Lighting the Way to the Future

Antonio Guereca, MA ’25 is in his all-star season at LMU.

A graduate student in the LMU School of Education Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services program and president of LMU’s Graduate Counseling Students Association, Guereca’s journey reflects his belief in the power of storytelling and the importance of supporting students in finding their own paths.

Born and raised in southeast Los Angeles, Guereca attended LAUSD’s Elizabeth Learning Center, where he was recognized for his academic excellence and well-roundedness. But when he got to college, he struggled academically, facing significant challenges, including culture shock, imposter syndrome, financial management issues, and more. He credits his community service projects working with high school students and newly-admitted college students with getting him back on track, and guiding him toward a career in education.

“As I was doing these community service projects… I think that was the first testament of me giving guidance and advice to folks,” he said. “I felt like I was doing what I needed to do.”

Guereca’s journey has now come full circle from where his educational career began. He currently interns at LAUSD’s Maywood Center for Energy Studies, where he aims to help students, many of them first-generation youth, critically evaluate their educational and career goals. 

After he graduates from LMU, Guereca hopes to work in college counseling in the communities he grew up in, providing social and emotional support to students, helping them to understand their own goals and paths rather than imposing his own experiences on them, as they navigate post-secondary education.

“I function by the motto ‘Be the adult that you wish you had’,” Guereca said. “I want to have an opportunity where kids can come into my office and know that they’re coming into my office not because I’m insisting on college, but I just want to make sure they know what pathway they want for themselves.”