Sequin Thomas - WLAC Student Spotlight of the Week

Sequin Thomas –

“Go West. Go Far.” isn’t just a slogan; it’s his story in action.

For aspiring aerospace engineer Sequin Thomas, attending West Los Angeles College (WLAC) has been more than just a stepping stone — it’s been a launchpad.

Thomas landed a coveted internship with NASA, working in geospatial intelligence. He then joined a semiconductor research program at USC, diving deep into emerging AI technologies. Most recently, he helped optimize operations in WLAC’s Chemistry Department by creating a custom inventory management app to streamline lab processes. This Fall, he will participate in yet another internship through the SMART Scholarship Department of Defense program.

In addition to his outstanding academic performance, Thomas said attending West played a significant role in landing these opportunities. “I actually get the one-on-one mentorship that I wouldn’t get at other places.” He expressed thanks to one mentor in particular, Dr. Allison Tom-Miura, Dean of Academic Affairs, who referred him to the USC internship. “She actually pushed me to do a lot of things that I honestly didn't want to do and she saw my potential more than I saw it in myself.”

Contrary to what one might assume, Thomas did not excel in high school. After graduating from nearby Westchester Science Magnet High School, he was in no rush to enroll in college. For him, high school was too much busy work and taking classes that did not interest him. But after working a series of retail and sales jobs, he decided to give college a try and found West to be a good fit. “In high school, I didn’t really have the independence; I was part of a collective. You have to move all these students forward together. While in college, it’s more so about you individually.” Now, he added, “I get to choose my classes and exactly how things operate.”

Thomas feels well prepared to transfer to a top-tier university and is applying to competitive STEM campuses, including Berkeley, Caltech, Harvey Mudd, USC, UCLA, and UC Irvine. He plans to double-major in mechanical and electrical engineering, with an aerospace focus.

Yet for all his technical achievements, Thomas brings an artist’s heart to his scientific pursuits. “Mother nature is beautiful and when it comes to science, a lot of things we create are artistic.” He continued, “STEM isn’t just numbers and calculations. It’s the beauty of numbers. Like being able to piece together this puzzle to create something so unique and so magnificent. For example, he explained, “We didn't believe we could actually go to space. Being able to calculate this puzzle -- create this entire masterpiece -- to be able to create a sequence of things that can break through to what we've never known. So, it's kind of looking into the unknown and finding the beauty of what nature provides for us.”

In his downtime, Thomas says he “geeks out” over video games with friends. He’s also learning to play the piano and enjoys painting, creating things with his 3D printer, and occasional horse rides. They “keep me human,” he smiled, “because I don’t want to be just a STEM geek.”

Thomas admits that he was hesitant about enrolling at West, or any community college. But the reality of West was a pleasant surprise. “I feel that going here actually provided me with a great experience. I met great people. I was introduced to amazing friendships, some I will cherish for years to come. And, it has given me a different outlook on what a community college could be.”

GO WEST. GO FAR.