Tell us about your family and upbringing. 

 

As far back as I can remember, my parents have instilled the concepts of hard work and determination into me and my siblings. My father is a recent retiree from the San Antonio Independent School District as a truck driver, and my mother currently works for the San Antonio Food Bank as a receptionist. Although the jobs that my parents have attained throughout my life have not been easy on them, I am certainly grateful and have much admiration for them and what they have done for us. I am the second oldest of three children that was raised on the south side of San Antonio. In my younger years, I attended and graduated from George W. Brackenridge High School. While attending high school, I was never given the resources or opportunity to prove myself as "college material," and with much determination, I decided to pursue higher education on my own and "figure it out" as I went along.           

 

How did this impact your decision to pursue a career in your current industry?

 

My initial career goal was to pursue a sociology degree and help pregnant teens, but as my journey through education shaped, I began to learn more about myself. I realized my calling was to help students pursue higher education as well as see the leader they can be within their community through leadership development. This realization came to light as an undergraduate student when I was a Latino for Financial Issues (LFI) Scholar at the University of Texas at San Antonio. While completing a class through this program, I was able to visit Navarro Academy and talk to students about education and Financial Literacy. Ten years out of high school I saw that these young students were still facing obstacles I faced as a young student. Seeing the injustices within the education system, especially in lower income communities, ignited my passion for education and making a difference in my community. Being an LFI Scholar allowed me to partake in an internship with the company I currently work for now, Adelante U.S. Education Leadership Fund.    

 

What made you choose PAC to start your undergraduate studies?

 

When I first attended Palo Alto College, I felt like I wanted to be somewhere far from downtown San Antonio but close enough to be near home. Palo Alto made me feel like I went away temporarily for college at least for a few hours in the day.  

 

Any early influences?

 

In my household at a very young age, I saw my father study art and take classes at St. Philip's College while somehow maintaining a job and raising a young family. This memory was later recalled in my life as I pursued and was determined to finish my education. My parents, my siblings, my nephews, coworkers, and friends have all played a major role in influencing me and keeping me grounded to what's important in life. As I studied Chicano Studies later in college, I gained new influences for what and how I wanted to make a difference in my community.  

 

What made you gravitate towards receiving your degree?

 

When I started attending Palo Alto after high school, I went for a couple of years and dropped out due to failing grades. Due to a major experience in life with a wonderful friend passing away a few years later, I realized it was time to head back to college and complete my degree. While pursuing my degree at Palo Alto, my advisor, Mr. Antonio Villanueva in the psychology department, helped me figure out my path in Psychology which helped me received my Associate of Arts degree in Psychology soon after.  

 

What university did you transfer to and why?

 

When it was time to transfer, I looked at just two universities, Texas A&M-Kingsville System Center-San Antonio and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). TAMUK System Center, which is now Texas A&M San Antonio, was located at Palo Alto at the time and provided very few classes and experiences in Psychology. UTSA offered classes in experimental psychology and provided more resources for my major. Pursuing my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and my Master of Arts degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio was a great decision and experience for me overall...I'm a proud Roadrunner!  

 

What are your career goals?

 

My career goal is to help more students pursue higher education degrees, especially students who come from inner city areas. I have been very fortunate to help wonderful students at a national level and see them grow professionally, but I hope to help high school and community college students who may have some doubts or struggles while pursuing their educational goals. I aim to be a mentor in the education community as well as make a difference in the community I have grown up in.  

 

What advice would you like to give to current PAC students?

 

Never give up and believe in yourself because everybody around you believes you can do it. As students, sometimes we forget or don't realize the number of resources we have all around us. Take advantage of your professors, classmates, tutors, and anybody else who is pushing you to finish and succeed. Participate in internships because those opportunities could lead you to what you want to do later in life. Experience various classes that may be outside of your degree plan and study abroad as these experiences will open your eyes to a different world you may never have known existed. Lastly, find a mentor and be a mentor because these relationships will help you grow and succeed as well as help others in your community that probably wouldn't have made it without your guidance and support.  

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