Coastline College Alumni Feature: Lexi Thicksten

Meet Coastline College alum Lexi Thicksten - a driven student whose journey began in Tokyo and led to academic success through Coastline College. With curiosity, resilience, and the support of dedicated mentors, she explored her passions and carved a path toward a career in international affairs. Their story highlights the power of student services, community, and perseverance in achieving ambitious educational goals. Find out more about Lexi, her journey, and what her future has in store for her as she begins her Masters program at UCSD in this Coastline College Alumni Feature!

What is your education/career success story?

I was originally born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, with dual citizenship. I wanted to earn my way into the university I got into, not because of the school I went to growing up but based on merit or hard work. I had a lot of ambition but didn't know where to steer it towards. I stumbled across Coastline College when exploring junior colleges with my professor grandmother. That's where I began taking general education classes, which in turn allowed me to explore my interests. Through being the Associated Student Government vice president, that taught me leadership skills and made me interested in public service.

After transferring to CSULB, I wanted to secure a spot at a graduate program in international affairs. I attended talks hosted by diplomats and went to school fairs where UCSD had a booth. I was told by their representative that UCSD had data analysis components useful in diplomacy. This school was the ideal school for me in my mind, and I decided I would apply there later on.

After moving out on my own and applying to graduate programs, I was able to get a full-ride scholarship to the UCSD International Affairs MA program. With the help of Dr. Paulo Varquez, he helped with the revision of my fellowship application, which in turn enabled me to secure the funding for the program. Alison Carlock (Martell) and Carlos Amescua were also vital in my success, as they still continued to help with writing letters of recommendation and keeping in touch after the last two years since graduating from Coastline College.

Applying to these master's programs felt like an impossible task, but Paolo made it much less stressful. After waiting for months, being able to have my graduate applications not only accepted but also have scholarship offers really meant a lot. It felt like a lot of my hard work was paid off. During the time I was applying to these schools, I was facing a lack of income at my job. My hours were cut due to staff onboarding, and my income was in the net negative. Still, I held on to the hope of getting into my graduate programs, hoping to secure a paid-for program. Thankfully, this was able to be done, and I am truly thankful for all of the help I received along the way. My CSULB professor, Professor Lesenyie, wrote numerous letters of recommendation for me, which helped me in my graduate program and also in securing my current job. Odalys Zamora was also time and time again willing to write me letters of recommendation, cheering me on during the process. Because of her support, that helped me push through my time away from student government work. I am thankful for the support I have received and am very excited to begin my master's program at UCSD!

How did Coastline help you achieve your success? Were there any particular programs, staff, and/or faculty members that played a particularly important role?

I was lucky to get the support of Alex Cooper, who became my mentor and helped me with my transfer to CSULB. Because Alex had attended CSULB, that helped with my anxiety surrounding the next move. Mariana Ocampo and Dalia Zetina have helped me with support during my time at Coastline whenever I needed help with anything, as well as being willing to help me with any referrals down the line.

I grew close to them during my time studying general education, which, after talking to them about my aspirations, helped guide me to focus on diplomacy today. I could not have asked for a better support system. Coastline College has an amazing team that feels like a family, and they will ensure your success; you just have to be willing to take that next step in your career or academic journey.

What advice would you give other students about using the student services available at Coastline (ex. Career Services, Transfer Services, Veterans Resource Center, etc.) early and often?

The Career Services are what I utilized the most. Tom Boscamp is a great resource as well if you are a veteran or are interested in the political sphere. The Veterans Resource Center does a lot for the veteran community but also has resources for just about anybody because of their wide network. Tom Boscamp has a lot of experience and expertise. He helped me with letters of recommendation and is a really great individual to work with altogether.

Sara Estrada, through the outreach department, gave me insight into local outreach. This allowed me to see the outreach aspect of junior college, where students from underprivileged backgrounds are given the opportunity to seek a better life for themselves. Her expertise in this field motivated me to continue outreach work, which I continued on the CSULB campus, working with cultural organizations to give support during turbulent times in our economy, both culturally and financially. Financial hardships are paramount to the undergraduate experience, but leaning on pre-existing resources helps a great deal.

Career Services should be used as soon as possible. For those with no direction, taking tests on areas you like to study and personality tests may give you resolve about your sense of self. Otherwise, general education classes can give you guidance, allowing you to see what topics you value the most and what brings excitement to your studies. I would recommend the major that comes naturally to you; often times, I hear from students that they chose the wrong field and are stuck in a major they don't care for. The benefit of junior college is seeing what you are naturally skilled at and what areas you care about the most in your life.

Congratulations on all your success, Lexi! Coastline wishes you the best of luck as you continue your educational journey at UCSD and beyond!

Are you a Coastline College alum who would like to share successes you've acheived after graduating? Complete our Student Success Highlight Submission Form to share your story with us!