South County San Diego is home to over 585,000 residents, yet it remains a "college desert" without a single local public four-year university. For place-bound students, working parents, and first-generation scholars, commuting or relocating hundreds of miles away simply isn't an option.

In this episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard, Assemblymember David Alvarez sits down with Marilynn Palomino, a Chula Vista native, single mother of two, student leader, and tutor at Southwestern College’s San Ysidro campus. Marilynn shares her powerful journey of returning to school after a ten-year gap, finding her passion in Forensic Studies, and traveling to Sacramento to testify in support of Assembly Bill 664 (AB 664).

Authored by Assemblymember Alvarez, AB 664 is a historic piece of legislation that would authorize Southwestern College to offer up to four workforce-aligned bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields like Applied Forensic Science, Allied Health Leadership, TESOL, and Interaction Design.

Tune in to discover what it really takes to break down systemic educational barriers, foster economic mobility, and keep life-changing opportunities close to home.

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Timestamps
● 00:00 - Intro: The outdated 1960 higher education model vs. modern student realities.
● 00:25 - Defining the South County "College Desert": 585,000 residents without a local public university.
● 01:52 - Welcome Marilynn Palomino: A non-traditional student story from Chula Vista.
● 02:23 - Graduating from Southwestern College and becoming an ASO Student Senator.
● 03:59 - Cultural expectations, family background, and the pressure to choose work over college.
● 06:26 - Life happens: Taking a 10-year break to raise a daughter and attending trade school.
● 11:17 - The decision to return to Southwestern College at 30 years old.
● 14:59 - Navigating campus support networks: EOPS, CalWORKs, and financial aid systems.
● 17:25 - Discovering a passion for Forensic Studies and crime lab career pathways.
● 20:53 - The San Jose barrier: Realizing her dream bachelor's degree is hundreds of miles away.
● 24:12 - From the campus pantry to Sacramento: Marilynn's student advocacy journey.
● 26:52 - Breaking down Assembly Bill 664 (AB 664) and workforce-aligned community college degrees.
● 31:02 - Using education as the ultimate tool for upward economic mobility to enter the middle class.
● 37:32 - "Thank you for everything you do": Inspiring the next generation of children.
● 39:40 - What happens next for AB 664 in the Senate.