Ever since I was first introduced to collision repair in high school, I thought it was just an elective that wasn't important to me. It was something I didn’t think I wanted to build my future around. At the time, I simply enjoyed working with my hands and seeing the results of my work. I liked the pride of taking something damaged and slowly bringing it back to life. But as I kept learning, taking on more challenging projects, and gaining experience, I realized that this is more than a hobby. It became obvious that collision repair is a career where I can grow, push myself, and create something significant every day. The classroom gave me a foundation, but the shop is where I really discovered what this career meant to me. I wasn’t just learning from books; I was sanding panels, spraying paint, and figuring out how to repair a panel. Every repair taught me that every step matters. My mentor had a huge influence on determining the way I see this career. He didn’t just show me the steps; he guided me on how to think like a skilled technician. He showed me different approaches to the same repair, explained why quality mattered more than speed, and reminded me that no matter what, the car that leaves the shop carries my name with it. Those lessons gave me more than skills; they gave me confidence and pride in the kind of technician I want to become. From my experience, I believe that a successful collision repair technician should be patient, detail-oriented, adaptable, and willing to learn from mistakes. Patience is necessary because repairs can require hours of preparation to make sure everything fits and finishes correctly. Attention to detail ensures that panels are aligned, and the paint matches perfectly. Adaptability is important because no two repairs are ever the same, and technology in the automotive industry is always changing. Just as important is the ability to take criticism and learn from it. Mistakes will happen, but what defines a good technician is how they respond to accepting feedback, correcting errors, and using those lessons to improve on the next project. I’ve learned that criticism isn’t about failure, it’s about growth, and that lesson has shaped me both as a technician and as a person. Thinking about the future, I am excited to continue my education at Collin College, where I will work toward an Associate of Applied Science in Collision Repair Technology. My goal is to build on the foundation I’ve created, gain more experience, and establish myself as a skilled and reliable technician. I want to carry the lessons I’ve learned into every repair, proving to myself and others. Automotive collision repair may have started as a hobby, but it has grown into a career that challenges me, motivates me, and gives me a sense of purpose. I take pride in knowing that my work has meaning, that every custom project is a reflection of my patience, effort, and dedication. With the qualities I’ve developed and the drive I bring to every project, I am confident that I can succeed and make a name for myself in the automotive collision repair industry.

Growing up, I never truly felt accepted or welcomed anywhere outside of my home. I often felt out of place, as if I didn’t belong in the world around me. The only place where I felt seen and embraced was within my family. My father, despite the long hours he worked, always instilled in me a deep pride in our Mexican culture. He worked from seven in the morning until seven at night, six days a week. Sundays were the only days we shared, but they meant everything to me. I can still remember running into his arms when he came home, even though he was dusty and exhausted from work. He would tell me not to hug him because he was dirty, but I always hugged him anyway. Those moments taught me about love, sacrifice, and resilience. We didn’t have much, but my father’s greatest lesson to me was always clear: stay in school and study harder than everyone else. At the time, I struggled with my grades, and I often felt ashamed that I was letting him down. Then everything in my life changed—my father was sent to jail, and my mother was left to raise me, my newborn brother, and my sister on her own. At only seven years old, my world collapsed. We moved into a small single bedroom that we all shared. I went to school in the same clothes from the previous week, my hair overgrown, feeling dirty and ashamed. I felt hopeless and unmotivated, but even in that darkness, I held onto my father’s words: be a better man than me. Those words lit a fire in me. I transformed from the student who sat in the back of the classroom trying not to be noticed, into the student who sat in the front and studied harder than ever before. I pushed myself every single day, before and after school, refusing to give up on myself or my family. Slowly, things began to change. Teachers began to recognize my effort, and instead of being called names, I was praised for my determination. My mother supported me every step of the way, celebrating even the smallest victories. As the years went by, life became less of a burden, and I began to feel pride not only in myself but in being Mexican-American. I took that pride into everything I did—whether it was excelling in sports, earning a place on the A Honor Roll, joining the National Honor Society, or serving my community. I no longer felt out of place. I realized that my background, my struggles, and my culture had shaped me into someone who could overcome obstacles and still succeed. Being a first-generation Mexican-American college graduate means more to me than just earning a degree. It represents my father’s sacrifices, my mother’s strength, and my own refusal to give up when life became unbearable. It means breaking cycles of hardship and proving that no matter where you come from, you can rise above your circumstances. It means carrying the resilience of my family and culture with me, and using my education to inspire others who feel the same way I once did. I am passionate about this journey because it is not just mine; it belongs to my parents, my siblings, my culture, and everyone who has ever struggled but dared to keep moving forward. Becoming a first-generation Mexican-American college graduate is not just my goal—it is my promise to honor where I came from, and to build a better future for myself. Thank you for allowing me to share my story.