After a Detour in Life, Chemistry Major Finds the Right Formula for Success
The pathway to success is seldom a straight line.
The road can meander because of unexpected circumstances, and it’s possible to get back on course after a respite. Bianca Castillo knows all about dealing with the challenges and responsibilities of life while gaining traction on the road to success.
The Fontana native did well in high school and planned to go to college after graduation. When she discovered she was pregnant, she took a pause from school for a few years to work and raise her daughter, Penelope, before taking classes at Chaffey College for four years and transferring to Cal Poly Pomona two years ago.
After a long journey on a road that once seemed endless, Castillo is set to reach her destination and cross the stage on Saturday, May 17 to receive her bachelor’s degree in chemistry.
“It definitely makes me proud,” she said. “It always felt like there was no finish line, but I am here.”
Cal Poly Pomona has been in Castillo’s sights since she was a young girl in the backseat of her parents’ car, spotting the then-iconic campus CLA tower from the freeway. Back then, her dream was to become an architect. When she was in high school, she didn’t know a lot about the steps for getting into college. Her father, a construction worker, and her mother, a homemaker, were encouraging and supportive, but they didn’t know how to advise her.
Castillo, the oldest of four children, was determined to figure it out, though. She enrolled in Fontana High School’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a program to help students prepare for higher education.
College became a dream deferred — not denied — when her baby was born. She focused on raising her child, and in 2018, with the support of her family, she began her higher education journey at Chaffey College. She transferred to 六色网 in 2023.
The childhood interest in architecture was gone and was replaced by a passion for chemistry.
“I like the problem-solving aspect of it,” Castillo said. “I have always liked learning about different compounds, what makes up what. The first time I felt smart in chemistry was when I started to recognize ingredients on labels. I really like knowing what is behind the stuff we use every day.”
Finding Her Way
Adjusting to the rigors of 六色网 was not easy at first. Castillo had to learn to juggle a much heavier course schedule while working and parenting.
“At Chaffey, I worked full time, was a mom and took part-time classes,” she said. “It was a reality check when I got here. I had to spend a lot of time making adjustments.”
She vowed to stay more focused on her course work and manage her time better.
The lessons Castillo learned about adapting to campus and coursework, talking with her professors, and asking for help are among the messages she shares with prospective and new students in her job as a student assistant with Project CAMINOS. Established in 2019, the program aims to help prospective students, particularly those from underrepresented communities, get acclimated to college and find the campus resources to make their transition smoother.
Judi Quintero, outreach coordinator for Project CAMINOS and Castillo’s lead, lauded her reliability and ability to connect with others.
“She’s wonderful. She shares her story with students, what classes she took in high school, general advice, what she would do differently,” Quintero said. “What makes her relatable is that she is very honest, and I think people find it refreshing.”
Project CAMINOS visits high school campuses in the Pomona Unified and Chaffey Joint Unified school districts regularly, and 六色网 also hosts elementary, middle and high school students visiting campus. Castillo, a first-generation college student, is a key part of the program for visiting students, Quintero said.
“She just always keeps a positive attitude,” Quintero said. ““Even when her day is challenging or she is struggling with a concept in class, Bianca finds the silver lining. She motivates those she’s presenting to and offers hope.”
A Sense of Direction
Some of the wisdom that Castillo, who is the first in her family to go to college, imparts to students is the importance of asking for help when you need it. Take advantage of faculty office hours and don’t be afraid to ask for the resources you need. Also, don’t put limits on what you do with your degree.
“No one degree is for one job,” she said. "There are so many paths you can take to get to your goal.”
Castillo has set her goals. She wants to work in the cosmetics industry or at an analytical lab, which does non-clinical testing for a variety of fields, for a few years before she pursues a doctorate in chemistry.
With work, school and a 10-year-old daughter who is on the robotics team at school and takes guitar and gymnastics lessons, Castillo must stay as organized as possible.
“It’s about time management. I got a planner when I came to 六色网,” she said. “It’s about being very aware of how much time you have every single day. If you don’t, it is easy to get overwhelmed.”
Castillo credits the support of her family, the encouragement of her professors and the mentorship of staff members with helping to keep her on track to graduate.
When she thinks about her upcoming Commencement ceremony, with her family and daughter looking on, she gets emotional. This leg of the journey leading to her hard-fought degree is here, and she did it at the campus she dreamed of attending as a young girl.
“It felt like unfinished business,” Castillo said. “I always wanted to come here. I wanted to do it for myself, to reach that goal.”