I am a first-generation Latina college student, and one of the biggest challenges in my education has been a lack of guidance. My family has always supported me, but no one in my immediate family had experience navigating the college path I wanted. I did not grow up with someone explaining which AP classes to take, how important extracurriculars were, how to build a résumé, or how to apply to universities. I had to learn these things as I went. I was in AVID throughout middle and high school, but I often felt like I was already behind. I remember realizing this before my junior year while watching Gilmore Girls and seeing Rory and Paris work toward Harvard. My dream school was USC, and I wondered, “Was I supposed to have been doing all of this already?” I wished someone had told me earlier to take more AP classes, volunteer, join clubs, and build experiences for college. Even without that guidance, I pushed myself academically. My freshman English teacher encouraged me to take AP English because of my writing ability, and I graduated high school with a 3.9 GPA. When college applications arrived, AVID helped me understand the process, but my family was learning alongside me. As the oldest child in my immediate family, I was creating the blueprint while following it. That experience taught me that if I want something, I have to find the information, ask questions, and create opportunities for myself. That mindset shaped my career journey. Growing up around Los Angeles, I became fascinated with film and storytelling. In high school, I pursued that interest through Viking Vision, my student news program, where I became a production manager, camera operator, reporter, editor, and director. I learned how powerful communication can be when a story makes an audience feel connected. At Mt. San Antonio College, I discovered that I wanted to combine those communication skills with my love for sports. I took the initiative to contact the men’s basketball coaching staff and became an Assistant Sports Information Director. I manage social media, create graphics, capture photos and videos, assist with game-day operations, and draft professional communications. Through this experience, I realized that the career I had been searching for was public relations. I want to become a PR specialist because public relations combines everything I love: storytelling, creativity, branding, media, and communication. I want to help organizations communicate who they are and create stories that inform, inspire, and connect with their audiences. I will continue this journey at Loyola Marymount University, where I plan to study Communication Studies and pursue Public Relations. I was previously accepted to its School of Film and Television after high school, but attending immediately was not financially realistic. Choosing Mt. SAC allowed me to save money, earn my associate degree, and gain professional experience. Now, I am returning to the university I once had to postpone. However, transferring to LMU still presents a significant financial challenge. I am responsible for much of my tuition and living expenses while also paying for my car, insurance, gas, groceries, and other necessities. Commuting from Covina can take approximately an hour and a half, making it difficult to balance work, school, and opportunities on campus. This scholarship would give me the financial breathing room to focus more on my education and career. More importantly, it would help me become the person I once needed: someone who can tell another young woman of color, especially a first-generation student, that she is not behind and that she belongs.

I have always been someone who works hard for the future I want. Whether I was on a basketball court, behind a camera, working on campus, or studying for an exam, I have learned that success comes from creating opportunities, staying committed, and continuing to grow. Sports have been a major part of my life since childhood. I started playing basketball in elementary school and later became a starter and captain of my high school basketball team. I also competed in track, running sprints and hurdles. Sports taught me discipline, teamwork, communication, and how to overcome challenges. Those lessons have continued into college, where I work with the Mt. SAC Men's Basketball Team as an Assistant Sports Information Director. I manage social media, create graphics and content, assist with game-day operations, track statistics, communicate with coaches, and help promote the team. This experience has shown me how much I love combining communication, creativity, and sports. My ambition has also pushed me to pursue opportunities beyond athletics. At Mt. SAC, I worked as a Student Ambassador, helping students and families navigate college, leading campus tours, promoting programs, and managing social media and events. I also participated in the Honors Program and earned my Associate degree in Communication Studies with a 3.76 GPA. These experiences taught me that success is not only about what I accomplish for myself, but also how I can help and encourage others. One of the biggest things I admire about Kalia's story is her work ethic and commitment to excellence. I strive for those qualities in my own life. I want to learn, improve, take on responsibilities, and make the people around me proud. I have had to figure out many parts of my educational and career journey on my own, and that has made me determined rather than discouraged. This fall, I will transfer to Loyola Marymount University to continue my Communication Studies degree and pursue Public Relations. My goal is to build a career in communications and public relations, using storytelling and media to help organizations connect with their audiences. I hope to build my career in Los Angeles because of its connection to media, entertainment, and communications. Living closer to campus would allow me to become more involved at LMU, build professional connections, pursue internships, and take advantage of opportunities throughout Los Angeles. However, paying for this next chapter is a major challenge. I am responsible for paying my own tuition, car payment, insurance, gas, and other personal expenses. My family wants to support me, but they cannot financially cover my college and living expenses. Attending Mt. SAC allowed me to save money by completing my first two years at a community college, but transferring to a private school still means significant tuition costs. I plan to continue working, but after my monthly expenses, there is little left to save. My commute from Covina to LMU can take around an hour and a half each way, and I hope to live closer to campus. I want to spend more time at LMU, become involved, build relationships, and have more time to focus on school and my career. This scholarship could help me take that step by contributing toward tuition, rent, groceries, or other essential expenses. Even one month of living expenses would be a meaningful foundation toward living closer to campus and pursuing my goals. Most importantly, I hope to carry the values represented by Kalia's legacy: living fully, loving others, continuing to learn, and leaving something meaningful behind. I want my own legacy to be one of hard work, kindness, creativity, and faith.

Being a first-generation college student is both an honor and a responsibility. It means I get to represent my family in a way no one before me has had the chance to, and that makes me proud. At the same time, it comes with pressure because my family has always believed in me, calling me the “smart one” and reminding me that I’ll do great things. More than anything, being first-generation means becoming the guide I never had. I want my younger cousins and future generations of my family to have someone they can turn to for advice about college applications, financial aid, and scholarships because I know what it feels like to figure everything out alone. The biggest challenge I faced wasn’t a lack of motivation; it was a lack of guidance. No one in my immediate family had experience navigating college admissions, so I never learned how much AP classes, leadership positions, volunteering, and extracurricular involvement could strengthen an application. By the time I realized their importance, I felt behind. I remember watching Gilmore Girls before my junior year and realizing how much planning students put into preparing for their dream schools. That moment showed me I couldn’t change the opportunities I missed, but I could make the most of every opportunity moving forward. I became my own advocate. I asked teachers questions, searched for resources, and created opportunities instead of waiting for them. That determination helped me graduate high school with nearly a 3.9 GPA before attending Mt. San Antonio College to save money. There, I earned my associate degree with a 3.76 GPA, became an Honors Scholar, served as a Student Ambassador, and worked as the Assistant Sports Information Director for Mt. SAC Men’s Basketball Team, where I managed social media, created digital content, and strengthened my passion for communications. This fall, I transfer to Loyola Marymount University to study Communication Studies with a planned minor in Public Relations. My dream is to become a public relations specialist because I love storytelling, strategic communication, and helping organizations build meaningful relationships with their communities. I want my work to help people connect with ideas, brands, and each other while creating a future my family can be proud of. This scholarship would help ease the financial burden of tuition, my car payment, insurance, gas, and other expenses I manage while supporting myself. It would also help me save toward living closer to LMU. Instead of spending nearly three hours commuting, I could dedicate more time to campus organizations, internships, networking events, professors, classmates, and coursework. I want to fully embrace my final two years of college by being present in what I worked hard for. Being first-generation has taught me that success is not about having every answer; it’s about being willing to find them. I may not have started with a roadmap, but I built one through determination and hard work. Now, I hope to create a clearer path for the family members who follow after me.