Returning to Irvine Valley College (IVC) as an ELEVATE counselor is “a full-circle experience” for CatCat Hua, who says supporting first-generation students “reminds me why I’m so passionate about this work.”
“Growing up as a first-generation college student raised by a single parent in a low-income household, education always felt like both an opportunity and an unknown,” Hua said. “As an Asian American and the second oldest of four sisters, I often felt the responsibility to be the example for my sisters, even when I was still trying to figure out my own path.” She became the first in her family to attend college and chose IVC after a friend encouraged her, saying the decision “became a defining moment that shaped my journey in unexpected and meaningful ways.”
Hua discovered Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) while completing her IVC application. Through the program, she built a transformative relationship with her counselor, Parisa Soltani. “She guided me through every step of my college journey,” Hua said. “Through her guidance, I began to realize that I wanted to follow a similar path, one where I could support and empower others just as she did for me.”
EOPS helped her balance school with multiple jobs through required counseling contacts, flexible appointments, and financial support. “Receiving cafeteria and gas cards provided essential financial support during times of struggle,” she said. A COUN 1 class also “sparked my passion for student support.”
Hua said earning her associate degree at IVC and “successfully transferring to UCI” gave her “a deep sense of purpose and confidence.” At UCI, she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in education before completing a master’s degree in counseling at CSULB, along with graduate certificates in Community College and Applied Disability Studies. As the first in her family to achieve these milestones, she said she knew she would “pave the way for others to follow.”
Today, Hua’s own EOPS experience guides her work as a counselor. “Having personally benefited from the guidance, resources, and encouragement EOPS offered, I understand the impact consistent support can have,” she said.
Looking back, “IVC will always be home to me,” she said. “It’s where my higher education journey began and where I experienced the most growth.”