A Moment With Jennifer Maccarelli Barroll

 Hi, My name is Jenny. I started this program because I wanted to help people. Specifically, I wanted to help combat mind deteriorating diseases and cancers. This academic program means so much to me and has given me a lot of knowledge, skills, opportunities and good changes.

In fact, I was hired as a laboratory mentor by Dr. Zimmerman. It was a very rewarding experience and it allowed me to give back to The City College of San Francisco Bridge to Biotechnology Program.

I just started interning at The United States Department of Agriculture in Albany, California. At this internship I conduct DNA extractions, PCR, Micro-preparation of Plasmid DNA and Gel Electrophoresis of plasmid DNA. I am learning so much and it is a very rewarding experience.

A year and half a go I had a small science vocabulary, now I am conducting important scientific experiments that could help create a better economy for The United States. Also, after this semester I will have completed The Biotechnology Laboratory Assistant Certificate Program.

In the future, I could see myself working for at a Research Laboratory, hospital, Food and Drug Safety Organization or a Biotechnology Company. I am still learning and I cannot wait to learn more with The City College of San Francisco Biotechnology Program.

Veronica Benites A Current City College Student

My name is Veronica Teixeira Benites I’m a foreign student originally from Brazil. I came to California in March of 2008 holding a BS in Chemistry and no English skills at all. It took me two years of my staying here to develop the English level I have and I’m still learning. 


For over two years I worked as a physical chemistry analyst at the Environmental Monitoring Department of my state in Brazil. I performed water analyses and sample water collecting. I also worked as a chemistry tutor in a Brazilian University where I graduated in 2007 and as a trainee in a pharmaceutical industry also in Brazil. 


Currently, I’m attending Bridge to Biotechnology Program at CCSF and preparing myself to the opportunity that the program offers, an internship in the scientific field. My goal is a master’s degree in biochemistry as well as a PhD in the same field and I’m sure that bridge to Biotech will help me through this process. So far I can say that I have been exposed to professors that are not only knowledgeable but friendly and doing their best to make us students future colleagues.

Interview with Farid De La Ossa Arrieta

Farid De La Ossa Arrieta

I learned about the bridge to biotech program through an academic advisor at The City College of San Francisco, They told me that I should try it since I had a bachelor’s degree in Chemical engineering from Colombia. I think this program has been all great in all the ways because it has helped me refresh all my math and chemistry skills and it has helped me to connect that knowledge with the biology background I am getting nowadays. I would recommend this program because it focuses on hands-on skills that can be very helpful in the biotechnology field. This program is also great at preparing students to apply for jobs and to perform very well in job interviews, which is very helpful while looking for a job. All of the classes and professors have been extremely helpful to my success. I have also been able to meet very interesting people in this program from whom I have learned a lot of things.

So far the Bridge to Biotech program has helped my success in seeking a career by taking my chemistry knowledge and connecting it with all the new biology skills. I am getting a lot out of the biotechnology classes and my current internship.

After the bridge surprisingly I heard from Nathan Hillson, the director of The Synthetic Biology department at JBEI (Joint Bioenergy Institute), who told me that he was interested in coming to the networking event to discuss a possible internship. The program suggested me to apply for some other internships besides the JBEI position that was up in case I did not get it. I was offered two of the other positions, but Nathan Hillson from JBEI offered me the internship first, the focus of his group sounded interesting and he was willing to come to the networking event, so I accepted the internship with Nathan Hillson at JBEI. The networking event was a great experience because I had the chance to meet and interact with people from the biotechnology field in San Francisco. This helped me decide what areas I might want to work in. After my internship, I am planning to continue with the program so I can earn other certificates like the Bio-manufacturing and Stem Cell Technology certificate.

Interview With Janette Wright Successful Student and Former Intern

Interview with Janette Wright

I learned about this program from my Aunt. Originally, I didn’t know what biotechnology meant. I decided to google the word and all these interesting links and articles had appeared. I also found information about the Bridge to Biotechnology Program at City College of San Francisco. Afterwards, I attended an orientation at the EDD Center on Turk Street and the rest is history.


Before this program, I had very little science or math skills. Enrolling in the Bridge courses broadened my horizons to the science world and gave me a lot of opportunities.


After the Bridge, I continued to educate myself in Biotechnology. There is so much more for me to learn. I am currently earning my associates degree in biotechnology. I would recommend the Bridge to those whom are serious and dedicated about learning something new. The networking event when I was a bridge student was a success. I believe it was fantastic and a building block for the following years networking event, which was held at UCSF.


The networking event helps my career by putting me in contact with the Biotech community of the Bay Area. I got training on interviews, information on the latest technology and had opportunities to share my skills with prospect employers.


This landed me an internship at Prosetta, they are a small research company here in San Francisco. I truly enjoyed working there. I felt like I was part of the team and really I was. The highest point of the program for me was when high school students visited our class from Japan. It helped me to realize that there is a universal language in education and that just happened to be the language of biotechnology.

This is my last semester in the associates degree biotechnology program. I thank all my professors. But, I'd like to thank Rob Reed the most because he helped me learn math concepts. These skills prepared me and got me through a lot of other classes within the program.

The Biography of Megan Mayer. A Current Student In the Bridge Program

My name is Megan Mayer. I have come a long way on my journey towards finding what I truly want to devote my life to; I have changed my mind innumerable times as to what I wanted to major in. After flip flopping between fashion, business, psychology and literature, I ended up in a biology class where I was truly enamored by the beauty and complexity of living organisms. 


I never thought that I could actually pursue a degree in anything science related-- I felt it was too hard and too taxing and that it was only for students who wanted to devote 8+ years of their lives to education. By mere accident, I enrolled myself in the Bridge to Biotechnology program at City College of San Francisco and have found myself on an exciting path towards a meaningful career. 


An associates degree in Biotech for me will open many doors towards something I believe will contribute to scientific advances. I feel passionate for everything I am learning, and the teachers are wonderful-- they make the learning fun and very clear. I now truly feel connected to something bigger than myself, and I cant wait to see where this journey leads me.

The Bridge To Biotechnology Program Link Information

If you'd like to learn more about The CIty College of San Francisco Bridge To Biotechnology Program, please feel free to visit this website www.ccsf.edu/biotech.

The Bridge To Biotechnology is a wonderful program. It helps students build skills in modern technologies, biotechnology laboratory techniques and mathematics.

The Biotechnology program also offers students confidence in the workforce and opportunities to obtain internships.

We hope you'll join us or take a visit.