absorbed the culture, and learned the realities of life in a third world country. Upon their return to California, her family moved to Riverside where her parents still reside. Sara found her passion for Latin America’s rich history and literature as an undergraduate at the University of California, San Diego. Graduating from UCSD was not easy and she leaned on support programs and friends available to her. This is why she believes in supporting students in their educational path–she is grateful for those who supported her and believes in paying it forward and has dedicated her career to working with educational equity programs.

During this episode, you’ll hear Nancy, Jose, and Sara discuss the entire supportive ecosystem that is BLCI to help shape all of their students for success in college and life. From tutoring and cultural immersion to field trips and college prep, BLCI is a holistic model with a singular focus on the ascent of students.

You’ll also hear Sara discuss the significant growth of BLCI over the last 10 years including five different school sites from Chula Vista to El Cajon as well as the process by which students and parents learn about BLCI and gain acceptance to the program. Sara also spends some time discussing her vision for providing their model to an even larger group of students across the County.

An excellent episode on filling gaps in the community with Sara Boquin. Here are some other takeaways from the interview:

• BLCI serves students from 3rd grade through 12th grade
• Younger students focus on proficiency, identify, and confidence
• High schoolers focus on college readiness and prep
• Most students have their financial needs met for college by way of financial aid and scholarships
• The answers to the rapid-fire questions

An excellent interview from a passionate gap minder. Thank you, Sara, for your contributions in San Diego, and for joining us on The Gap Minders.

Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe to the show.

If you have any questions or want to contact Nancy or Jose, please send an email to podcast@uwsd.org. Thank you for listening.

To learn more about the two social impact organizations making The Gap Minders possible, please visit www.TheGapMinders.org.