My name is Vilma, and I am a first generation college student. I attended an Engineering Academy for high school and was selected for a program called Femineers. A physics professor at Pomona College, Janice Hudgings, was my mentor for three years. Our projects were displayed at Pomona College and Cal Poly Pomona. Several made the news! Also, I worked with psychology professor Eric A. Hurley from Pomona College. We investigated low verve and high verve in a study we conducted to prove that minority students cannot thrive in a Euro-centric system. I graduated as class engineer. It has always been my dream to become a Patent Attorney. After all the hard work I input to my education, I hope to achieve financial independence one day. Here is a bit more about who I am personally. Since I was a kid, I've always loved playing video games, and I've played them all, from classics to the latest releases. Traveling and camping are also among my favorite activities. To date, Big Sur has been my favorite camping destination. Filmmaking, painting, and making music are my forms of self-care. Aside from that, I have a hidden disability. A severe food allergy, which makes my life difficult. The impact of food allergies goes far beyond what you'd anticipate, especially when you realize a bite alone of food can make all the difference. Even though growing up my family did not have much, I understood the sacrifice my mother did. For that reason, I always worked hard in school. My grandmother and I buy clothing, toys, and other items every year to donate to the communities in El Salvador.