When I evaluate my circumstances I sometimes think that someone looking into my life may think of me as a procrastinator, or maybe not take me seriously in my education endeavor's because of how much time it's taken me to get this far. The truth is completing my education has always been a goal of mine, and a passion. I have always known that I will complete my degree and graduate, but I never expected all the challenges that would be placed in front of me and I will admit some were of my own doing. I never expected it to take me this long. My journey to becoming a "non-traditional" student began in High School. I became pregnant the spring of my Sophomore year. I gave birth to my daughter my Junior year. After I had my daughter I continued with my schooling and was able to graduate with my class. Her dad, and my now husband, made the difficult decision of dropping out of High School so he could work to provide for our daughter financially, and so that I could continue going to school. I am also a first generation college student. My parents are immigrants, and only have a High School education. They always spoke to me about going to college, but were never able to provide any assistance or guidance. When I graduated High School I was also undocumented. I have been in the U.S. my whole life, so I never really knew what the meant for me until I graduated High School and was unable to work. I did not know if I would even be able to attend college. After some research I found out I would be able to go to college, and started taking courses at the community college. All the while not knowing what I would do if I completed my college degree. I just knew that in order to give my daughter a better life I had to keep going, and working to better myself. I did not want to be another statistic. A year after High School I got married. I continued going to school, and started navigating my immigration process. I applied to become a legal resident, and by some miracle during this time the Dream Act was passed. I qualified and was able to start working now, and continue with my studies. My application to become a legal resident was still on going, and due to financial reasons and just the mental toll that the process was taking I had to stop taking classes. A couple of years went by and I was approved for my green card. I applied for classes yet again at the community college, and continued working full time. Our family grew when I became pregnant with my son, but continued going to school and paying out of pocket to avoid taking out student loans. My husband and I were looking to buy our first home, and I could no longer afford to pay for tuition. I told myself I would only quit for a semester or two and go back, but time got the best of me. I started classes back again last year, and closer to graduation than ever. My daughter who I had in High School will now be a Junior herself this upcoming school year, and I need to finish what I started more than ever now. I want to finish this for myself, but more than anything I want this for my kids.

Ever since I can remember I enjoyed reading as a child. I always felt like an odd duck amongst my other peers in school because I genuinely enjoyed History class in my grade schools years. Reading was always a way for me to escape the reality of my life. I felt safe at school, and a peace I did not have the privilege of feeling at home. I grew up in a home of two immigrant absentee parents. They were always away at work, and as the eldest child I was left to care for the home, and my younger siblings. When my parents were home my father was feeding his alcohol addiction which would then lead to verbal and physical altercations between my parents. I was always the mediator between the two. Once the fights between my parents were over my mother would essentially make us choose sides between the two and we wouldn't be allowed to communicate with our father until her anger with him subsided, and then we were supposed to act like nothing ever happened. As an adult now I can see some justification for my parents absence, but I am still working on forgiving them for the rest. My desire to understand my own life is what led me enjoy studying History. As a young child I was seeking answers for the reason my childhood played out the way that it did. Being a child of immigrant parents I often blamed our immigration status as the reason behind our suffering. I blamed politics for our families failures. In the history books I searched for logic and reasoning behind my parents choice to leave Mexico and leave behind all our relatives when I could see how much it hurt them to do this. History helped my justify their choices. America after all is the land of dreams. In the history texts I found comfort in learning that the American dream was not a pipe dream my parents made up, and that it was attainable. While in grade school I never imagined I could pursue a degree in History. I grew up with the adults in my life telling me I had to go to college to get a degree with importance so that I could become wealthy, and so I thought I would be better off pursuing a degree in the medical field. I quickly burned out, and with no passion behind that goal I finished my Associates Degree while working full time and stopped there. In the process of completing my Associates Degree I began working at Law Firm. I started off as a receptionist there, and knew very little about the legal field. I have now been employed there for ten years this year. It was here that I realized this was a career path I wanted to pursue. I put it off for many years because I feared this was not a career that I was worthy of pursuing. I did some research and found that many attorneys pursue undergraduate degrees in history. That was my ah ha moment. When I begin taking courses for this degree every lesson felt like a perfect fit. The lessons and the assignments did not feel like work, and I felt at home and that same peace that I so desperately searched for as a little girl. I have enjoyed learning from my professors but also from other students like me. I feel this renewed giddiness inside of me.

