Meet Counselor Abe: A Testament to Educational Resilience. Navigating the road to higher education can be complex, especially for first-generation, low-income, and minority students. But stories like that of Abraham Madrigal, also known as Counselor Abe, offer both guidance and hope. Currently a full-time counselor at Sacramento State and a part-time counselor at Sacramento City College, Abe exemplifies the potential of educational pathways that start from the most humble beginnings.

Abraham migrated to the United States at the age of six. His early years were shaped by life in Antioch, located in the East Bay Area of California. Growing up in poverty-level housing plagued by crime and frequent gun violence, he became accustomed to an environment where survival often took precedence over academic dreams.

Yet even amid these conditions, his parents instilled foundational values—encouraging him and his siblings to avoid trouble and focus on a better future.

Initially, Abe had no aspirations for college. His plan? Work at Best Buy. But fate had other ideas. When he couldn’t secure a job, his cousin stepped in—asking for Abe’s high school transcript and his parents' income tax forms. Before Abe knew it, his cousin had submitted a CSU application and completed his FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on his behalf.

The result? Admission to Sacramento State and enrollment in the Summer Bridge program through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), designed to support students who are not yet college-ready.

Before completing his undergraduate degree, Abe landed an internship as a peer advisor in the same EOP program that supported his college entry. There, he found his calling. Supporting first-generation and low-income students resonated deeply with him. It wasn’t just a job—it was a mission.

This experience became the springboard for his next step: applying to Sacramento State’s Master’s in Counseling program, which he completed over the course of three years.

Currently, Abe is pursuing a Doctorate at the University of the Pacific. The journey from struggling to write a two-page essay during Summer Bridge to authoring a 100+ page dissertation is a testament to his growth, discipline, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

He reflects on this transformation with awe, reminding students that academic skills—like any other skills—can be developed with the right support and mindset. The boy who once feared he wouldn’t graduate high school now mentors students while working toward the highest academic credential.

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