Higher education is important to me because it is not as accessible as we are led to believe. When we are in elementary school we are typically asked what we want to be when we grow up and we are told that we can be anything we want. What we are not told is how difficult of a process it can be. Especially for low income students, first generation students, students whose first language is not English, and many other circumstances which students and families do not always have control over. All these things play a much bigger role than you’d expect in students' educational careers and ultimately help shape how their lives will play out and what career they land on. I have seen this happen first hand with myself, my peers, and now I am seeing it play out with my siblings. I am a first generation Latina and oldest of four kids as well as the oldest of 16 grandkids. I know all too well the challenges students face as they start to ponder their options for careers and post-secondary education and am seeing these challenges continue with my younger siblings and family members. It saddens me to see just how difficult the process continues to be. All I can think about is how can I help? How can I make a difference in these kids’ lives so that they can truly have the opportunity to succeed? How can I make the process easier for them and their families? Why is it so hard? I am all too familiar with the struggle first generation students, minority students, low income students, etc. go through in high school trying to graduate and/or go to college because I was that student. It is already a complicated process even if you do know what you are doing. Figuring out what FAFSA is, translating for their parents, trying to find scholarships, trying to make sure you get all the credits to graduate, applying for colleges, working a part-time job, all while trying to maintain a healthy social and emotional personal life. School is supposed to be a safe and fun place where you can learn, grow, try new things, make lasting friends and start the transition into what will be the rest of our lives. Whether that is going off to college, or a trade school, serving our country, or just finding a job. There are so many options out there that need to be more attainable. It is now my turn to help students and their families from all walks of life, get through this chaos so that they too can have a shot at a better life and more opportunities. This is something I am very passionate about and I truly believe that my background, my fluency in Spanish and English, and my understanding of the educational process through my current job have set me up for a successful career as a school counselor. More students deserve the opportunity to pursue a higher education and that process starts earlier than we think.

Learning to me is a cycle, it is not something that ends or that you can ever be done with. The world around us is constantly evolving, growing, and changing. We must do the same through learning. It could be learning how to use a new tool or continuing to adapt and learn about our professions. This is exactly how I see myself learning throughout my life. Counseling is not a stagnant profession. New practices, theories and techniques are changed or developed every year. This is the case, in my opinion, for any position but it is especially emphasized in the counseling field. It is my job to continue to learn and evolve in order to better serve my community and my future clients. Education is power and with that power comes a responsibility to help those around you. I want to take what I learn and apply it to life as well as share it with those around me so they too can continue their learning throughout life. My family immigrated to the United States from a country that lacked educational experiences and resources. It is because of this that we as a family value education so much. We understand that having the resources, tools and access to continued learning is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. I have always found myself striving to learn more. Whether it be in my personal life or in a job position, I strive to continue to learn. It is a part of who I am and something I will continue to embrace.

My dream is to live a life fighting to create an easier path for success for Latin/x students with immigrant parents. Our education systems are not meant to empower first-generation students or students of immigrant families who are unfamiliar with it or lack generational resources and education. I am here to change that.

Alejandra, defender of mankind, daughter, sister, wife, Mexican, American. There is more to a name than we give it credit for. My name is my identity. My name is my culture. My name is my strength. I draw power from it through my roots and my ancestors. Those who paved the way before me and were not ashamed or changed due to lack of cultural appreciation. It saddens me to think of when I was younger and would adapt or change my name to fit a culture who saw it as “difficult” or “too long”. My name is Alejandra Corchado Rodriguez, I am as much my fathers daughter as I am my mothers and will carry their names with me until my last breath. My name is a symbol of pride. Pride for my family, my culture, and my people. There will be no more adapting my name in order to make those around me more “comfortable”. No one should feel the need or pressure to adapt their names for the sake of others' comfortability. I am the defender of mankind. I fight to defend those around me and pave the way for those coming after me. I am a daughter who works hard to make her parents proud and thank them for their sacrifices. I am an older sister who cares and worries about her younger siblings. I am a wife to a man who respects and loves me as much as I love him. I am Mexican just as much as I am American. I carry the golden skin of my ancestors as I work towards my own American dream. I am Alejandra, and I wouldn't give that up for the world.

My first real adult job after graduating from college was at a credit union. It had absolutely nothing to do with my degree but I was a recent graduate and needed a job. I ended up learning a lot about how financial institutions work and about a lot of the products that they can offer. Through that experience I received some great financial advice and knowledge. The best advice I received though had to have been that it is never too early to start investing in my retirement. I always assumed that retirement was something I worried about once I was actually close to that age and that it was something I invested in through whatever job I was in. I thought only wealthy people invested in separate retirement accounts because it required a lot of money. Turns out that is not the case! Not only are separate retirement accounts easily available to everyone, it doesn't take a lot of money to get started. It is also pretty easy to do and really important especially for my generation. This advice has gotten me thinking a lot more about preparing for my future financially and what I can do now to prepare for later. I feel like I have become better at saving and more financially literate. I wish I would have learned about this much earlier but I am grateful to have received the advice. I feel like I have been able to make wiser financial decisions since then and am continuing to educate myself to make smart financial decisions and investments.

