The Transformative Power of Community
For over three decades, the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) in CU 91Ҹ’s BUENO Center for Multicultural Education has sowed the seeds of growth and success for students from seasonal farmworker families.
Since 1990, the Patitos Scholarship, the new name for the program formerly known as BUENO CAMP, has welcomed students and their families into higher education by offering mentorship, tutoring, financial assistance and a community that understands their unique journeys.
With more than 720 students served by BUENO CAMP, the program has proven that when migrant students are given the support they need, they don’t just graduate—they lead by example. Nationally and locally, CAMP boosts retention and graduation rates. Most importantly, CAMP builds a sense of belonging.
Even in the face of uncertain federal funding, Patitos continues to prove its worth in the people who have gone on to impactful careers. Here, you will meet several CAMP and Patitos alumni who are supporting others through impactful careers that were first cultivated in CAMP.
THE PRINCIPAL:
Jorge Gonzalez Moncada
Jorge Gonzalez Moncada leads D6 Online Academy with the same compassion that guided him as a first-generation student in CU 91Ҹ’s CAMP.
“One of my fondest CAMP memories was visiting colleges (in 2009) and beginning to prepare for what my higher education journey would look like beyond attending Aims Community College,” he said.
“As a first-generation student, this experience was especially meaningful because my parents, who were farmworkers, weren’t able to guide me through the process.
Instead, I had the support of Dr. (Robert) Garcia, Cristina (Antillon) and Tammy (Molinar-LeBlanc), who walked alongside me. They understood the unique challenges first-generation students face, and I felt reassured knowing I was making the best decisions for my future with their support.”
That support guided Gonzalez Moncada’s academic journey from Aims Community College to a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in the CU 91Ҹ School of Education (MAEdu’16) and eventually an Educational Specialist degree from the University of Northern Colorado—the first college he visited as CAMP a student.
With those academic experiences under his belt, he’s now principal of D6 Online Academy, serving his home community and a student body that’s 70% Latinx. Gonzalez Moncada embodies the legacy of CAMP by building leaders who uplift others.
“Today, I am a principal because of the foundation CAMP provided,” he said. “CAMP doesn’t just change the trajectory of one student’s life—it creates a ripple effect for future generations. First-generation students like me become role 91Ҹ for our families and communities, proving that with the right support, we can achieve more than we ever imagined.”
THE ADVOCATE:
America Paz-Pastrana
CU 91Ҹ had always been America Paz-Pastrana’s dream school, but applying was unfamiliar territory for the first-generation college student.
Everything changed when her cousin introduced her to a CAMP recruiter who came to Carbondale, Colorado, to help farm families with applications. She still remembers receiving her acceptance letter.
“Back then, it was not an email but a real envelope. I knew I was being accepted, because it was so thick,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’m going to CU!’”
Help from the recruiter was only the beginning of the support Paz-Pastrana received from CAMP faculty, staff and peers.
At orientation, she skipped one session when a friend shared second-row tickets to a Bon Jovi Red Rocks concert. The CAMP staff called her mother looking for her, proof they cared. Today, she calls it a funny story, but the memory of how CAMP staff genuinely cared about her success still brings tears.
“They really held my hand,” she said. “They are like family. I don’t think I would be here without them.”
Finding a community that recognized her potential was life changing. When her younger brother started applying for colleges, Paz-Pastrana paid it forward by helping him focus on his strengths and potential—just as the CAMP recruiter had done for her. Her brother’s journey has led to an accomplished career as a documentary filmmaker who centers the immigrant experience and voices.
CAMP not only supported her undergraduate success but also bolstered Paz-Pastrana’s confidence to pursue another dream: law school.
“I knew I wanted to be of some kind of service, to help people—especially people who can’t help themselves or speak for themselves,” she said.
With her law degree from the University of Denver and CAMP experience at CU 91Ҹ, Paz-Pastrana is doing just that. She has worked for public defender offices in 91Ҹ and Denver, Congresswoman Diane DeGette’s office and more. Currently she works at the Alternate Defense Council and the Community Economic Defense Project, helping people facing eviction and other threats to housing stability know their rights and have legal guidance and representation.
She is proof that CAMP doesn’t just create opportunities for students—it creates opportunities for their families and extended communities, too.