I am a non-traditional student. I am 33 years old, married with two kids and have to work full-time. Being a student is difficult already, but to be a non-traditional student it takes will, grit, and so much strength, and hope. When I evaluate my circumstances I sometimes think that someone looking into my life may think of me as a procrastinator, or maybe not take me seriously in my education endeavor's because of how much time it's taken me to get this far. The truth is completing my education has always been a goal of mine, and a passion. I have always known that I will complete my degree and graduate, but I never expected all the challenges that would be placed in front of me some of my own doing. I never expected it to take me this long. My journey to becoming a "non-traditional" student began in High School. I became pregnant the spring of my Sophomore year. I gave birth to my daughter my Junior year. After I had my daughter I continued with my schooling and was able to graduate with my class. Her dad, and my now husband, made the difficult decision of dropping out of High School so he could work to provide for our daughter financially, and so that I could continue going to school. I am also a first generation college student. When I graduated High School I was also undocumented. I have been in the U.S. my whole life, so I never really knew what the meant for me until I graduated High School and was unable to work. I did not know if I would even be able to attend college. After some research I found out I would be able to go to college, and started taking courses at the community college. All the while not knowing what I would do if I completed my college degree. I just knew that in order to give my daughter a better life I had to keep going, and working to better myself. I knew that education would be a key to achieving financial independence. A year after High School I got married. I continued going to school, and started navigating my immigration process. I applied to become a legal resident, and by some miracle during this time the Dream Act was passed. I qualified and was able to start working now, and continue with my studies. My application to become a legal resident was still on going, and due to financial reasons and just the mental toll that the process was taking I had to stop taking classes. A couple of years went by and I was approved for my green card. I applied for classes yet again at the community college, and continued working full time. This time around I also became pregnant with my son, but continued going to school and paying out of pocket to avoid taking out student loans. My husband and I were looking to buy our first home, and I could no longer afford to pay for tuition. I started classes back again last year, and closer to graduation than ever. My daughter who I had in High School will now be a Junior herself this upcoming school year, and I need to finish what I started more than ever now. I want to finish this for myself, but more than anything I want this for my kids. All of this has inspired my to go to Law School. With my degree I will be more capable to help my community and family.

My journey in this country began only a few short months after my birth. My parents were young teen parents who did not see a future for our family in the small town of Fresnillo, Zacatecas. They were young, and lacked support in their hometown. They had heard the grandiose stories about the United States, and the abundance of opportunities. With high hopes, a strong work ethic, determination and a dream they felt they had nothing to loose if they tried to carve out their dream in the big U.S. of A. Starting at a very young age I could see how hard my parents were willing to work to provide a better future for themselves, and their family. Living these tribulations alongside them has taught me to do that same. My family has always taught me that with strength, work, and knowledge we can achieve anything we set out to do. My motivation to continue my education stems from all that my family and other immigrant families like mine have had to sacrifice so that all of our future generations will not have to overcome the same struggles. I gain strength from all of our community of first generation immigrants, and the harrowing stories and adversity we choose to overcome. As immigrants we are underestimated, and looked down on by some, but as a collective we do not let this define us. Time and time again we continue to push ourselves to be better than we were yesterday. Our families began paving the path for the American dream when they choose to immigrate to this country, and it is up to us to continue forward and not let it be for nothing. My experiences as a first generation immigrant are what motivated me to explore a career in law. I want to be educated about the world so I may be able to use that knowledge to help others in our communities. My becoming a lawyer would allow me to directly impact peoples lives. Being a women, a Latina, and an immigrant posses all as extra challenges in my pursuits to becoming a lawyer. My hopes is that with accomplishing these career goals this will inspire other girls and women like me, and put more of us in this space and therefore showing future generations that we belong in big spaces. I hope to be able to share my story, and inspire other generations to pursue a career in law so that we maybe able to make a bigger difference together.

