- To be the first person
to go to college was, dang.
- Your parent's have expectations for you,
but you also have expectations
for yourself on where do you wanna go.
Fortunately for me, I
was part of a program,
so they helped me throughout
the whole application process.
- And my dad was just like,
okay college in general,
like, it doesn't really
matter where, just go.
I felt like a lot of pressure,
because they put, like, so much
hard work into me being okay
and me having all the
resources that I need.
Yes, it is for myself, but
it's also, like, to repay them.
- Telling my mom that I was
going to community college,
it was like, she
understands and she's like,
you know what, college is
the most important thing.
Something that stuck with me
that she said was it's
not about where you start,
it's about where you finish.
- To be the first person
to go to college was, dang.
Almost like a weight
lifted off your shoulders.
- As a DACA student, the
college application process
was very difficult for me.
It was a lot of digging here,
digging there to try and find
out scholarships, resources,
anywhere to get into college.
- I feel like I've matured a lot.
It's like I'm in college and
I'm doing college things.
It feels really, like, self rewarding.
- Graduation day was incredible.
- Yeah.
Graduation day is like one
of the most special days,
I feel like, in your life.
You're full of joy and happiness,
and you're closing a huge chapter
in your life.
- Yes, yes.
- Knowledge and the classes
that you take really help you,
like, understand how to set goals.
- And if more Latinos go to college,
you, you see people who look like you
and it's easier to navigate.
- I feel like we need
more people in education,
so that more Latinx
can get prominent jobs.
- Yeah.
- Where we see them on TV,
where we can see ourselves on screen.
- Yeah.
- When the kids see that,
it makes you believe
that you can get there.
- I think scholarships,
like the McDonald's HACER
National Scholarship,
is so important,
because I think that they
emphasize the importance
of the Hispanic community.
I think education is something
that can never be taken from you.
You know, we need a lot
more professionals out there
that are Hispanic, that are, you know,
setting the tone for
everybody else and, you know,
setting the bar to just
be better, do better.
- So recently I bombed a quiz.
Advice on, like, coming back from that?
- Best thing I can tell
you is reach out for help.
It takes time for you to get
there, but you will get there.
- Did you switch majors at any point,
because a lot of people talk
to me about switching majors.
- It is so okay to switch your majors.
I went into school as a pre-med,
quickly discovered that
I did not like chemistry,
so then I switched to business
and now I am in business,
it's what I do.
- Anything that you recommend
I should do in college?
- Allow yourself to be open
to different experiences,
different kinds of people.
- It just gives you an
opportunity to know more
and learn more, different things.
Expand your horizons,
you don't need to stay in a straight line
for the rest of your life.
Don't miss your HACER proud moment.
Make sure you apply
to the McDonald's HACER
National Scholarship now.
