Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
By Carla Gutierrez
America’s rusting international border wall in the far corner of the country has cracked open for Mexican students hoping to study at a U.S. community college.
That would be Southwestern College.
A pilot program funded by the California Legislature will allow Mexican students residing within a 72 kilometer (45 mile) radius of the San Diego-Tijuana border crossing to attend Southwestern College at California resident rates rather than pricier international rates. Assembly Bill 91was signed into law last year after years of work by Assemblymember David Álvarez.
California residents pay $46 per unit, while foreign students are charged $393. A foreign student taking a full course load pays about $5,000 per semester, compared to about $500 a resident student pays.
AB-91 is a five-year pilot program divided into three categories: 1) American students who can cross the San Diego-Tijuana border without restrictions, 2) Mexican students with an F1 Border (border community) Visa limited to crossing the border during school hours, 3) F1 international students who are Mexican citizens residing in San Diego County during the school year.
Dr. Joel Pilco, Southwestern’s Director of Binational and International Programs, helped to shape the legislation.
“It’s been a team effort,” he said. “We have to create support systems that help students.”
Pilco also visited Tijuana’s well-regarded Lázaro Cárdenas High School in Tijuana to introduce students to AB-91. Jacqueline Soto heard his presentation.
“Dr. Pilco went to my high school and introduced us to this program, so I decided to apply,” she said. “The process took about four months, but I was accepted.”
Shantal Ahumada, a student with an F1 visa, said she was prodded by her mom.
“My mother attended ESL classes at Southwestern and found out about this pilot program and applied,” she said. “The visa was granted in 2-3 days. It made it possible for me to study in the United States.”
Pilco said by 2030 there will be a very large deficit of professionals in the binational region.
“We have to do something to support the students who are on their way,” he said. “It is an honor to do what I am doing.”
An inaugural cohort of 51 AB 91 students is attending Southwestern this fall. Pilco said he expects 150 during spring 2025.
ESL Professor Joanna Esser said she has three AB 91 students in her class at the San Ysidro satellite campus.
“They benefit from the courses offered in San Ysidro, which reduces their travel,” she said.
Oscar Puga, a computer science student, is taking ESL to improve his English in preparation for his major.
“It is getting complicated because of the language, but I am very grateful,” he said. “I wanted to study in California, but when (colleges) denied me that opportunity I didn’t know what to do. Now I am very happy they accepted me.”
ESL student Soto agreed.
“It’s a struggle at times and (sometimes I) have hard time learning,” she said. “I was reluctant to come here because I knew it would be difficult to study in another country, but I did not want to miss out on this great opportunity.”
Pilco said opportunity is what the program is all about.
“I have been working in higher education for more than 20 years, but certainly these projects have been the most emotional for me,” he said. “I am proud to be able to give identity and voice to binational students.”
