by Peaches Chung

In a field where women of color remain vastly underrepresented, Sheryl Samala, a first-generation college student from Long Beach, is forging her own path in public affairs at UCLA. She has lobbied in Washington, D.C., on issues including diversity, equity and inclusion, freedom of speech, and student support, completed a transformative summer internship in Asia, and held leadership roles in multiple student organizations. As a Filipino American, she is redefining what it means for a woman of color to belong in the world of public policy.

The first in her family to attend college, Sheryl grew up in Long Beach, Calif., but attended the Academy of Medical Arts in Carson. At UCLA, she is now a third-year Public Affairs major with a minor in Labor Studies.

In high school, Sheryl was deeply involved in health-related leadership programs like Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and served as a Peer Wellness Advocate, designing campaigns to promote mental health among her peers. “That’s where I first got inspired to go into the medical field,” she says. Like many students from immigrant families, she grew up hearing that medicine was the most stable, respected career path. “Coming from an Asian American background, pursuing medicine was always encouraged. It felt like the safe choice.”

So, when she started college at UCLA, she immediately declared herself a pre-med biology major. But as time went on, her uncertainty grew, and she began to question whether medicine was truly the right path for her.

The turning point came when she enrolled in Public Affairs 10, an introductory course that explores the social science approaches to solving societal problems. “It completely changed my perspective,” she says. “We were learning about government, history, and systems — and connecting them to current issues that were actually relevant to my life. It didn’t feel intimidating at all, I actually felt empowered.”

Sheryl made the leap from Biology to Public Affairs, a decision that opened new possibilities and, unexpectedly, a new sense of self. “At first, I was scared to switch. But Public Affairs is interdisciplinary — it brings together public policy, social welfare, urban planning, and other specialties. I realized it’s OK to be curious about multiple things.”

Since then, Sheryl has made the most of her time at UCLA, diving into every opportunity that aligned with her growing interest in policy and advocacy. She joined the External Vice President’s Office, where she lobbied in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento on issues like freedom of speech, immigrant student rights, and Pell Grant protections. “It was my first time seeing advocacy in action,” she says. “Being in those rooms made me realize how policy directly impacts people’s lives and how passionate I was about these issues.”

Her academic journey also took her across the globe. This past summer, Sheryl traveled to Singapore for a study abroad internship with United Women Singapore, an organization dedicated to advancing gender equality and helping women pursue careers in STEM. “It was my first time traveling outside the country,” she says. “It was such a transformative experience — learning about a different culture and seeing how their policies and government systems work. There’s a lot I want to bring back to the U.S. from what I learned there.”

The opportunity was made possible in part by the Luskin Student Opportunity and Development Fund, which supports students pursuing racial justice and diversity in the field of public affairs.

Despite her accomplishments, Sheryl still wrestles with imposter syndrome — a feeling shared by many first-generation students who find themselves navigating spaces where few people look like them. “There are times I feel undeserving, especially when I compare myself to other students,” she says.

But she’s making an effort to shift her mindset. “Someone once told me that everyone got into UCLA for a reason,” she says. “Even if we didn’t all have the same experiences, we can still find new opportunities here — or create them for ourselves.”

That message is one she now shares with others. “If you’re passionate about this work, you deserve to be in these spaces just as much as anyone else,” she says. “As a low-income, first-generation woman of color, I remind myself that my voice and perspective are needed in places like government, law, and policy.”