A Gift That Changes Lives – The Impact of Donating to the San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation
October 16th, 2024
Patricia Siguenza wears many hats: Scientist. Volunteer. Mentor. Philanthropist. Each new roleborn from a desire to give back to her community.
Born in El Salvador, Patty emigrated to California and settled in San Mateo with her family. She attended Burlingame High School, where she enrolled in the ‘English as a Second Language’ program. She credits the program for not only helping her to become a fluent English speaker, but also finding a great mentor and college prep courses. The eldest of four children, Patty had long dreamed of becoming a doctor. She had lots of ambition, but not a lot of extra money. Fortunately, she quickly realized that College of San Mateo was her best path forward as it was located close to home and offered all of the foundational courses she needed before enrolling in medical school. She became a Bulldog when she stepped onto the CSM campus for the first time in the autumn of 1982.
Not one to coast along, she recalls throwing herself into campus life at CSM. She found a study group, and got a job at the bookstore. All while keeping her ‘eye on the prize’ of attending San Francisco State University. Patty reminisces about pre-internet life and cross-checking the course catalogues for CSM and San Francisco State (actual booklets back then!) to make sure her enrolled classes counted toward thepre-requisitesfor medical school.
I know that education can open doors for students.
- Patricia Siguenza
It was in one of those pre-requisite classesat College of San Mateo–Zoology, that her career plan shifted. Professor Rex Joslin routinely took hisstudents on field trips to different Bay Area-based companies to expose them to a variety of science careers.She and her classmates visited: NASA, Stanford’s SLAC laboratories, and Syntex Corporation, a San Mateo-based pharmaceuticals company. It was on one of those field trips, that she was first introduced to clinical research careers and biosciences. Patty was still determined to become a pediatrician;however, she now had a broader knowledge of other possible careers beyond direct patient care, which is all she’d known in El Salvador.
Patty graduated from CSM and transferred to SF State. Just three years later, with a bachelor’sdegree inClinical Science in hand, and networking know-how she learnedat CSM, Patty walked confidently into the lobby of a relatively unknown startup called, “Genentech” based in South San Francisco and left hercurriculum vitae (a comprehensive résumé used in scientific and academic communities)at the reception desk.
Taking that chance paid off as she was hired a month later to “work at the bench” testing samples. It was the beginning of a long and successful career. In fact, she spent her entire professional career with Genentech and recently retired as Vice President of BioAnalytical Sciences, a role where she led a team of more than 130 scientists.
But what brought her back to the Foundation and her first alma mater, CSM?
It might be hard to believe, considering College of San Mateo celebrated its centennial in 2022, but the SMCCC Alumni Association, which includes alumni from all three District colleges, is only a few years old. In 2018, Pattyanswered a call toreview scholarship applications, and soon thereafter, to join the SMCCC Alumni Advisory Council.She describes seeing a social media post seeking volunteers as ‘fortuitous,’ as she had recentlydecided to start mentoring future scientists.
When she reflects on the early days of the SMCCC Alumni Council, Patty talks about the joy she found as they worked to build community, support the mission of the colleges, and create opportunities for future Bulldogs, Skyline Trojans, and Cañada Colts. When later approached to join the SMCCC Foundation Board of Directors in 2019, she immediately accepted. She considers it a privilege to provide her well-honed leadership skills and deep understanding of the student experience to fundraise and steward resources for student success today and in the future. During her tenure as Board Chair, she has led the Foundation through COVID, it’s transition to an auxiliary of the district, and most recently, a change in leadership.
We are grateful for her commitment to her alma mater, and the Foundation, and are thrilled to acknowledge a remarkable career, and celebrate a well-earned retirement. Congrats Patty!
Next month, we will share how Patty honored her father, by establishing a scholarship fund and the impact she has made on the lives of students who hope to follow in her footsteps.