Karrengton Fountain: Focus and Persistence

 

By Mardeen Ahmad

 

Focus on the Goal

Growing up in San Diego, Karrengton Fountain recalls being passionate about math and science since she was a little girl. Those skills along with her care for the environment are what led her to environmental engineering, specifically water and wastewater treatment.

 

Fountain graduated from Patrick Henry High School in San Diego. Since her senior year, her dream school has been UC Riverside to which she was unfortunately denied admission. Instead of settling for another school, she decided to attend Cuyamaca and get the grades she needed to get into her dream school.

 

That goal was ultimately accomplished when Fountain transferred to UC Riverside in Fall of 2020.

 

UMOJA

One thing that attracted Fountain to UC Riverside was the fact that they have a UMOJA program which she was a part her time at Cuyamaca. When her aunt, Dean of Counseling Services Nicole Jones, told her about UMOJA, she decided to look into it.

 

“It was such a good time,” Fountain said with a bright smile on her face. At UMOJA, she had the opportunity to attend leadership enhancement trips such as college fairs, connecting with professionals in her field of interest, and visiting Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCU).

 

Most of her classmates from Patrick Henry went on to attend Grossmont College, so Fountain didn’t know anyone attending Cuyamaca. “It (UMOJA) was a really good introduction into Cuyamaca and it helped me get a feeling of community,” said Fountain. It was at UMOJA that Fountain made a few close friends, one of whom is even assigned to be her roommate this year at UC Riverside.

 

“I wouldn’t have had such an amazing time at Cuyamaca if I wasn’t in that club,” said Fountain.

 

Career Plans

Fountain believes society needs more people to fight for those who face environmental injustices and racism. She plans to take that belief with her throughout her career and apply it appropriately. She’s not exactly sure what that will look like, but she knows for sure that she will be an advocate against environmental injustice.

 

After graduation from UC Riverside, Fountain says she would like to move to Texas where there are a lot of environmental engineering and graduate school opportunities. As a California native who spent her whole life in the state, she says she is ready for a change. “I like the environment and how it’s different from what I’m used to. I feel like I’m just ready to get out of my comfort zone a little bit,” she said. 

 

Currently, Fountain is interning at Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District where she says she is very happy.