My parents had a very Romeo and Juliet love story. When my grandfather found out my mom was dating my dad, he planned on moving her to California with him where he was working seasonally in the fields while his family stayed in Mexico. So my parents did what any teenagers in love would do, they ran away together. They fled the disapproval and made their way across the border to Boulder, Colorado. It still baffles me to think how two teenagers, who spoke no English, did not finish high school, ran away to a whole different country on their own to start their lives together. They literally started from scratch. Working multiple jobs, renting small rooms, sleeping on the floor. Then a year later I came along. Growing up I never really realized how poor we were. We had all the essentials, food, clothes, and a roof over our heads. It wasn't until I got older that my parents shared their truths about that time. The reason they weren't home was because they had to work multiple, low paying jobs that undocumented immigrants could get. How there were times when my mom would make meals out of canned foods because that was all we could afford. Or how when I was a baby, they found me a bassinet mattress in the trash for me to sleep on while they slept on the floor… Growing up I was always told I needed to be successful, I needed to take advantage of the sacrifice that my parents made immigrating here, and that I needed to be a positive example for my younger siblings. These three things over time seemed to have been engraved into me and have helped mold me into the person I am now. School was always the place where I was told I needed to succeed. I needed to do good in school because a good education led to a good job which then led to financial stability. My young life revolved around school and it became my safe haven. Even after graduating from college I found myself back at school, working. And now I am going back to school again to pursue a masters degree to continue my work at a school. It feels like it's coming full circle. My parents immigrated here for a chance at a better life together. Then helped me and pushed me to be successful through education. And now that I see and better understand the education system and the world itself, I can't help but want to pay it forward and help other students and families pursue the American dream of having a better life. I am all too familiar with the struggle first generation students, minority students, low income students, etc. go through in high school trying to graduate and/or go to college because I was that student. It is now my turn to help students and their families from all walks of life, get through this chaos so that they too can have a shot at a better life and more opportunities. This is something I am very passionate about and I truly believe that my background has set me up for a successful career as a school counselor. So here I am again ready to undertake my masters degree in Counseling in Education, but I can't do it without your help. Please help me reach my goal so I too can give back to students so they can reach their full potential.

I saw a quote by Ian Somerhalder not too long ago that said “Millennials don't just want to read the news anymore. They want to know what they can do about it.” This really resonated with me not just because I am a millennial myself, but also because it gave me hope that my generation and the generations after me will put in the work to make positive changes in the world. I look around me at my peers and I see people who are refusing to settle with what the world is offering. Not only do we want more, we expect more, and that gives me hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a brighter future, hope for a better life for the many, not just the few. No more being afraid and staying quiet. We are here to make changes and that gives me hope that the world is heading in a positive direction. It is hard to have hope when we are constantly surrounded by negative news or events that are happening around the world, but we must use that as fuel and motivation to make the world better. We have to be the change we want to see in the world and it brings me so much hope to see more and more people embrace that lifestyle. It will take time and we must be patient but change is coming and that is what matters. We must make this world a better one for those who will come after us. We will no longer just stand around while the world suffer. No matter where we come from or what we look like, we are determined to work together and do what must be done for the greater good. And that is what gives me hope.

I am all too familiar with the struggle first generation students, minority students, low income students, etc. go through in high school trying to graduate and/or go to college because I was that student. It is already a complicated process even if you do know what you are doing. Figuring out what FAFSA is, translating for their parents, trying to find scholarships, trying to make sure you get all the credits to graduate, applying for colleges, working a part-time job, all while trying to maintain a healthy social and emotional personal life. School is supposed to be a safe and fun place where you can learn, grow, try new things, make lasting friends and start the transition into what will be the rest of our lives. Whether that is going off to college, or a trade school, serving our country, or just finding a job. There are so many options out there that need to be more attainable. But the reality is that students whose first language isn't English have an even more difficult time. This is something that I am very passionate about because it is not fair that students have a disadvantage in their education just because of a language barrier. Statistics are showing that by 2050, some minorities will no longer be minorities. This needs to be reflected in the education system. It is unacceptable that students are not represented in the majority of our schools. I have seen first hand how much of a disadvantage this is for the student when messages are relayed through a third party interpreter who cannot fully understand the situation or answer questions unless everyone is present and even then, translations get botched. This is the main reason why I am pursuing a masters degree in counseling in education. I am tired of seeing students slip through the cracks for things they cannot control. I hope that I can make a difference at least in my community to support students and Spanish speaking families navigate through the education system. Everyone deserves a fair shot at getting a good education, regardless of the language they speak or the color of their skin.

