Makini Cambridge-Ragan is more than just a student at Grossmont College—she is a mentor, advocate, and leader. As a computer science major, financial aid student worker, and active member of Umoja, Cambridge-Ragan is deeply engaged at Grossmont College to help herself and her fellow students thrive.
Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Cambridge-Ragan’s journey to Grossmont College was shaped by her husband’s military service, which brought them to San Diego. Once on campus, she quickly found her place within Umoja, a program dedicated to providing academic, financial, and communal support to students within the Black/African American community and beyond.
“I love being a part of Umoja,” she says. “Not only is it a safe space for African American students, but it also includes international students, including other students from the Caribbean.”
Cambridge-Ragan is also a dedicated student worker in the Financial Aid office, where she plays a crucial role in spreading awareness about financial aid and scholarships. She has taken it upon herself to ensure that students, especially those in Umoja, are aware of the financial resources available to them.
“A lot of students don’t even realize they qualify for aid,” Cambridge-Ragan said. “One Umoja student thought she wouldn’t get anything, and after I encouraged them to apply, she received $3,000. That moment sparked a chain reaction where more students started applying for FAFSA.”
Her commitment to spreading awareness of financial aid and scholarships goes beyond her student worker jobin the financial aid office. Cambridge-Ragan actively helps her classmates and her fellow Umoja students with the process and has even helped her fellow students write her scholarship essays.
“I had one student tell me she didn’t know what to write for a scholarship application,” Cambridge-Ragan said. “So, I recorded her telling her story, played it back, and told her, ‘Just write that down.’ Sometimes, students just need that little push.”
Beyond helping her fellow students access financial aid and scholarships, Cambridge-Ragan is a high-achieving student with a 3.84 GPA and the goal of transferring to UC San Diego.
Her hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed. Cambridge-Ragan has received multiple scholarships, including the Umoja scholarship and the prestigious Griffin Award of Excellence from the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges. The Griffin Award of Excellence comes with a $1,000 scholarship and is awarded to top Grossmont College students.
Cambridge-Ragan also won a scholarship from the Umoja International Student Fellowship Program, which will help her study abroad in Egypt this summer. The scholarship is awarded to help expose Umoja students to the African diaspora and help them become aware of their place in that experience.
“It was a great honor,” she said. “I don’t like to leave things to chance,” she says. “If I see an opportunity, I want to make sure not just I, but others, take advantage of it too.”