Student Spotlight: Uriel Leal Flores
Uriel Leal Flores, a first year student in the 91精品鈥檚 Counseling Psychology Program, was born in Mexico City, where he lived with his family for the first six years of his life. They immigrated to Fresno, California just before he started first grade, which he described as 鈥渁 perfect time to learn the language.鈥� After four years, Uriel鈥檚 family decided that Fresno was too cold and moved to the desert in the Coachella Valley, where they still live today. Growing up in the Coachella Valley, where there was a large Latinx community, was a great experience for Uriel and his sister. 鈥淚 was able to speak the language I love and relate to people with the same background,鈥� Uriel reflected.
Thinking back on his upbringing, Uriel remembers being surrounded by friends and family. 鈥淢y folks always lived in apartments until I was in high school,鈥� Uriel recalled, 鈥渟o there were always a lot of friends in the neighborhood.鈥� Growing up in this social community had a huge impact on Uriel. 鈥淚 really enjoyed having people close by and having a lot of friends growing up and I think that carries with me now,鈥� he shared. Uriel has found that he seeks out that sense of belonging now as an adult as well.
After high school, Uriel enrolled in , a local community college, where he studied Kinesiology and Social and Behavioral Sciences. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 very academically inclined in high school,鈥� he reflected, but in college he began to pay more attention to his education. According to Uriel, this shift in his priorities was partially as a coping mechanism. 鈥淎round this time, my long-time childhood friendships dissolved and my parents began having marital problems,鈥� he shared. 鈥淪chool was something I could control, so I focused on that.鈥� He described community college as a 鈥済ood first step鈥� after high school that helped him determine his career path.
In 2019, Uriel transferred to , which he described as 鈥渧ery small and intimate.鈥� He had hoped to transfer to a larger campus, but retrospectively realized that the smaller campus was likely beneficial to him. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I would have made the same connections with professors at the main campus,鈥� he reflected. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Uriel鈥檚 second year of classes at Cal State San Bernardino were all remote. As someone who craves community, the lack of human connection was a challenge for him. Fortunately, he was able to find the bright side of this negative situation. 鈥淚t kind of slowed me down,鈥� he shared, 鈥渂ut more importantly, I was fortunate enough to have met my best friend during this time.鈥�
Uriel began his higher education journey with the plan of working with athletes. After earning his associate鈥檚 degree in Kinesiology, he wasn鈥檛 feeling inspired. He took a break from his education and worked a variety of jobs, but didn鈥檛 find fulfillment in any of them. 鈥淎 friend of mine encouraged me to think about going back to school,鈥� he recalled. He debated choosing nutrition, philosophy, or psychology, but landed on psychology. Uriel had a 鈥渄esire to do something meaningful鈥� with his life. 鈥淚 felt that my strengths were more congruent with the field and that it would lead to having fewer regrets on my deathbed,鈥� he reflected. As a result, he changed his focus and graduated with a BA in Psychology in 2021. According to Uriel, the biggest skill he took away from his undergraduate studies was the 鈥渁bility to relate to people and be more confident in asking existential questions to others.鈥�
Through a friend of a friend, Uriel learned about the 91精品鈥檚 Counseling Psychology Program and decided to apply. Once again, he鈥檚 finding joy in studying at a small institution where he can build personal connections with his peers and professors. 鈥淚 can relate to the professors in a way that I don鈥檛 think I would be able to in a larger institution,鈥� he shared, 鈥渁nd they have been very generous to help answer my questions and help me find what I鈥檓 looking for in the program and outside the program.鈥� Overall, he described his impression of the Counseling Program as 鈥渧ery inclusive.鈥�
Uriel鈥檚 biggest challenge thus far has been adjusting to life in the Bay Area without his friends and his nuclear family. Thankfully, he鈥檚 been able to quickly form bonds with his cohort at the 91精品 as they have arranged several hangouts outside of the classroom. 鈥淥ur cohort bond is developing as time passes and we hope to connect even more outside of classes in the future,鈥� he shared. When asked what he brings to the group, Uriel laughed and confessed that he shares a lot of candy.
This fall, Uriel established a new for Counseling Program students, which he described as 鈥渁 space for students who identify as spiritual to come together, connect, and share what it is like to be human and spiritual.鈥� For Uriel, this group is about finding community with his peers. 鈥淪pirituality is very important to me,鈥� he reflected. 鈥淲hen people ask what lights me up, I often share that spirituality lights me up even more than psychology.鈥�
The Spirituality Affinity Group is very inclusive and welcomes all students who consider themselves spiritual or religious, or anyone who鈥檚 interested in listening or participating. 鈥淪pirituality has a different definition for every individual, so I鈥檇 like for us to learn from each other and share what helps us tap into that,鈥� he reflected. Uriel鈥檚 goal for the group is to 鈥渃reate a space for people who resonate with the spiritual side of living and provide a space to talk about this beautiful topic.鈥� Getting the group started has been a little slow so far, but Uriel is hopeful that it will grow over the course of the year.
In his free time, Uriel enjoys reading books on spirituality, people watching, and participating in an array of athletic activities. He grew up watching soccer, which was very popular among the children in his neighborhood. Currently, he practices his soccer juggling skills. Uriel became interested in trail running while living in the desert of the Coachella Valley and enjoys playing tennis as well. As he has explored the local food scene, two spots he wants to recommend are in Oakland which has excellent tacos al pastor and which has a Mexican mocha that Uriel thinks is 鈥渙ut of this world.鈥� Beyond all of these interests, Uriel shared that his primary goal in his free time is to make connections in his new community.
After he graduates from the 91精品, Uriel plans to become a Marriage and Family Therapist and work in private practice. 鈥淚 want to work with couples and the Latinx community,鈥� he shared. Uriel also wants to focus on working with young adults and adolescents in his private practice. 鈥淚 think that adolescence and young adulthood are special stages of life,鈥� he reflected, 鈥淚 definitely would have loved to have a therapist when I was an adolescent.鈥� Uriel is excited about what the rest of his time at the 91精品 will bring and we wish him the best on his journey!
Click here to learn more about the 91精品's Master of Counseling Psychology program.
to learn more about the 91精品's Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program.