PAMELA SAN DIEGO - Valedictorian, Class of 2026 on The Quiet Power of Showing Up.

PAMELA SAN DIEGO - Valedictorian, Class of 2026 on The Quiet Power of Showing Up.

 

When Pamela San Diego first arrived at Booth University College, she called it a "leap of faith." By the time she took the podium as the Class of 2026 Valedictorian, that leap had transformed into a masterclass in structural resilience.

While completing her Bachelor of Social Work, Pamela San Diego balanced the responsibilities of serving as Student Council President, working as a Student Engagement Coordinator with Student Services at Booth UC, and leading several student volunteer initiatives—including partnering with the West Broadway Bear Clan Patrol to organize regular Bear Clan walks—while supporting her mother through a terminal cancer diagnosis until her passing. Rather than allowing loss to diminish her, she transformed her grief into meaningful service, strengthening the Booth University College community through compassionate leadership, advocacy, and a deep commitment to belonging. Her dedication was recognized with the Chancellor's Medal, presented by Commissioner Lee Graves in recognition of her exceptional academic achievement, spiritual development, and campus leadership.

In a historic year that marked Booth UC's largest graduating class, San Diego’s address did away with traditional individualistic platitudes. Instead, she offered a moving defense of collective care, honoring the "quiet power of showing up for one another" and offering a blueprint for a world that deeply needs a culture of belonging.

Pamela, what does becoming the 2026 Booth UC Valedictorian mean to you?

Initially, becoming valedictorian was a dream my mom had for me. After she passed away, it remained something I carried with me, but it wasn't until my final term that it truly became my own goal. By then, it represented something much deeper than academic achievement. It became a way to prove to myself that despite the struggles, grief, and mental battles I faced throughout my degree, I was still capable of finishing what I started. At a time when I questioned my ability to reach the finish line, a mentor, Jennifer Meixner, told me, "Now I'm telling you, you can't give up. We're going to get you to the end." Those words stayed with me throughout the remainder of my degree, reminding me that resilience is often built by taking one step forward, even when the destination feels out of reach.

Becoming the 2026 Booth University College Valedictorian is a reminder that resilience can exist alongside hardship, and that even through life's most difficult seasons, growth and perseverance are possible. After convocation, I went directly to my mom's resting place to tell her that we had finished this journey together. From the very beginning, this dream had always belonged to both of us, and standing there, I knew that although she was no longer beside me, every step of the journey had carried her with me.

 

 

Your Valedictorian address beautifully highlighted "the quiet power of showing up for one another." In a world that often celebrates individual achievement, why is a culture of belonging the ultimate prerequisite for academic success?

For me, academic success was never something I achieved alone. There were many moments throughout my degree when grief, personal struggles, and self-doubt made it difficult to keep going. What helped me persevere was knowing there were people who continued to show up for me—professors and staff who believed in me, classmates who checked in, mentors who encouraged me, friends who sat with me in difficult moments, and a campus community that made me feel seen and valued.

A culture of belonging creates an environment where people feel safe to ask for help, make mistakes, and grow. When individuals know they matter beyond their grades or accomplishments, they are more willing to take risks, persevere through challenges, and support others in return. While academic achievement often recognizes an individual, I believe it is built upon the encouragement, compassion, and investment of a community.

My journey through Booth University College was never a reflection of doing everything on my own. Mentors such as Dr. Mandy Elliott and Dr. Jason Peters helped me break down the walls I had built around asking for help. Through their guidance, I learned that strength is not measured by carrying e very burden alone, but by allowing others to walk alongside you. This achievement was made possible by the faculty, staff, classmates, friends, and family who surrounded me with unwavering encouragement. During the moments when I questioned whether I could continue, they reminded me that giving up was simply not an option. Their confidence in me often exceeded my own, and they continued to believe in me until I was able to believe in myself again. Looking back, my journey is a testament to the power of community. It reflects what is possible when people choose to show up for one another, foster a genuine sense of belonging, and remind us that resilience is strengthened through the support of others rather than built in isolation.

Many students face unexpected crises that threaten their education. For the student sitting in the dark, doubting if they can carry both grief and their goals, what is your advice?

Go through it. As much as we wish we could avoid life's difficult seasons, the only way forward is to move through them one day, one step, and sometimes one moment at a time. Don't let anyone convince you that you have to choose between facing hardship and pursuing your goals—you can do both, even when it feels impossible. Difficult seasons don't have to define your future. They may change the way we move forward, but they don't have to stop you from reaching the finish line.

Most importantly, don't go through it alone. We live in a culture that often tells us we need to carry our struggles by ourselves—that asking for help is a sign of weakness. But Booth taught me the opposite. Staff members like Angie, Connie, and Shannon reminded me that strength is found in allowing others to walk alongside you. Some of the greatest lessons I learned at Booth were not found in a textbook but in the people who showed me that asking for help is an act of courage. Their belief carried me until I could believe in myself again.

Healing is not linear, and success doesn't require perfection. Be patient with yourself, extend yourself grace, and remember that your current season does not define your future. Keep showing up, even if all you can do that day is take one small step forward. Sometimes that's more than enough.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned at Booth University College?

The most valuable lesson I learned at Booth University College was that strength is not found in doing everything alone. For much of my life, I believed I had to carry every challenge by myself, and I kept much of my grief to myself. Sharing those experiences with others felt unfamiliar and deeply uncomfortable at first. Yet Booth taught me that there is courage in asking for help and allowing others to walk alongside you. Through the support of faculty and staff, classmates, and mentors, I learned that a community of belonging is not just something we talk about—it is something we live. Opening up did not make me weaker; it allowed others to support me in ways I never thought possible and reminded me that healing and growth are not meant to happen in isolation.

Entering the Social Work program, I expected to learn how to support others. Instead, I found myself being transformed alongside the material we were studying. As I learned how to care for others, I also learned how to care for myself. Sitting in social work classes, we explored difficult realities—trauma, loss, mental health, injustice, and resilience. Those conversations were not always comfortable, yet it was through that discomfort that much of my growth took place. My own mental well-being was tested in ways I never anticipated, forcing me to put into practice the same compassion, self-awareness, and grace that we were encouraged to extend to others. Looking back, I realize those experiences revealed a courage within me that I didn't know I possessed.

 

That lesson transformed not only my academic journey but also the way I approach my career, relationships, and life's challenges. Booth reminded me that courage is not about carrying every burden alone; it is about having the humility to lean on others and the willingness to walk alongside them in return. We are all stronger when we choose to show up for one another.

As you leave Booth UC and start your career in social work, how do you hope to turn the "community of belonging" you found here into real change for people in need?

One of the greatest gifts Booth University College gave me was the understanding that community can be found anywhere when we are willing to cultivate it. A true community of belonging is not limited to a campus or classroom; it is built wherever people choose to meet one another with compassion, dignity, and hope.

As I begin my career in social work, I hope to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued, especially during some of the most difficult seasons of their lives. Whether I am responding to someone in crisis, supporting a family through hardship, or simply sitting with someone who feels alone, I want them to know they do not have to carry their burdens by themselves. Sometimes the most meaningful change doesn't come from having all the answers—it comes from being present, listening without judgment, and reminding someone that they matter.

The community of belonging I found at Booth shaped who I am, and I hope to carry that same spirit into every person, family, and community I have the privilege of serving. If I can help even one person feel less alone than they did before we met, then I know I am living out the values Booth taught me.