At 12 years old, Los Angeles resident Mario Trejo saw only one path for himself – to follow his brothers into gangs. In his senior year of high school, good grades and an interest in medicine led to his being encouraged to apply to the University of California, which changed the course of his life. But it wasn’t until, as a UC Merced junior, Trejo realized an impossible dream and spent a semester in Florence studying Italian that he was able to truly transcend his difficult history and realize the extent of what he was capable. Series: "Going Places: UC Education Abroad" [Education] [Show ID: 24592]