A Metro intern with a dream and a dad cheering every step of the way 

Viviana Mendoza was just eight years old when she first set foot inside Metro’s Central Maintenance Facility. Her dad, Geovani Mendoza, brought her and her sisters to the agency’s annual “Take Your Kids to Work Day,” and she felt a spark. 

“I remember visiting the welding area, the painting shop, and the bus repair workshop,” says Vivi (her family’s nickname for her). “The employees explained what they were doing, and I thought it was fascinating.” That day, she saw Geovani drive a bus through the car wash area. “My dad works as a service attendant, cleaning buses,” she says. “I felt proud seeing him operate such a big machine.” 

Each year she returned to “Take Your Kids to Work Day,” she discovered something new. She learned about Metro’s security monitors, its Art Department, and the office that prints the employee ID badges. She soon realized that Metro was about much more than operating buses and trains. It was also about people and public service.  

“Through my dad, I learned how essential public transportation is for people who don’t own a car,” Vivi says. “That’s when I started to feel like I wanted to be part of this.” Metro had given her dad a second chance after he had struggled to find work. That left a deep impression on her. 

One day, years later, while talking about her future, she began to wonder out loud about different career paths at Metro. That’s when her father chimed in with an idea that surprised her. 

“Well, you could also one day become the CEO,” he said. “But you have to go to school to prepare.”  

Vivi took his advice to heart. At 18, she landed a spot in the Metro Internship Program (MIP) — a paid opportunity for high school, college and graduate students to gain real-world experience and develop professional skills. She started working during school breaks, balancing the internship with her studies. 

Now 19, Vivi works part-time at Metro three days a week while studying urban planning at Pasadena City College. 

Her placement? The Office of the CEO, led by Stephanie Wiggins, the first woman to lead one of the biggest transportation agencies in the country. 

“I was so excited when I found out,” says Vivi. “Working in that office felt like a dream.” 

As a MIP intern, Vivi has helped prepare informational materials for CEO events and drafted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for new employees. She also sits in on executive meetings, including some with Wiggins herself. 

“It’s inspiring to observe how decisions are made and how leadership works from the inside,” she says. “Someday, I hope to attend community meetings to hear directly from the public about how projects affect them.” Vivi is particularly interested in transportation planning, especially helping ensure that routes and services reflect community needs. 

Vivi says she admires Wiggins for her energy, her commitment to equity, and her focus on putting people first. “She pushes women to succeed, especially in an industry [like transportation] where there aren’t many of us. That motivates me.” 

Still, she admits, it hasn’t always been easy. “I was nervous at first — surrounded by professionals with so much more experience,” Vivi says. “But I’ve learned to see them as mentors. Growth comes from stepping into unfamiliar spaces.” 

Behind every dreamer, a parent who believed 

Vivi continues to share a unique connection with her father, who’s been with Metro for 11 years. Vivi fondly remembers the times she and her father shared long car rides together. “I’d talk to him about school, my sisters… even about my favorite Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog. It’s one of my favorite childhood memories.” 

Now that she can drive herself, those outings are less frequent, but they still grab pretzels together after work sometimes. Their bond remains strong — not just as father and daughter, but now as Metro employees proudly sporting their badges. 

When Geovani reflects on fatherhood, he says it didn’t come easy — especially with five daughters ages 12 to 30. “They’re all roses, but with very different personalities,” he says. “Over time, I had to learn to be sweeter and listen more.” 

Watching Vivi thrive in her internship fills him with joy. “All my daughters changed my life,” he says. “I’m proud of all of them. One of the most important things we can do as parents is to support our children’s dreams — and really listen to them.” 

When asked about Vivi’s dreams, he simply replies: “Spread your wings and fly as high as you can.” 

To learn more about the Metro Internship Program, visit: https://www.metro.net/about/careers/internships/