Posted on October 20, 2024
Issue(s) of Focus:Homelessness and youth mentoring for girls of color.
Major(s): Mathematics
Project: I want to work within youth mentoring, helping foster leadership, education, and creativity. I would want to focus on youth of color, especially young girls. I believe that it’s important for youth of color to have the most support while growing up and learning more about the world.
Inspiration: Growing up, I found that I had a strong passion for STEM and the arts, but what really motivated me to keep trying new things and being creative was the support and encouragement I received from those around me. Their confidence in me shaped my drive and confidence, inspiring me to pursue new opportunities. I would want to keep the torch lit by doing the same thing others did to me to encourage the new brains of this generation.
Future Goals: By encouraging inclusion, empowerment, and resource access, I hope to create opportunities for underrepresented communities to thrive through my work in the community and social impact projects. My objective is to promote equity in order to make a meaningful difference, especially in areas where voices are frequently disregarded or marginalized.
Posted on October 20, 2024
Issue(s) of Focus: Youth Mentoring, Education Equality
Major(s): Elementary Education
Project:I aspire to help first generation students feel supported through the college process. School is a luxury that many have the opportunity to complete but don’t have the access.
Inspiration: I am a first generation student. My struggles with attending school have been at large. I know a mentor could have made a huge difference in making the process seamless as possible.
Future Goals: I hope to help first generation students feel and like they belong. I thrive to help parents understand how important those deadlines are so there student can be successful.
Posted on October 20, 2024
Issue(s) of Focus: Youth Mentoring, College Preparedness, Latinx Support, First Generational Support, Transitional Programs for College/University
Major(s): Biomedical Sciences (Anatomy and Physiology), Languages, Literatures and Cultures (Spanish)
Project: I was thinking about pursuing a project in helping First Generation and/or Latinx Students who are interested in Veterinary Medicine, and create a program where students will learn about the basics of Vet Med and as well as building a community and allow them to have college preparedness at Colorado State. This would be a summer program at Colorado State allowing students to become familiarized with the institution and gain support from current/past DVM students from CSU.
Inspiration: I decided to pursue this project because coming into Colorado State, I have always had the mindset of working towards becoming a Veterinarian, which led me to join/advocate for support groups for students like me. I joined Pre-Vet Club, Biomedical Student Association, declared a Pre-Vet Track and met with multiple people to help me on my track towards becoming a Veterinarian. All of these different programs are helpful but were a little intimidating and not helpful when entering my first year of college and being told i’m “already behind” on my requirements for the VMCAS and Vet School in general. Which sort of led to me thinking, Am I really prepared for Vet School… Should I even continue? Those thoughts still haunt me when I think about them now and I want to help students who were just like me to gain the knowledge and experience to help them feel prepared and know they are going into an institution where it’s much different than high school, and the start to their careers.
Future Goals: I hope to empower first generation students, latinx students and those who are interested in Veterinary Medicine, to feel prepared for their incoming year at Colorado State and allow them to gain different forms of knowledge whether it’s Veterinary Medicine or College Preparedness, but having them know that they are welcomed at an institution like CSU and providing as much support the summer before their first year up until their last semester at CSU.
Posted on October 20, 2024
Issue(s) of focus: Youth Mentoring/Affordable Housing
Major: Accounting
Project: I want to help nonprofit schools as an academic advisor when it comes to applying for scholarships, deciding which colleges they want to attend, and how to apply to them, helping them transition to their next chapter in life.
Inspiration: My parents own a charter school and they always talk about how their students don’t really know what they want to do when it comes to finishing school and it’s because no one is showing them what there is. Also during my high school years, I had an advisor who would send weekly scholarships and college recommendations and I felt it helped me understand what I wanted once I finished school.
Future Goals: What I hope to accomplish is helping kids understand a path when it comes to finishing high school and opening their eyes to all the amazing resources that are out there that they don’t know of. So they to can have the chance to go to college and do it the right way with help.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Business
Project: Working with a partner and taking the task of getting the youth in some communities out of gangs, violence, and drugs. Focus on the areas where we used to live and help with those communities.
Inspiration: I come from an area where I’ve seen a lot of youth violence and was close to being a part of it and I want to end the cycle of young kids dying. I have family members on the same path and I hope to get them out of that life.
Future Plans: I hope to get kids off the streets and give them a chance in this life without death or prison. I really want to make a difference in these kids life to know there is another way out.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Engineering
Project: Helping kids get out of gangs and better their lives.
Inspiration: Because I was once in their shoes, I used to be like that but I changed… so they can too.
Future Plans: To show kids that it is not the only option, we can break the cycle.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Social Work and Minor in Entrepreneurship
Project: I’m planning on bringing awareness on homelessness and find a way to supply any necessities for those in need.
Inspiration: I took a social work class and homelessness is a current issue in Colorado. I want to support those who are experiencing homelessness.
Future Goals: I hope to build experiences to make myself more prepared for the social work field. Also, I hope to learn new things and expand on it
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Sociology with a Concentration in Criminology and a minor in Political Science
Project: Develop stricter and more organized regulations in my community to reduce the chances of gun violence. Supporting gun violence survivors.
Inspiration: My family was a victim of gun violence and we never got the justice we deserved. Also, we live in a world of uncertainty and fear so it’s important to address the bigger issues that add to that fear.
Future Goals: I want to be a tiny part of the change to make the world a better place in terms of gun violence. I want to help bring a little bit of ease and peace back to people in my communities.
Posted on November 28, 2022
Major: Business – Accounting and Operations Management
Project: My idea right now is trying to figure out a way to educate families and students specifically POCs on AP and concurrent enrollment classes. In order to increase the number of POCs that choose to further their education in college and how these classes can help them with that.
Inspiration: Growing up I had always chosen to take AP/Honors courses and in all those years I was usually one of the only POC in my classes and I didn’t notice it until about my senior year. And most of my peers didn’t take them because they were scared away by them being harder and counselors telling them that the regular classes would be easier for them. When in all reality they were not educated on the classes and how they could help them in the future.
Future Goals: I want to show POC students that they are worthy and just as capable as any other students to take those advanced courses and succeed in them. And I want families to have more education on the classes that their children are taking and the impact that they have on their futures.
Posted on November 28, 2022
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Project: For my Puksta Project, I am planning on mentoring students at a specific high school and providing seniors with college prep, advice, and resources on how to prepare for college. I especially want to help first-generation students and students from low-income households find scholarship opportunities available at their college of choice.
Inspiration: What inspired me to choose this project was thinking back to my senior year in high school and really wanting to attend a 4-year university. The only barrier I had, was being able to afford it. There were many resources provided by my school, but I would’ve never known, if I didn’t do the research myself. I know how difficult it is to make a college decision, so I want to make this process simpler for students who want to attend university.
Future Plans: I hope to increase the number of first-generation students in predominantly white universities and allow them to be an example for future generations. I also hope to lift some weight off student’s shoulders and reassure them throughout the college application process.
