By: Emily Fodge
When Magdalena Zepeda-SeLegue looked at her life—a full-time teaching career, two young boys, and a husband often away fighting fires—it seemed impossible to fit in more. She didn’t “have” time for school.
But she’d seen the impossible done before.
Her mother, a Mexican immigrant with only a sixth-grade education, built her own education one class at a time: learning English, becoming a citizen, earning certificates, and, three decades later, an associate degree. “My mom showed me that you don’t have to do it all at once,” Magdalena says. “You just have to take the next step.”
So when a difficult health diagnosis forced her to consider life beyond teaching, she stepped back and asked herself: What future do I want to create?
The answer wasn’t just about her own career. Instead of asking, ‘What do I want?’ she asked, ‘What do people need?’ That question was the catalyst for GotInfo, a mobile app that connects consumers with urgent needs—like a child’s inhaler, last-minute gift, or passport photos—to nearby shops and businesses that can meet them.
There was just one problem: she had no idea how to build it.
She found her “how” at UCR University Extension.
From Classroom Teacher to App Creator
Although "teaching is a job that never sleeps,” Magdalena didn’t enroll in just a certificate program. She enrolled in four. Each was chosen with intention, tied directly to the skills she needed to launch GotInfo. From project management and quality assurance to customer research and how to fund a business, she was laying the foundation… and putting each skill to work immediately.
“The right program doesn’t ask you to find time; it helps you make time,” she says. Because UCR University Extension courses are designed for working professionals, her instructors met with her between teaching periods, and classmates offered feedback on GotInfo as part of group projects. Whether from her kitchen table or in the car, Magdalena made learning fit into the cracks of her day.
A Built-In Network of Brainstorming Partners
Magdalena was gaining technical skills, but she was also finding something she didn’t expect from a certificate program: a supportive, collaborative community.
Instructors were active professionals who answered real-world questions. Classes were small enough for one-on-one mentorship. And her peers, from aspiring accountants to international students, became collaborators.
Through UCR connections, she brought on student interns to help build GotInfo. A data analytics student designed the app’s admin portal. Another classmate fine-tuned her user experience. “You’re surrounded by people who are in the trenches of their fields, solving problems you’ll actually face,” she says.
That collaboration also gave other students something valuable: portfolio pieces, hands-on experience, and real results to show future employers. “It’s a win-win,” Magdalena says. “We’re all building something together.” One of her student interns even landed a role at Esri with GotInfo featured in their body of work. The impact is real.
Turning Possibility Into Action
The flexibility of UCR’s programs made it possible to keep moving forward even when life was busy or unpredictable. Magdalena tackled one class at a time, knowing that each step brought her closer to her goal.
She’s now deep into developing GotInfo while continuing to teach, parent, and complete her certificates. Her approach mirrors her mother’s: consistent, incremental, and focused.
“Life gets busy. It’s like a time warp,” she says. “But these programs help you stop, look up, and ask: Is this still the life I want?”
Carrying the Lesson Forward
For Magdalena, education is an inheritance built not of money, but of persistence. She grew up watching her mother overcome language barriers, work long hours, and still carve out time to keep learning. Step by step, her mother transformed her own life, opening doors that once seemed locked.
Now, Magdalena is doing the same. Her boys see her at the kitchen table, balancing lesson plans with her own coursework. They watch her join online classes after bedtime, meet with instructors during lunch breaks, brainstorm with her husband in the living room, and chip away at the skills that will shape her next chapter.
“They’re seeing that when life puts up a hurdle, you don’t stop. You find a way over it,” she says. “They’re learning that dreams aren’t one big leap. They’re built one small, deliberate step at a time.”
Her Advice to Busy Adults Wondering if It’s the Right Time to Learn
“You have the time—you just need the right structure to see it,” Magdalena says. “Life is busy for everyone. My husband is gone for weeks at a time fighting fires. I have two young boys. I’m still teaching full-time. I thought there was no way I could add school to that. But you can start small. Take a one-unit short course that lasts four or five weeks and see how it fits.”
Progress doesn’t have to mean a full course load. “One step at a time is still progress, and those steps add up faster than you think,” she says.
She also wants students to know that insecurities can become strengths. “I’m actually proud to be the oldest person in my classes,” she says. “I have life experience to offer, and that adds depth to our discussions. I thought I would never do anything beyond teaching, and here I am building a tech company in my 40’s.”
Every course, every project, every classmate connection has moved GotInfo forward—from the data analytics student who designed her admin portal to the classmate who helped create her marketing video. “When you see your ideas taking shape while you’re still in class, it’s motivating,” she says. “You realize you’re not just working toward something in the future, you’re already doing it.”
Building More Than a Résumé
Magdalena’s story is proof that UCR University Extension programs are built for action. They help working professionals apply what they learn right away—whether that’s leading a team, launching a business, or stepping into a new industry entirely.
If you’re standing on the fence, wondering if now is the time, remember Magdalena’s advice:
“Start with one step. That’s how you change your future.”
“When you study at UCR University Extension, you don’t just gain skills,” she says. “You walk away with confidence, momentum, and the University of California name on your résumé. That opens doors.”
And for Magdalena, those doors lead to certificates, boardrooms, and eventually, to an app store near you.
Explore Programs That Fit Your Life
About the GotInfo App
GotInfo is a new mobile app designed to help you find what you need—right when you need it. Whether it’s a medication, a last-minute outfit, or a specialty item for a project, GotInfo connects you instantly to local businesses that have it in stock. No more calling around or guessing. Just fast, accurate answers from real shops and service providers near you.
GotInfo is currently in beta, and we’re inviting early users to help shape the future of local shopping. Sign up today as a beta tester and be the first to try it, share feedback, and make it even better.