TRAVIS McINTOSH
Region III
Travis McIntosh returned to school, enrolling at Cañada College in the Fall of 2013, after a nearly 17-year hiatus working in retail. He struggled to get by in the Bay Area and was forced to live in his car. Travis never developed much self-confidence growing up, especially in academics, and so he always struggled in school. He entered Cañada with the mindset that he would take it one semester at a time and see how it went: if he did well enough, he would continue. It turned out he would succeed beyond his own expectations.
Travis is a first-generation college student, so was unaware of all the resources and aid available to him. Joining EOPS helped keep Travis on track academically with the help of his amazing counselor. The EOPS book vouchers gave him access to books he might not have otherwise been able to afford. EOPS was also one of his first steps in getting involved on campus. Travis would go on to join Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, eventually becoming the Co-President of his campus chapter. Seeking to share his knowledge with and provide guidance for others, he became a tutor in Cañada College's Stem Center, tutoring students in numerous classes each semester including: biology, chemistry and math. Wanting to help students with more than just academics, Travis became a peer mentor with Bridge to Opportunities peer mentorship program (BTO).