Whitney La

Program Manager, College Success

Whitney La first joined Foundation for a College Education in October 2019 as the Academic Excellence Coordinator/AmeriCorps Public Ally Fellow during the 2019-2020 year before returning to support FCE’s STEAM & College Success Programs. As the daughter of refugees, Whitney was the first in her family to attend and graduate from a 4-year university, receiving her B.A. in Ethnic Studies and B.S. in Public Health from the University of California, San Diego. While there, she worked for a college transition and success program, UCSD Summer Bridge, mentoring and educating students of color to support them through their college transition. During her time there, Whitney also supported students of color to graduate university through a student-led resource center, UCSD’s campus community centers, and several social justice student organizations. Before joining FCE, she worked with students from East San Jose through City Year, as an academic tutor and coach. Whitney’s first-hand experience of the challenges of access and navigating higher education has made her passionate to support other first-generation college students towards their goal of college graduation.