I am a first-generation, Mexican American, and 32 year old women working on my undergraduate studies to pursue a career in law. It comforts me to see there is a community of first-generation Mexican-American college graduates out there just like myself. I do not feel so alone in my struggles. I am passionate about being a first-generation college graduate because I have witnessed first hand the hard work, and sacrifice my family and many other Mexican-American families have endured as well. When I think about these families I can close my eyes and see a father coming home just as the sun is setting from a longs day work. He is covered in cement, dirt, insulation, or grass. His shirt is covered in sweat, and his hands are covered in blisters, and are rough to the touch. His hair is turning gray, and the sun is causing his face to age at a rapid speed. His eyes have deep under circles, and his cheeks sag a little partly due to dehydration from working long hours in the heat. He smells like sweat, and feels sticky but despite all that you embrace each other in a long hug grateful to share each others company at the end of the day. He looks at you with those tired, red eyes and he smiles with so much love in his heart and tells you "Echale hanas mija" another reminder that all he has endured that day is for you. As a community our generation has instilled in us unwavering perseverance, and strength. From a very young age we are coached to look to education as a gateway to the American dream, and also our freedom and independence. I have always known I wanted to further my education. I have always been a great student, and truly enjoy being in school. My path to becoming a college graduate has not been a simple one. I have to delay taking classes because I have to work to provide for my own family. When I first graduated High School I was also undocumented. Shortly after I graduated High School I was able to apply for the Dream Act and qualified. That is when I started to take college courses at the local community college. Shortly after that I got married. My husband, and I became parents at the age of 16. With the help of my parents I was able to finish High School on time, work, and later continue taking courses at the community college. I decided to pause taking classes because we were in the midst of immigration proceedings, and it took a toll on us both financially and mentally. I was blessed with approval and was granted legal residency to the United States. Once I became a legal resident I continued working to provide for my family, and taking courses part time. A year later I welcomed a son into this world, and continued taking some college courses again only part-time and working full time. Completing my college education has taken me longer than average but it is not a goal I have given up on much like our Mexican American community does not give up. I feel a duty to myself and our community to continue, and pave a path for others like us with hopes to one day be able to help another student like me.

I am currently 32 years old and recently gained admission to a four year college. My goal is to attend Law School within the next couple of years. I am the definition of a non-traditional college student. At the young age of 16 I became a mom while a sophomore in High School. At that time the statistics were against me and even graduating High School may have been out my reach. With the support of my family and friends I was able to graduate from High School on time. Motherhood kept me busy and being able to care for my daughter financially took precedence to enrolling in college immediately after High School, but I only took a year off and enrolled in courses at the local community college with no real idea of what degree I should pursue. While I was in High School I thought I might want a job in the medical field, but once in college I quickly realized that was not a passion of mine. Working full time, going to school, and being a young mom would prove to be challenging. I was not doing the best I could in school, and the financial burden I was feeling was too great for my mental health. I also felt heartache at leaving my daughter's side for so many hours when I had already lost so much time with her while she was just a baby. I was unable to continue taking courses and instead focused on gaining better employment where I could be financially secure for my daughter, and myself. I signed up to be a room mom at my daughters school, and attended all the class parties, functions, girl scout meetings, and soccer games. Although I was not taking classes every semester I would tell myself I would return, but fear of being in debt and not being able to provide for my family always kept me from going back to school. The years kept passing by and that yearning of going back to school was eating at me day by day. I finally let go of the fear, and enrolled in classes again and coached myself to take it day by day and one challenge at a time. I am currently still working full time, and am only enrolled in classes half time this semester. My hope is that I will have the financial opportunity to enroll in a full class of semester in the spring so that I may be able to graduate sooner rather than later. I have always enjoyed learning, and furthering my education and if there were no financial obstacles I would probably enroll in every course the colleges had to offer. Being a non-traditional student definitely builds character, and strength within to push on and exceed expectations. I know that my current journey is a difficult one but it is one that is an investment in the future of my family and myself, and it is not an investment I will continue to pass on any longer.

