Hello, my name is Laura Colon. I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. I've lived in Providence, Rhode Island, for the past seven years. I came to the United States without any basic knowledge of the language. For this reason, I had to repeat a grade, which at that moment made me feel like a failure. However, this setback allowed me to adapt to the US schooling system, learn English, prepare myself for high school, and explore career path interests. Although I still struggle to fit in, I have tried my best to overcome my imposter syndrome by believing in my abilities to achieve my goals. I am a second-year student at the University of Rhode Island pursuing a major in Civil Engineering and Spanish through the International Engineering Program. After my third year of undergrad, I will be studying abroad for a year in a Spanish-speaking country. With the assistance of this program, I will be able to expand my cultural awareness, meet people from all around the world, complete engineering and Spanish courses, and work for an international company as an intern for a whole semester. As a first-generation Latino student, I believe it is my duty to inspire future leaders through STEM. I plan to continue to be an example of integrity and perseverance to the younger generation and I hope you will support it too!