Investing in Yourself, Believing in Yourself

Empower yourself with insights from our bestselling book.

Author Bertha Barraza, is a Professor/Counselor Emerita

Dr. Barraza immigrated to the US when she was 15 years of age, She had no idea what she will achieve in this country years later. Nevertheless, she made mistakes, endured challenges, and faced obstacles, but also accomplished much. She spent most of her life either studying or working in a community college.
Over the past 40 years, the California Community College system has changed in many ways. However, one thing that has remained the same is that non-traditional students continue to arrive underprepared for college. Therefore, this book is dedicated to them, because as a retired professor and counselor, this group of students taught the author many valuable lessons.
This book speaks not only about Dr, Barraza's life, but also about the experiences that many students continue to face today.

The Sense of Belonging was written specifically for non-traditional, first-generation college students. Therefore, the stories on this book include the following: 1. The author's experiences living in her native country and lessons learned that helped her succeed in the U. S . 2. Academic skills and tips needed to succeed in college. 3. Valuable Resource with links. All chapters have a reflection section to help the reader process and reflect on the chapter.
The second edition will include, three new chapters:
1. Mental Health, 2. Exercise and 3. Nutrition. Some chapters were removed or edited as Dr. Barraza is now retired and the content in the book was modified to be applicable to any community college as opposed to exclusively to Mt. San Jacinto College.
This book is excellent for: High School Students, first-generation college students, immigrants, and anyone who is considering college after a long absence from college or has never attended college.

This book familiarizes students with the complexities of navigating community colleges. The goal is to help more students access the information they need to meet the expectations of college life and succeed academically and personally.
Throughout the book, the author emphasizes the importance of being proactive, taking initiative, and to be actively engaging in the college experience.
the author's hope is that by reading this book and completing the exercises at the end of each chapter, readers will learn how to navigate college with confidence, overcome their fears, and find a safe space on campus—whether through programs, services, or a mentor—that can provide support as they work toward achieving their goals.