Our Story, Your Future
The Diamante Scholars program is focused on helping high-potential high school students find their path to higher education and career success.
Along the way you’ll embark on a journey of expert career skills development, on-site exploration of career experiences at real-world employers, and have program support every step of the way.
Our Why
We launched the Diamante Scholars Program with an unshakable conviction: that traditional academic metrics fail to predict career success, and that the skills truly needed for professional excellence are rarely taught in traditional education.
Six years later, we're witnessing the extraordinary impact of our approach as we transform the lives of more than 200 first-generation college students!
Our program was born from personal experience—the founder’s, and our speakers’—who discovered that grades and majors are poor indicators of future success.
What truly matters? The ability to learn continuously, solve problems creatively, bounce back from setbacks, collaborate effectively, and build meaningful professional relationships.
These critical skills form the foundation of our program, and we're seeing remarkable results!
Meet the Staff
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Ada Ocampo-Pedroza
Academic Student Services Manager
Ada oversees the First Year Experience program, Diamante Scholars, P.U.M.A. Center, and co-leading the new student Welcome Day. Prior to her role at DVC, Ada led an H.S.I. initiative at Cañada College, supported the Stanford-SFUSD Research Practice Partnership and taught middle school math and science. She holds a master’s in education policy, organization, and leadership studies from Stanford University.
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Julissa Martin
Program Coordinator & Student Supervisor
Julissa coordinates the Diamante Scholars Program and supervises the Student Leaders at the PUMA Center. Prior to her role at DVC, Julissa held several positions at Contra Costa College, including Program Assistant for the ESL Department, and served as the Administrative Assistant for Workforce Development. She earned her Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration at Contra Costa College and is currently completing her Bachelor of Science in Business Management at Cal State East Bay.
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Carla Molina-Campos
Dean of Enrollment Services
Carla leads a comprehensive range of services, including Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, Welcome and Connect Services, and the International Student Office. In her role, she is dedicated to advancing student success through the development and implementation of initiatives that ensure smooth and efficient enrollment processes while providing robust support for students.
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Peter Zaballos
Diamante Scholars Founder
Peter is deeply involved in the program design and works closely with the DVC staff in its operation. Peter was told repeatedly in middle school and high school that he “did not have what it takes for college”. He attended DVC from September 1976 until February 1979, when he transferred to UC Berkeley. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1982 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He graduated from MIT in 1990 with a Masters of Science Degree in Administration (an MBA).
Have you been told you’re not college material? Have people said your grades aren’t “good enough” and are somehow an indicator of your potential? Do you know, deep down, you see your successful future? Diamante Scholars is here to help you unlock your potential.