>> PURSUING A POST GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIRES PERSEVERANCE AND OFTEN COMES WITH SACRIFICE.

GET THE NUMBER OF LATINOS AND ROLLING IN THESE PROGRAMS HAS INCREASED 81% SINCE 2010.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER OF EDUCATION STATISTICS.

EVEN THOUGH THEY STILL ONLY MAKE UP 8% OF ALL POLLS GRADUATE STUDENTS.

JOINING US NOW TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AS WHAT THE BILLS AND HIGHER EDUCATION ARE GOING TO BE LEFT THIS WHO RECEIVED HER DOCTOR OF MEDICINE AND MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH FROM LOYOLA UNIVERSITY LOOP A FEW MINUTES TO EARN HER MASTER'S IN SPORTS.

PSYCHOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO CLOCKING GUZMAN WHO GRADUATED WITH MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH FROM LOYOLA UNIVERSITY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU GUYS HAVE TO FEEL LIKE SO PROUD OF YOURSELVES A LITTLE I WANT TO GO TO YOU TO VIEW WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO PURSUE YOUR PAST.

>> AND SO MANY THINGS, A MAINLY MY COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP.

I DIDN'T MEAN A LOT OF HISPANIC DOCTORS ARE DOCTOR SAID LOOK LIKE ME.

SO I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I COULD DO THAT.

AND THAT PERSON LITTLE.

YOU YOU KIND OF FELT THAT.

YEAH, JUST FROM THAT CLASSIC STORY OF HEARING, SOMEONE SAY, YOU YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT, GO INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

AND I WAS LIKE, LET ME PROVE THEM WRONG.

LET ME RIDGLEY.

YOU STARTED AS IN NURSING GREGORY, OURSELVES, PURSUING, ARE SEEING I DID 2 YEARS.

I GOT ADMITTED TO A NURSING PROGRAM AND THEN I WHAT'S LIFE IF YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS, THAT'S AWESOME.

AND AS WE SAID, ALTHOUGH MORE LATINOS ARE PURSUING THESE DEGREES.

>> WE ONLY STILL MAKE UP A SMALL ABOUT DID YOU FEEL THE IMPACT OF THAT WHILE YOU'RE IN SCHOOL?

>> THAT EARLY, I REALIZE THAT SOMETIMES I WAS LIKE THE ONLY WOMAN EARLY BEING IN THE ROOM AND I FELT REALLY PROUD.

AND I JUST KEPT THINKING LIKE WE NEED MORE THAT THE NURSE AND MORE THAT, YOU KNOW, IS IN THE ROOM IS 100 HIGHER EDUCATION.

AND TELL ME ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY.

WHAT GOT YOU INVOLVED IN WANTING TO PURSUE YOUR COURIER?

>> YES, DEFINITELY.

MY FAMILY IS A BIG MOTIVATOR TO US HAVING ALL THE GENERATIONS BEFORE ME SEE WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.

AND THEN JUST MY PASSION FOR FITNESS AND HEALTH REALLY GOT ME HERE TODAY, ACTUALLY.

BUT YOUR MOM MAY CAUSE ISSUES SO PROUD OF, YOU SHE'S THE BEST.

SHE'S WATCHING HAVING HER HERE.

>> IN COOKING, HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE LEARNING HOW TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER STUDENTS OF PEOPLE WHO COULD HELP YOU ALONG THE WAY WHEN THERE ARE FEW LATINOS, CAN BE TOUGH.

IT WAS IT WAS REALLY HARD.

AT IT WAS YOU KNOW, I THINK I JUST PUSH MYSELF TO, YOU KNOW.

>> GET OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND ASK FOR HELP.

HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO HELP ME.

AND I TOOK TO MY TENANTS.

SO YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS FACULTY OR ADVISORS, EVEN STUDENTS LIKE IT WAS.

I WAS ASKING FOR HOW THOSE OF LISTENING TO WHAT I COULD DO, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES LOOKING FOR IT.

HONESTLY THAT SOMETIMES THE MOST INTIMATE PART, I WOULD IS LOOKING FOR THAT INFORMATION.

