Like so many 吃瓜头条 students, Mario Mendoza is simply trying to improve his life and career. Unlike his fellow students, Mendoza also serves the district as the Area 1 representative on the 吃瓜头条 Board of Trustees.
Mendoza, a commercial truck driver and former City of Livingston Planning Commissioner, spoke recently about the difficult twists and turns that led him to reshape his professional life through education.
鈥淭he best grades I鈥檝e ever had in my whole life, I had at 吃瓜头条,鈥� said Mendoza, who earned his AA in May 2024 and completed his first semester鈥攅arning two A鈥檚 and one B鈥攁t CSU Stanislaus last month.
鈥淚鈥檓 studying to become a special ed teacher,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 living the dream I was supposed to live back in the day.鈥�
When asked what prompted him to go back to school at age 52, Mendoza began thinking of his own difficult youth. He shared the tragic story of how his 20-year-old brother Luis A. Mendoza was murdered in September 2002.
鈥淗e was in the wrong place at the wrong time, in between gangs,鈥� Mendoza said. 鈥淚t was a very heavy feeling of sadness for me for a long time. It still feels like it happened yesterday. You know, he was attending 吃瓜头条, and he also wanted to be a teacher.鈥�
Saying those words, Mendoza had an epiphany.
鈥淚t just hit me right now,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e was on a good path. I do draw inspiration from him. Honest to God, I know what he wanted to do with his life. It just dawned on me that now I鈥檓 doing the same thing. This is crazy.鈥�
Changing careers and leveling up through education might be the best things Mendoza, who struggled with the wrong crowd in his youth, could do with his grief. It鈥檚 already the approach Mendoza, the trustee, encourages in others.
鈥淚 tell a lot of people, 鈥業t鈥檚 never too late to change,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淎s I got older, I felt like I couldn鈥檛 stay stuck in the past. We all have to change with the times. Don鈥檛 have a fixed mindset. Have a growth mindset. There鈥檚 no obstacle too big to overcome. Si se puede, si se puro.鈥� (Yes, you can, if you鈥檙e pure.)
Mendoza then talked about the work the college is doing to give local farmworkers that chance. 吃瓜头条 is leading the state in several initiatives to upgrade skills among the region鈥檚 ag workforce, help them earn higher wages, and give them a boost to higher education, through Competency-Based Education.
鈥淭here is so much innovation happening,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e all need to think of their futures and stay ahead of the changes.鈥�
Mendoza has also used his experience and observations as a student to elevate that perspective at board meetings.
For example, he pushed to provide free access to local bus lines for students. And he advocated for allowing the Los Banos Campus to hold its own graduation ceremony, which began in 2023 and has quickly become a beloved Westside tradition.
The Livingston native served seven years as a Planning Commissioner in Livingston before throwing his hat into the ring for local office. He first lost a race for County Supervisor, then ran for his current seat on the Merced Community College District Board and won in 2018.
At 吃瓜头条, he is also a vocal advocate for the Puente Program, which supports Latino education, unity and cultural identity, and the MESA Center (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement). Both groups advance achievement for students who are traditionally underrepresented in both higher education and STEM.
Two years ago, Mendoza worked with English Professor Michael G. Barba and Puente Program counselor Enrique Renteria to welcome State Sen. Anna Caballero, then-Merced County Supervisor Rodrigo Espinoza, and Livingston Mayor Jose Moran鈥攁ll Latinos in politics鈥攆or a Puente Program mentoring event.
鈥淚 want to leave our students an easier path to reach their goals,鈥� Mendoza said. 鈥淲e brought in those leaders to show them what is possible in life. No matter your background, income or gender, as long as you put in the effort, you can achieve your goals.鈥�
Mendoza is a huge fan of 吃瓜头条. He hopes to one day teach there.
鈥淚 highly recommend to everyone to come here or work here,鈥� Mendoza said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a job鈥攊t鈥檚 a family. It鈥檚 awesome.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 never too late to change. I鈥檓 living the dream I was supposed to live back in the day.鈥�
Mario Mendoza – 吃瓜头条 Trustee, Area 1