When Lesly Martinez stood before a virtual audience of San José City College students last week, her message was as bright as her smile: “You belong here,” she said. For the first-year dental student at the University of California, San Francisco, those words were not simply encouragement—they were the story of her own life.
Martinez began her higher education journey at San José City College (SJCC) in 2015, unsure of what college life would bring. A first-generation student and the daughter of immigrants, she arrived on campus without a roadmap—but quickly found community in the college’s SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) chapter. Under her leadership, the club flourished. In 2016, the national organization named the SJCC chapter “Chapter of the Year,” a recognition that Martinez still describes with disbelief. “I learned what leadership was through lived experience,” she said. “You’re not born a leader; you grow into one.”
A Foundation at City College
For Martinez, City College wasn’t just a starting point—it was, as she told students, “the foundation of everything for me.” She credits mentors like SJCC chemistry professor Dr. José Cabrera and counselor Olga Morales Anaya from the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) office for helping her navigate the maze of higher education. They introduced her to SACNAS, tutoring programs, and peer-led study groups that would become her lifelines in biology and chemistry.
“I had never been in clubs or leadership positions in high school,” she said. “At SJCC, I found my people. I built confidence, community, and lifelong friendships.”
By 2018, those connections and her academic preparation propelled her to UC Santa Cruz, where she pursued a degree in legal studies with a minor in biology—an unconventional pairing that reflected her curiosity about the intersection of health care and policy. “I was interested in how the law affects access to care, especially for undocumented patients,” she explained.
Finding Her Calling in Health Care
After earning her bachelor’s degree, Martinez took several gap years to gain hands-on experience in dentistry. She worked as a dental assistant at private practices and at a federally qualified health center serving low-income patients—an experience she described as transformative.
“Working with underserved communities confirmed that this is what I want to do,” she said. “I could see myself doing this work for the rest of my life.”
Those experiences inspired her to apply to UCSF’s Post-Baccalaureate Program in Dentistry, a yearlong intensive designed to strengthen academic preparation and expose students to clinical and research environments. The program not only sharpened her scientific skills—it also eased the financial burden of professional school by subsidizing study materials and standardized test fees. “Those tests are expensive,” she laughed, “but UCSF helped make it possible.”
Her hard work paid off. In December 2024, Martinez received her acceptance letter to the UCSF School of Dentistry, her top choice. “I didn’t think twice,” she said. “It felt like everything I had done since SJCC led me here.”
Lessons in Resilience
Speaking to current City College students, Martinez was candid about the challenges she faced: financial stress, self-doubt, and the exhaustion of juggling work with full-time classes. “It wasn’t easy,” she said. “There were nights I came home from work and still had to study until two in the morning.”
She urged students to seek support early and often—from tutors, mentors, and peers. “Asking for help isn’t a weakness,” she said. “Its a strength. Programs like METAS, EOPS, and the Transfer Center exist for you. Use them.”
Her advice carried the weight of experience. Martinez, who identifies as undocumented and is one of the founders of the Advocacy Leadership for Immigrant Access Support Services (ALMASS) club, spoke openly about navigating financial aid and scholarship systems that often exclude students like her. She encouraged others in similar situations to research opportunities such as the The Dream.US and Soros Fellowships. “There are resources out there—you just have to keep asking,” she said.
Martinez also addressed a common anxiety among community college students transferring to competitive universities: feeling “behind” or “out of place.” “I used to compare myself to others and feel rushed to finish,” she admitted. “But I learned that everyone’s path is different. Taking your time doesn’t mean you’re falling behind—it means you’re building wisely.”
Life as a Dental Student
Now at UCSF, Martinez’s schedule is relentless: anatomy labs, radiology, biomaterials, morphology, and patient-care training fill her week from morning to evening. Her class of 70 students—one of the largest in recent years—includes peers from across the country, many of them first-generation like herself.
“It’s intense,” she said with a laugh. “The amount of information can be overwhelming. But every day, I’m reminded why I’m here.”
She spends Fridays in UCSF’s pre-clinical labs practicing patient intake procedures and learning the fundamentals of oral care. She has already sculpted her first wax tooth—a rite of passage for dental students. “It’s meticulous work,” she said, “but when you finish, you realize: I’m actually learning how to heal people.”
Even amid the demands of graduate school, she continues to mentor others through UCSF’s First-Gen Program and Basic Needs initiatives. “Representation matters,” she told the SJCC audience. “When younger students see someone who looks like them, who shares their story, they believe it’s possible.”
A Message for the Next Generation
When asked how she defines success today, Martinez paused. “At City College, success meant getting to the next step,” she said. “Now it means celebrating every small win—after every quiz, every midterm—just knowing I’m capable of being here.”
Her closing message to students was simple but stirring: “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Be the leader you needed when you started. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, apply for every scholarship, and remember—you belong here.”
For the students listening, it was more than a pep talk. It was a reminder that from the classrooms of San José City College to the labs of UCSF, the path to a dream career in healthcare can begin with a single conversation—and someone willing to share how she made it.
“Every part of my journey started at SJCC,” Martinez said. “If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be: you’re more capable than you think.”
Martinez is depicted in the iconic ¡Viva la Causa! mural by Carlos Rodriguez at SJCC’s César E. Chávez Library.