AND ALL OF YOU ARE FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS BE LIKE.

CAN YOU TALK TO ME MORE ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE AND HOW THAT IMPACTED THE WAY YOU NAVIGATE THE COLLEGE?

>> AND IT'S KIND OF EXACTLY LIKE WALKING SAID, YOU GO INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE AROUND YOU SEEMS TO HAVE PARENTS, COUSINS, AUNTS AND UNCLES WHO ALREADY PURSUE THIS TYPE OF DEGREE.

AND THEN ESPECIALLY UP HIGH TO MEDICINE.

IT WAS LIKE, OH, DID YOU FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION LIKE I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF SO FINDING YOUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE AND ASKING FOR HELP, I THINK IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE KIND OF ALREADY HAS THAT THERE YOU HAVE YOUR SUPPORT FROM YOUR FAMILY.

SO FINDING THE MENTORS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THIS SITUATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT EXCEEDING.

HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU FACE THAT?

YOU DO A LITTLE WORD IN YOUR HEAD.

THAT IMPOSTER SYNDROME.

>> OH, MAN, IT'S THERE ALL THE TIME.

IT'S TALKING TO ME ALWAYS.

BUT I THINK YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY WATCH ME WORK.

WATCH ME.

WORK ON MY WATCH.

WE PROVE YOU'RE ON AND I'M GONNA TAKE IT EVERY STEP FURTHER THAT YOU SAY THAT I CAN.

LIKE I AT THE MENTALITY LED LET ME PROVE YOU HOW DID THAT IMPACT YOUR PATH TO YOUR DEGREE?

>> SO BEEN TOUGH, NOT KNOWING SOMETIMES WHAT TO DO.

WHAT IS THE FIRST WHO TO TALK TO AND ALSO JUST KNOWING THAT YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH AND THAT MOMENT TO ALSO TALK TO PEOPLE.

I THINK.

>> PROFESSORS, PEOPLE IN THE CLASSROOM, SO DEFTLY BEING THE FIRST IN THE FAMILY CAN BE A LITTLE TIMID DATING, BUT DEFINITELY WORTH IT ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE YOU'RE ALSO INSPIRING THOSE BEHIND YOU TO CONTINUE AS WAS ARE ALSO MOMENT MAYBE YOU ARE SELF DOUBTING YOURSELF AS WELL.

>> ALWAYS, I THINK THAT VOICE IS ALWAYS THERE.

THAT LITTLE GIRL WHO WAS SCARED TO BE IN THE CASH ROOM WITHIN A HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH PROPERLY.

>> BUT JUST KNOWING THAT YOU'RE THERE, TAKE CARE OF HER AND THE FUTURE, I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.

>> IN COOKING WERE MADE GOING TO COLLEGE.

SO DIFFERENT FROM WHOLE OUTCOME HOME LIFE.

HOW DID YOU ADAPT?

>> IT WAS A IT WAS A CULTURE COMPLETELY.

I REMEMBER GOING TO SCHOOL AND JUST HAVING TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT I JUST IT WAS JUST SOMETHING LIKE AN ADAPTATION AND IT WAS HARD.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER COMING HOME AND JUST FEELING DIFFERENT VIBE FROM WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL.

YOU KNOW, SLOWLY, IT JUST YEAR, I MADE FRIENDS AND I STARTED, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, COME JUST LIKE THAT TO IT.

TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.

YEAH, IT WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK TO EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

>> I GOT TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE VERY GOOD SOCIAL GROUP AND, YOU KNOW, LEARN ABOUT, YOU KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO, HOW TO KISS, YOU KNOW, SUCCEED CLASSES.

AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO JUST SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM.

>> AND IT'S IT'S BEEN GREAT.

BUT WOULD YOU SAY WAS THE HARDEST PART TO YOUR COURIER?

>> OCCASIONAL CLEAR, I THINK COMPARING MYSELF TO SOME OF THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS SAY TO MYSELF, LIKE YOU'RE BEHIND, YOU NEED TO DO THIS.

YOU NEED TO DO THAT.

