Jose Aguilar Jr.

"I want to help dismantle the myth that higher education is only for a select few. I joined the fight to make sure everyone has the opportunity to achieve their potential."

Jose R. Aguilar Jr. is an driven scholar educator, bringing a wealth of experience and a solid commitment to addressing systemic issues in education. Born out of his personal experiences as a first-generation college student and a keen observer of the challenges faced by underrepresented communities, Jose has dedicated his career to dismantling the barriers that hinder the educational aspirations of young men of color.

Prior to joining the Campaign, Jose was a Computer Science and Math Teacher at Manual Arts High School, where he provided differentiated instruction for diverse students, incorporating culturally relevant pedagogy and advocating for anti-racist socialization in mathematics. Additionally, Jose’s research experience demonstrates his commitment to making a tangible impact on educational equity. As a former Russlynn Ali Fellow at Education Trust West (ETW), he led a project exploring math equity in California public schools. His work involved collecting statewide data on socioeconomic and ethnic sub-groups, implementing big data pipelines, and identifying outlier school districts with exemplary graduation rates.

Jose is a current doctoral student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership program at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. His research interests include factors influencing the aspirations of men of color in higher education, the transition from K-12 into higher education, the access and equity in higher education for first-generation and traditionally underrepresented students, and students’ higher education pathways.

He also holds an array of degrees, including an M.A. in Urban Education, Policy & Administration from Loyola Marymount University, a B.S.A. in Computer Science, and a B.A. in Government, Mexican American & Latina/o Studies from The University of Texas at Austin.