by my mother who always emphasized the importance of obtaining an education. She recognized schooling as the key to avoiding the struggles she experienced as an immigrant to the US. This inkling was further fueled by my experience as an undergraduate student, when I noticed there were no Hispanic professors in any of my academic courses. For me, it was important to strive towards graduate school, not only for my own individual pursuit, but also to help create a pathway for others. After graduation, my hope is to create change in the Hispanic community