AND THEN EVENTUALLY I THINK I JUST ACCEPTED IT THAT I'M TAKING MY PACE AND I'M DOING WHAT I'M DOING.

AND I'M PROUD OF, YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE DONE BEEN PRETTY.

YOU'RE HERE THAT WE'RE WE'RE ALL HERE NOW TO DO AS FOR THAT AS WELL.

>> OH, YEAH.

I THINK SOMEONE TOLD ME EARLY IN MEDICAL COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY.

SO IF YOU'RE COMPARING TO OTHERS WILL NEVER BE NEVER BE SATISFIED.

EVEN IF YOU ACHIEVE ALL THESE INCREDIBLE THINGS.

ALWAYS KEEP THAT IN MIND.

EVERY TIME ON TO START TO COMPARE MYSELF THINK SOMETHING IS SO HARD NOT TO COMPARE.

SO WHEN THEY'RE SICK, SOCIAL MEDIA, FOR ONLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> AND GOT YOU, I WANT TO GO TO YOU AGAIN.

YOU ARE PART OF A PROGRAM CALLED SENIOR SCHOLARS.

WHAT HAS IT MEANT FOR YOU TO HAVE THAT RESOURCE AND BE SUPPORTED BY OTHER LATINOS?

>> OH, MY GOD.

I MEAN, SCHOLARS HELPED ME SO MUCH.

THEY REALLY GAVE ME THE TOOLS, A FOUNDATION TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION INTO MEDICINE AND IT JUST SHOWED ME OTHER DOCTORS WHO WERE LAND THAT I HAD NEVER MET BEFORE.

THEY SHOWED ME THAT I COULD DO IT, THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT LOOKS LIKE ME THAT ACHIEVED THAT.

THAT CAME FROM A SIMILAR ME.

SO WHY NOT ME LIKE WHY COULDN'T IT SO JUST HAVING THAT, THAT COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL STRUGGLE TO FIND IN THE BEGINNING HAVING THAT BEFORE EVEN STARTED MY MEDICAL CARE.

I THINK IT'S INDESCRIBABLE.

HOW MUCH IT HELPED THAT'S GREAT.

AND LOOP ACTUALLY FOUND TIKTOK WITH ONE OF YOUR VIDEOS OF YOU GRADUATING.

I MEAN, JUST WALKING THROUGH STATED MADE ME EMOTIONAL LOOKING AT JUST HOW IS IT FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS?

YOU KNOW, HOW DID YOUR FAMILY PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR JOURNEY?

>> AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE JOURNEY FROM BEING I GENERATIONS BEFORE ME FIGHT FOR ME TO HAVE THIS MOMENT.

SO WHAT TIME THAT WAS WALKING STAGE?

WAS LIKE THIS IS NOT MY DAY.

THIS IS THEIR DAY BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE WITH ME AND JUST HAVING THEM BE MOTIVATOR HAS ACTUALLY MADE A HUGE IMPACT.

AND THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE THAT BECAUSE I WANTED THEN TO GET A SENSE OF MY FAMILY HOW PROUD I AM OF THEM FOR GETTING ME HERE TO DO WITH SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD WANT TO GIVE TO ANOTHER YOUNG PERSON.

YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT.

CANNOT LET WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH IN THE PAST AS A KID IN SCHOOL GET THE BEST OF YOU NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE WORTH, YOU KNOW, THE SPACING.

IT'S A SAFE SPACE FOR YOU.

THAT'S REALLY AWESOME.

WALKING YOU WHAT'S WITH SOME LAST WORDS OF ADVICE.

I WOULD IT'S OKAY TO NOT HAVE THINGS FIGURED OUT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMBRACE.

YOU KNOW, UNCERTAINTY AND EXPLORE THINGS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S YOUR PASSION FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU LIKE DOING AND GO WITH HAVE A COUPLE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

REALLY HAVE A COUPLE SECONDS LEFT.

>> WHAT WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST WORDS?

>> LEAN ON YOUR FAMILY YOUR BIGGEST SOURCE OF SUPPORT AND INSPIRATION.

AND AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THEM, YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING.

THANK YOU ALL AND