I have been working at a personal injury law firm in Texas for the past nine years. We have helped thousands of people recover compensation for their injuries caused due to the negligence of others. It is because of my experience at this firm that I decided to further my education so that I may then also further my career as an attorney. When I first started working at the law firm I was a receptionist answering phones. I did not know the difference between plaintiff counsel, and defense counsel. To be honest I applied for the job because I needed something to pay the bills. I did not feel myself qualified for the job, but I went into the interview and gave it my best shot and was called back. I quickly learned, and outgrew my position and was given the opportunity and promotion to Closing Clerk in our finance department where I assisted attorneys with communicating drafting instructions to defense counsel, and coordinating the drafting and execution of settlement documents. It was not long after that that I was promoted to Closing Department Coordinator. I am now responsible for the negotiations of the medical bills for our clients after the case has settled. Every week I am responsible for allocating funds totaling anywhere between $350,000.00-$400,000.00. It gives me great satisfaction when we are able to guide our clients to a favorable outcome. Over the years I have enjoyed the gratitude we receive from our clients when we are at the end of their case and we can tell them that all their medical expenses have been covered, and additionally I can hand over a check. I am the last person they see when their case is done, and closed and although I enjoy that part of the job I would like to be able to fight for our clients as an attorney. When our clients come to us they are rattled, hurt, and not in a state of mind to up against an insurance company who is trying to get out paying them. Although I have enjoyed playing a small role in helping hurt clients now I want to be more involved with the legal aspect of the process. I am still working at the law firm, and can only attend classes half time right now because I am paying for my classes out of pocket. If I were able to obtain the funds to go to school full time I would be able to solely focus on my studies. I hope that once I do complete my degrees I will also be able to contribute to another student's success by also donating funds.

Question1)My plan is to begin law school by the fall of 2026. I am currently attending school only half time as an undergraduate student because I have to work full time to pay for classes. Question2) As a latina and first generation college student much of my life has been shaped by experiences that I have had to navigate alone. As the eldest daughter I was left alone with my siblings much of the time while my parents worked to provide for us. I had to be self-sufficient at a very young age. I was surrounded by great responsibilities to others, and for a long time neglected my self growth. A younger me turned to books for refuge. I always enjoyed, and looked forward to a new school week because I enjoyed the structure it provided me. School was the only place where I felt safe, and accomplished. In class there was always another adult, and I was able to relax my responsibilities as an older sister and just soak up all that I was being taught that day. In my books I could escape into another world where I could be any of the characters. Education has always been a passion of mine, and if it were not for my financial limitations I would have long graduated. I did not always know I wanted to attend law school. After ten years of working at a law firm, and thinking to myself I wish I could, I finally decided to stop wishing and work for it. I use every opportunity to learn and grow. When I first started working at this firm I started as a receptionist. I knew nothing about the legal field at the time, and being a lawyer was never on my radar. I had convinced myself that being a lawyer was a career I was not worthy of. I quickly outgrew my position as a receptionist and was promoted to a Collections Clerk in our finance department. This is when I really began to learn about the legal processes, and I finally felt like my job there meant something. It was not long after that I was promoted to Closing Department Coordinator where I learned to negotiate medical bills for million dollar cases for the firm. Some of which have been advertised locally on TV. This has grown my confidence immensely, and I have learned a lot along the way. After doing this for a few years I quickly realized that going to law school is a possibility for me. I just have to be willing to put in the work. For many years I let fear guide me in my decision, and although some degree of fear is ok I have learned that sometimes we have to do things for ourselves despite that fear. Living with the what ifs was no longer an option. Question 3) Given the opportunity to give back I would most definitely help other students like me pay for college. Anyone who is serious about furthering their education should have the financial ability to do so. It saddens me that because of lack of funds so many futures have been altered. Once I graduate my hope is that I will be in a position to contribute to another student's success.

