Break Barriers - Pasadena City College

Break
Barriers

Paralympic athlete. Yale graduate. Social justice warrior. Planetary geologist.

At PCC, it’s all possible.

Strength comes from the barriers we overcome. Together, we can knock down those walls, burst open the floodgates and take on this world. Every day, PCC students are dreaming, learning, creating, inventing and reinventing.

We salute you – the ones who never give up and always strive to be better. Opportunity awaits regardless of where you are on your journey. Let’s break barriers.

Before she was accepted to MIT, she was exploring ways to save our planet at PCC.

Janet Teng,
MIT Transfer, Goldwater Scholarship Recipient

Before he was a rock star professor, he was a drummer who found his rhythm at PCC.

Dave Smith, M.S.,
Cal Poly Pomona and Georgia Tech Transfer, BlackSTEM PCC Co-Lead

Before she was a best-selling author, a PCC professor nurtured her talent.

Reyna Grande,
UC Santa Cruz Transfer, Best-Selling Author

Before this purple heart recipient earned his PH.D., he discovered his passion at PCC.

Nathan Kemnitz, PH.D.,
USC Transfer

Before taking on Stanford, she'll continue taking on gender equality worldwide.

Haein Shim,
Women's Rights Activist, Stanford Transfer

Before she broke ground as a planetary geologist, she graduated from PCC.

Dr. Adriana Ocampo Uria,
Cal State LA then, Cal State Northridge Transfer, one of Discover Magazine’s Most Important Women in Science

Break Barriers at PCC

Before she became a Paralympic gold medalist, she was a student at PCC.

Breanna Clark,
Paralympic and World Championship Athlete

Before his passion inspired a hit Hollywood movie, he was a proud PCC student.

Jaime Escalante,
Inspirational Teacher, Presidential Medal Recipient

Before she started her journey to a Master's, she learned English at PCC.

Ingrid Flores,
Cal State LA Transfer, Full-time Social Worker & Master's Student

Before she transferred to UCLA, she became a social justice warrior at PCC.

Jasmin Lopez,
UCLA Transfer, California Community College Board of Governors Student Leadership Award Winner

Before mastering Machine Learning at Westpoint, he was a learning machine at PCC.

2LT Keno Deary Jr.,
West Point Transfer, PCC Graduate at Age 16, and Homecoming King

Before she was an LGBTQ+ trailblazer, she traded her Army boots for books at PCC.

Tracy Cooper-Harris,
Cal State Northridge and Clemson Transfer

We're breaking barriers daily here at PCC.

Success Coaches

Every student has access to an academic coach to help them navigate through college.

Community Driven

Community defines us. Open to all, welcoming to all!

#1 in Transfer

UC, CSU, HBCU, or any other four-year university, we can help you get there.

Noncredit

Free courses to help you self-improve, enhance your earning power, access higher education, or secure employment.

Career Education

Get the knowledge and training you need to quickly enter a specialized career or enhance your skills.

Career Support

Job placement and career services to help get you where you want to go.

BreakBarriers