When Juan Serrano graduated from Torrey Pines High School with a 3.9 GPA, he already had a plan in place.
While many of his peers were going straight to a four-year university, Juan knew that the best path was to first attend community college, then transfer to complete his bachelor’s degree. And since it was located just down the road, MiraCosta College was a no-brainer. Though little did he know that it would ultimately lead him to UC Berkeley’s top-ranked civil engineering program.
“My parents are both educators, so I already knew about all the wonderful things MiraCosta College had to offer,” shared Juan. “For years, my mom has been telling people to go to MiraCosta College because of all the opportunities it has for students.”
As Juan explained, not only was it the right choice financially but by going this route, he knew he would have more options when it came to selecting a school to transfer to.
From the moment Juan stepped onto campus, he found an environment that supported both his academic goals and athletic pursuits. The close-knit community at MiraCosta College allowed him to develop meaningful relationships with professors and teammates while maintaining the high standards he had set for himself in high school.
Playing center midfield since the age of three, soccer was always a big part of Juan's life. From spending a year in Spain playing as a teenager to joining the LA Galaxy's prestigious DA Program, and even taking his underdog Cardiff Sockers club all the way to nationals, Juan has done it all. At MiraCosta College, his soccer journey reached new heights as he became a standout player and respected team leader.
Even before stepping onto the field, Juan’s club team coach spoke to Head Coach Frank Zimmerman and joked that “he had his next team captain” ready to play. Naturally, Coach Zimmerman was skeptical at first that a freshman would be capable of that role. But early into the preseason, that skepticism faded as Juan’s character emerged. And before the first game, Juan's teammates voted for him to be one of the captains of the team, an unusual honor for a freshman that spoke to his natural leadership capabilities.
Shared Juan, “It was so unexpected and a real honor to be recognized like that by my teammates. I was proud that even the sophomores and older players showed that confidence in me.”
His time with the team wasn’t without its challenges, however. Last year, during Juan’s sophomore season, he broke his ankle in three places and tore ligaments during one of the first games of the season. As team captain, being sidelined was particularly difficult.
"It was really tough because I couldn’t help my team on the field anymore," he said. "But just being there and coming to games to support the team from the bench became my new role.”
His perseverance through injury and personal challenges, including the recent loss of his grandfather, earned Juan MiraCosta College's Resilience Award, recognizing athletes who demonstrate strength through adversity. Off the field, Juan continued to earn high marks, earning a 3.9 during his time at MiraCosta College while excelling in his engineering classes.
“Ever since I was little, I have been in love with making stuff,” recalled Juan, describing projects from wooden mailboxes to garden beds and recliner chairs. “I can just see something and be like, 'We don't have to buy that, I can make it myself.’”
This hands-on creativity, combined with Juan’s commitment to education, which included a grueling 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule on campus, balancing engineering classes and soccer, has prepared him for the next chapter in his academic journey.
After applying and getting accepted into a long list of prestigious schools such as UC Los Angeles, Carnegie Mellon, and UC San Diego, Juan has decided he will head north this fall to attend UC Berkeley, which has one of the world’s best engineering programs. Juan is excited to put his passion for building things and problem-solving into action as he pursues a dream career designing buildings and infrastructure that will stand the test of time.