Julian, a graduating senior at San Rafael High School, has been part of the University Prep (UP!) program since 2019, when he first joined as a sixth grader ultimately becoming an important part of his academic journey, the UP! program offers mentorship, guidance, and resources; Julian says helped him explore his interests and prepare for his future.
Through the program, Julian says he found not only academic support but also encouragement to think about his goals and opportunities beyond high school. And that, through UP!, he was able to learn about scholarships and resources available to students like him.
That supported exploration of his interests and options for his future recently led to a major achievement. Julian was awarded the highly competitive Posse Scholarship, a prestigious national scholarship that provides full tuition to college. Through this scholarship, he was matched with St. Olaf College, a liberal arts college in Minnesota.
The Posse selection process is extremely competitive. More than 500 students in the Bay Area are nominated by teachers and community-based organizations each year. From that group, only 20 students move forward in the interview process, and ultimately just ten are selected to receive the scholarship.
Julian says the process began back in August 2025 and, dauntingly, included three rounds of interviews.
“Every single round I felt scared I was not going to move forward,” Julian said. “I just kept getting surprised. When I finally got chosen, I didn’t even know how to react. I was so shocked.”
At St. Olaf College, Julian plans to double major in Latin American Studies and Chemistry. Julian is looking forward to the opportunity to potentially study abroad. This has always been something that has excited him. He currently hopes to study either in Jamaica or Spain.
“I am a bit anxious but excited to be moving somewhere I have never been,” he said. “Moving across the country and starting a new journey. I am looking forward to studying abroad. That is something the school is very well known for.”
Looking ahead, Julian hopes to continue his education after earning his undergraduate degree. He says he considering either attending medical school or pursuing a PhD and working in a research lab.
“I would love to get a PhD or apply to medical school and help people,” he said.
As Julian prepares to move away August, he also finds himself reflecting back on his growing up, and his years in the UP! Program. According to him, one of his most memorable experiences in UP! was working with his volunteer tutor, Nicole, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She motivated me a lot during the pandemic to keep advancing my studies,” Julian said. “Every time I met with her, it wasn’t just homework time. She would help me discover new interests in my life.”
Julian says that for him, his time with UP! also felt like part of a family tradition; his brother Byron, a former UP! student, now works as a construction project manager, and his cousin Daneidy now works for Canal Alliance. Julian says seeing their paths and successes unfold helped motivated him to continue pushing forward in his own education.
“I would tell anyone to join the UP! program even if you are not sure what you want to do in the future, it is always good to have that as a resource for when you are looking for scholarships.”