I must admit that I may fit the cliché when I say that my ideal bookshelf will not be limited to one bookshelf but rather will look like the library in the Disney classic Beauty in the Beast. A room filled to the brim with both fiction, and non-fiction books. The books that call to me the most are fiction books. I love to get lost in a good mystery book. I enjoy the suspense a good mystery novel brings. A good thriller book can keep me engaged, and turning the pages at record speeds. I used to be an avid reader but with all the technology around us I craved fast content, and could not for the life of me get myself to enjoy a book. When I stumbled on BookTok I was quickly inspired to put away the phone, and turn off the TV. The author that drew me back in is Frieda McFadden. Her books are filled with twists and turns. I like that she makes you think you have it figured out, and she always has an unexpected ending. I recently became familiar with the author Jean Kwok. Her writing style is very interesting, and I attribute that to her Chinese background. Her books are very enjoyable. I recommend the novel The Leftover Woman because its is a mixture of both mystery and love. I do not mind a good romance novel, but they do not keep me as entertained as mystery and thriller books do. Another author that I am wanting to explore is Hanan al-Shaykh her books are inspired by her life and her experience as an Arab women and the repression of women in the Arab world. I am also a big crime junkie, and listen to Ashley Flowers podcast religiously and she recently wrote a novel called All Good People Here. I have not had the opportunity to read that one but it will definitely be added to my bookshelf. I am also a huge Harry Potter fan and all the Harry Potters books would be essential on my bookshelf. Growing up reading Harry Potter really helped me get through some tough years. I was able to escape to another world. I often still turn to those books for comfort. That is how I look at all books. A means to relax, unwind, and escape to another world where we need not worry.

I became a mom at the age of 16. Becoming a teen mom although difficult proved to be a blessing in disguise for me. At the time I was a rebel child, and there was no knowing where life would have taken me if my little Karina had not shown up in my life when she did. My focus before being a mom was never school. When I became a mom it was like something in me clicked. I knew I needed to get serious, and more importantly I wanted to do right by my daughter. I worked hard, and was able to graduate from High School on time in 2010. After High School I managed to attend some college courses at the community college. I have only been able to attend part time because of my time constraints as a working parent, and due to low funds to pay for college. Being a parent and college student although alone come with their own challenges together those issues are augmented. I know that the financial burden of college is not a sole issue for parents or single parents looking to attend college, but I know the reason there a less single mothers, or young parents with higher level degrees because we have to decide if we can afford the time, and money it takes to complete a high level education. I will admit that I am not a single mother. I married my High School sweetheart only a year after graduating from High School in 2011, and we welcomed our second child in 2015 while I was attending community college. We had a lot of challenges ahead of us. At the time I was not a legal resident of the U.S. We had to navigate a world where I was an undocumented immigrant. That came with additional challenges of job insecurities, and not knowing if a college degree would really make a difference in my individual life. There was also the constant fear of deportation, and at the same time feeling like my world was so small because I did not share the same freedoms as everyone around me. When the DREAM Act passed in 2011 it shined a new light of hope for not only my future, but also my daughters future. This meant that I could continue going to school, and hopefully once done I would be able to lead a career. A couple of years after that I was able to obtain legal permanent residency, and years later my US Citizenship. During this whole process I never stopped being a mom. I had to keep working to provide for my daughter, and also manage my time so that I was able to spend quality time with her. Balancing work, school, and all those legal issues was draining on my mental health. What kept me going was that little human that is depending on me to be her guide. I have always been the mom who despite having class, and work, signs up for the PTA and volunteered for the class field trips. For the past 9 years I have been working at a law firm. I started off as a receptionist and worked my way up. I am working towards completing my Bachelors Degree so that I can apply to Law School. I hope that once I have completed all this I can be an inspiration to my own kids, and maybe go back to the schools I attended and guide other students to never give up on themselves no matter what their journey looks like.

