Imelda Plascencia, UCLA '11, on education as an undocumented student
Channel: UCLA
Date: 2011-06-10

Imelda Plascencia has washed cars, made pupusas (Salvadoran hot-pockets) and refurbished old furniture, all in an effort to raise money to pay her tuition.
 
Plascencia, an undocumented student who isn't eligible to receive federal or state financial aid, started at UCLA in 2006 as transfer student but would often interrupt her studies for a quarter or two to raise enough money for her college costs.
 
This Friday, Plascencia, 26, will graduate from UCLA with a major in Chicana and Chicano studies and a minor in education. She is thankful to an entire community of family, friends and other supporters who have helped fund her studies.
 
"I don't feel that it's just me that is graduating," Plascencia said, wiping away tears. "It took a community for this to be a reality."

Read more:
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-students-overcome-adversity-207875.aspx