Meet Pilar Diaz Bombino (she/her), who graduated from Jordan High School in 2021 and most recently from the University of California, Los Angeles. We connected with her to learn how the Watkins Fellowship helped her through her college journey, especially during motherhood.

When Pilar Diaz Bombino received the call that she had been awarded the Watkins Fellowship, she was shocked because she hadn’t applied for it. No application, no expectations, just a 2021 speech she had given at her Jordan High School graduation that somehow made its way back to Jane Watkins, the program’s namesake and benefactor. That speech, grounded in Pilar’s lived experience as a first-generation Latina student from a low-income background, moved Jane enough to take action. [You can read the details in this LA Times article.]

At the time, she was college-bound to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and is joining the Bruin Class of 2025. She will officially complete her Political Science degree requirements in the fall, but had the opportunity to walk in the commencement ceremony on June 15, 2025.

“Watkins covered my rent for all four years,” Pilar shared. “I haven’t had to take a single dollar out of pocket.” With housing costs covered, the fellowship allowed her to redirect her focus toward her studies and her family.

For Pilar, a new mother and former full-time student, the Watkins Fellowship was more than just financial relief; it was a lifeline. “I don’t know how Said [her partner] and I would have made any of this work without it. We would have had to pay what now would be over $40,000 in rent. That kind of money? We just didn’t have it.”

But the impact of the fellowship didn’t stop at rent. Pilar credits much of her academic progress and emotional well-being to the guidance of the program’s advisors, Ash Sanchez and Jamie Pedroza of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. From regular bi-weekly check-ins to building her confidence in speaking with professors and assistants, the support network helped Pilar stay grounded through some of the most difficult moments of her college journey. “Jamie especially was a rock for me. I always had someone to talk to, whether I got a good grade or a bad one. She helped me feel like I belonged.”

Pilar’s path has not been easy. She often struggled to see herself reflected in the broader UCLA student body. “They claim diversity, but you rarely see anyone who looks like you,” she said. “It wasn’t until I took a Latino politics class that I saw others who shared my background.”

Time constraints made it nearly impossible to connect with cultural programs on campus before motherhood; her days were a cycle of class, work, and home. Now, with baby Santiago in the picture, her schedule is even more demanding. She took a quarter off after his birth, but quickly returned, determined to finish what she started.

“This is a commitment I made to myself years ago,” Pilar said with quiet resolve. “Having a child isn’t a barrier. It’s a bump in the road, but we continue moving forward.”

Through it all, Pilar has grown into a confident, thoughtful, and resilient leader. She encourages future Watkins Fellowship recipients to treat the opportunity with respect. “Even if you don’t need the money for rent, be smart with it. It’s life-changing. Use it to support your future.”

Her story is a testament to what’s possible when students are seen, believed in, and given the tools to succeed.

The Watkins Fellowship was established in 2021 with the generous support of philanthropist Jane Watkins. It is open to high school seniors in the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools’ network who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college. Fellows receive financial, academic, and other support throughout their undergraduate journey.