I have never been able to be the person who just settles. I’ve known for a while now that I needed to advance my career in education so that I can do more. I want to help those students and families that need it the most. The ones struggling to navigate through high school, the ones who every day deal with the struggle of English not being their first language, the ones who slip through the cracks. I want to be there for them. That is why I want to be a high school counselor for them. And I don't plan on stopping there. In time, I plan to get my administrative license and become a principal. Change has to start somewhere, and I plan on playing a role in it. So that someday, everyone really does get a fighting chance to be whatever they want when they grow up, regardless of income, background, race, etc. I am all too familiar with the struggle first generation students, minority students, low income students, etc. go through in high school trying to graduate and/or go to college because I was that student. It is already a complicated process even if you do know what you are doing. School is supposed to be a safe and fun place where you can learn, grow, try new things, make lasting friends and start the transition into what will be the rest of our lives. Whether that is going off to college, or a trade school, serving our country, or just finding a job. There are so many options out there that need to be more attainable. It is now my turn to help students and their families from all walks of life, get through this chaos so that they too can have a shot at a better life and more opportunities. This is something I am very passionate about and I truly believe that my background, my fluency in Spanish and English, and my understanding of the educational process through my current job have set me up for a successful career as a school counselor. So here I am again ready to undertake my masters degree in Counseling in Education, but I can't do it without your help. The reality is pursuing my masters degree is not cheap, but I am ready to commit and do what needs to be done. Please help me reach my goal so I too can give back to students so they can reach their full potential.

Growing up we are constantly told that we can be anything we want when we grow up. What we are not told is how difficult of a process it can be. Especially for low income students, first generation students, students whose first language is not English, and many other circumstances which students and families do not always have control over. All these things play a much bigger role than you’d expect in students' educational careers and ultimately help shape how their lives will play out and what career they land on. I have seen this happen first hand with myself, my peers, and now I am seeing it play out with my siblings. I am a first generation Latina and oldest of four kids as well as the oldest of 16 grandkids. I know all too well the challenges students face as they start to ponder their options for careers and post-secondary education and am seeing these challenges continue with my younger siblings and family members. It saddens me to see just how difficult the process continues to be. All I can think about is how can I help? How can I make a difference in these kids’ lives so that they can truly have the opportunity to succeed? How can I make the process easier for them and their families? I always enjoyed school and I knew I wanted to work with people and that I wanted to help those around me in some capacity but didn’t know what that would or could look like. I did service work at places like Community Food Share, Habitat for Humanity, and the “I Have a Dream'' Foundation as a way to give back to my community but always felt like I needed to do more. And even though I enjoy volunteering and can really stand behind the non-profits mission/vision, I wasn’t sure if non-profit work was the right career path for me. Although I continue to volunteer, the connection that I was looking for just wasn’t there, I could not see myself doing it as a career. I also realized that I needed more from life, that a good job cannot just be defined by the size of your paycheck. I was determined to do more and after almost a year working at a credit union, I got the opportunity I had been waiting for, a job offer at an alternative high school in Boulder as a receptionist. The pay wasn’t great, the drive was long, but I was happy. I no longer dreaded getting up every morning and found fulfilment in my work. It was a small role I played but in education it really does take a village and I felt like I was finally doing something to help. I have since been promoted to an elementary school and with things finally somewhat going back to normal, I am ready to take it a step further. I have never been able to be the person who just settles. I’ve known for a while now that I needed to advance my career in education so that I can do more. I want to help those students and families that need it the most. The ones struggling to navigate through high school, the ones who every day deal with the struggle of English not being their first language, the ones who slip through the cracks. I want to be there for them. That is why I want to be a high school counselor for them. And I don't plan on stopping there. In time, I plan to get my administrative license and become a principal. Change has to start somewhere, and I plan on playing a role in it. So that someday, everyone really does get a fighting chance to be whatever they want when they grow up, regardless of income, background, race, etc. I am all too familiar with the struggle first generation students, minority students, low income students, etc. go through in high school trying to graduate and/or go to college because I was that student. It is already a complicated process even if you do know what you are doing. Figuring out what FAFSA is, translating for their parents, trying to find scholarships, trying to make sure you get all the credits to graduate, applying for colleges, working a part-time job, all while trying to maintain a healthy social and emotional personal life. School is supposed to be a safe and fun place where you can learn, grow, try new things, make lasting friends and start the transition into what will be the rest of our lives. Whether that is going off to college, or a trade school, serving our country, or just finding a job. There are so many options out there that need to be more attainable. It is now my turn to help students and their families from all walks of life, get through this chaos so that they too can have a shot at a better life and more opportunities. This is something I am very passionate about and I truly believe that my background, my fluency in Spanish and English, and my understanding of the educational process through my current job have set me up for a successful career as a school counselor. So here I am again ready to undertake my masters degree in Counseling in Education, but I can't do it without your help. Please help me reach my goal so I too can give back to students so they can reach their full potential.