I am the older of four girls in my family. My parents immigrated to the United States with nothing more than the clothes on their back, and me. Until recently I became a legal United States Citizen, and it has been no easy journey. Both of my parents have some schooling, but never finished school. Their biggest wish for me is to finish my college education. I will not lie and say I always shared this dream for myself. I was like any other teen undecided of what I wanted for my future. Unlike my peers I was not sure if it would be worth applying for college. Because of my legal status I was not even sure I could be accepted into a school. I also did not have my parents to guide me with applications for school, and in some ways I think the fear of my legal status scared me away from asking questions. My parents did not, and do not have the means to pay for a college education, and I did not qualify for FAFSA. When Obama was in office I became one of the many DREAMERS, and shortly after that I was able to obtain legal Permanent Residency, and just a few years ago I took the final steps to become a legal US Citizen. Looking back at it all now it all just feels like a big dream. I have been in this country since before I could talk, and this is the only home I know. All the paperwork just made it official. Unlike anything else in my life my schooling has not been a straight path. I graduated High School in 2010. I have had to go to school only part time because it was what I could afford at the time. Before college I became a teen mom, and then later welcomed my second child eight years after High School while in college. I am a mom of two, and a wife. Going back to school is HUGE financial decision for our family. Much of the reason I stopped going to school is because of finances. I decided to focus on work rather than school. My goal with continuing my education is to help others like me achieve their goals in their educational career, and possibly even their goals with regards to their immigration status in this country. Within the immigrant community there is always a sense of hope. Hope is what guided us to this country, and our willingness to work hard. My hopes are to complete my Bachelors Degree and apply to law school so that I may be able to help others like me. I am currently employed at a personal injury law firm. Where we help our hurt clients everyday get the help they deserve when they have been injured due to the negligence of others. This job is the what inspired me to continue my education. Before working here I really had no idea what career I wanted for myself. I know that if accepted to law school I will be able to help so many more people.

I am the oldest daughter of an immigrant family. My parents like many other immigrants came to the USA full of dreams and aspirations for their future generations. My parents only have a High School level education. They came to this country with no material possessions, but ready to work hard for a better future. Growing up as the eldest in an immigrant family comes with a lot of responsibility, and great expectations. The hard truth is that although our parents want us to have all these opportunities they don’t have the knowledge to share with us on how to achieve any of the goals they set forth for us. We are told we need to pursue BIG careers. Our parents want us to be Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers etc! We are expected to figure it out all by ourselves. One of my first personal struggles as an immigrant child goes back to my first day of kindergarten. At the time I only spoke Spanish. Neither of my parents knew how to speak English. The school I was enrolled in had only English speaking teachers and students. When my mom retells the story she remembers me squeezing her hand at the door of the school, and feeling a lump in her throat. Despite my fear I went in that first day, and soon I was speaking English. Before I knew it I was my families very own personal translator. My biggest blessing coming from an immigrant family is learning the value of hard work. From a young age we are taught over and over that we can’t give up. To much was sacrificed already for us to give up. Along with work ethic we are taught to hope. We are taught to hope and dream big. We are taught to bet on ourselves. I became a mother at a very young age. I was still a sophomore in High School. In spite of that I graduated High School and managed to take a few courses at the Community College. I expanded my family since then. Now that my kids are a little older I want to focus on finishing what I started. I’m currently enrolled in classes to complete my Bachelor’s Degree, and the goal is apply for Law School. I want to prove to myself that I can’t accomplish all the goals I set forth. I want to set an example for other immigrants like me, show them that they too can do great things.