Making Family History: Jesse Ramirez ’29 Is Building a Future Protecting the Places He Loves

According to the most recent data, around one in three Saint Mary’s students today are trailblazers, the first in their family to pursue a college degree. For many first-generation students—“first-gens,” as they often refer to themselves—the journey to and through college brings unique struggles and surprises. In the Making Family History series, we regularly ask first-gen Gaels to share, in their own words, their history, hopes, and advice for the next generation.

Meet Jesse Ramirez ’29: a second-year History and Politics double major, a first-generation Mexican American, and the first in his family to attend college. On campus, Ramirez is a member of the award-winning Macken Debate Team and a Class of 2029 Senator with the Associated Students. In May, they received the Rising Star Award at the Student Leadership Awards, an honor presented to Gaels who exemplified outstanding leadership and involvement during their first year at SMC. 

During the summer, Ramirez served as a Volunteer Communications Intern with the California Natural Resources Agency, helping raise awareness about environmental issues like the federal government’s new review of California’s coastal protections. The internship opportunity was made possible by Saint Mary’s Liberal Arts Bridge (LAB) Program, which offers financial assistance for Liberal Arts students like Ramirez seeking underpaid or unpaid internships.

Nurturing a career in nature

My love for the environment was sparked years ago, on a family trip to Yosemite National Park. Growing up in Richmond, in the San Francisco East Bay, I had plenty of natural beauty around me. But I’d never seen something as vast as Yosemite. It felt like being inside a fairy tale. That experience really launched my love for being out in nature, hiking, and camping. 

It wasn’t until I came to Saint Mary’s that I realized that I could pursue a career that combined all my interests—history, politics, and nature. Ultimately, I hope to go into environmental conservation, either as a lawyer or in public policy. This past spring, I started applying for internships to gain more experience. I applied to numerous places, including the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), which is part of state government. 

Honestly, it seemed like a long shot. They were hiring only a few people, and California’s a big state. It was also a volunteer position, which worried me. My parents are both currently unemployed, and I knew I needed to make money. After multiple rounds of interviews, though, I found out I got it. And thanks to the Liberal Arts Bridge Program, I was able to intern with the CRNA. Honestly, I was starting to think I’d never be able to intern somewhere I could advance my career goals. But through LAB’s scholarship, I was able to actually do the work I wanted to do. 

Getting the word out

This summer, I’ve been working with CRNA’s communications team. We’re focused on informing the public about conservation and environmental justice issues. 

For example, we’ve been sharing information about a new federal review of California’s coasts. In May, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick accused California of “environmental terrorism” and obstructing “spaceport development” at Vanderberg Space Force Base. He announced the federal government would review California’s coastal management program, which allows the state to fight federal projects on the coast and protect the beaches. Basically, CRNA believes the government is trying to exert more control over California’s coast and open it up to offshore drilling, commercial space development, and other industries. 

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As part of the review, the federal government asked for public comment. At CRNA, we worked to let people know about all this and encouraged them to share their reactions during the comment period. Earlier that month, California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot led a panel called “Your Coast, Your Economy, Your Voice—Defending California’s Coast from Federal Threats,” which I helped gather resources for. I also reached out and partnered with STEM-focused social media influencers like Morgan Hoffman to share the potential impacts on coastal ecosystems and communities. 

Overall, this remote internship with CRNA really strengthened my research and communication skills. I also have a much better sense of California’s environmental issues. When I read the news, it’s so often national and global. But understanding what’s happening in the state where I’ve lived my whole life—that feels important. 

The road to Saint Mary’s

One of my earliest dreams was to go to college, but it always felt so distant and unattainable. My mom and dad are immigrants; they met in California, but they’re both from Tepatitlán de Morelos, a city in Jalisco, Mexico. Neither attended college, and I never felt any pressure from them. But I also had cousins who went on to get their degrees. That became a goal for me. 

The first time I heard about Saint Mary’s was through an internship, actually. During my sophomore and junior years of high school, I was a teacher’s assistant for various teachers I’d had at Caliber: Beta Academy, the public charter school I attended. As a TA, I chaperoned a field trip that took students from multiple grade levels to Saint Mary’s.  

Immediately, I fell in love with the campus. I’d already applied to big state schools in the Bay Area, but I really liked the small classroom sizes at SMC. Thinking about the reality of those other schools, I felt like I wouldn’t really thrive there. The fact that there was a local school that was beautiful and so community-centric really drew me in. I haven’t looked back.

“Thanks to the Liberal Arts Bridge Program, I was able to intern with the [California Natural Resources Agency]. Honestly, I was starting to think I’d never be able to intern somewhere I could advance my career goals. But through LAB’s scholarship, I was able to actually do the work I wanted to do.”

A potential future—and reflection on heritage

Working with the CRNA was such an eye-opening experience. All summer, I was surrounded by people who care about the environment and have been doing this work for many, many years. Being around them and doing that work made me excited to continue on this path. I haven’t felt that excitement for any other potential career.

I also can’t help thinking about where I came from, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month. My heritage is incredibly important to me in all ways. My parents taught me to love our origins and the people who made up our family for generations. To have an entire month dedicated to the people I grew up surrounded by is incredible. 

In a moment, too, when the rhetoric around people from Mexico and South America can be negative and even hateful, it’s so important to have a month that reminds Americans that we are here, and we belong here. Honestly, if I have any advice for “first-gen” college students like me, it’s to believe that you belong. Keep putting yourself out there, no matter what. That’s how you find the right opportunities. 

The Liberal Arts Bridge (LAB) Program is sustained entirely through donations. To support transformative experiences for students like Ramirez, use this link and click Liberal Arts Bridge Program (LAB) under “Designations.”

Hayden Royster is the Associate Editor in the Office of Marketing and Communications at Saint Mary’s College. Write him.