It’s not always easy to stay calm, cool and collected under stress or facing adversity. However, Andrea is ready for anything that comes her way thanks to her mother, who stayed positive and encouraged her to continue her education despite battling cancer. As the first person in her immediate and extended family to attend a university, Andrea has the desire to evolve and excel.
Andrea completed her bachelors in Psychology at UT Pan American and her masters in Public Health from the UT Health Science Center Houston-School of Public Health.
Andrea thought that she might be past the stage where she could complete a doctoral degree. However, after reading through the Éxito! alumni testimonials and seeing that many students expressed the exact concerns prior to the institute, then felt that Éxito! gave them the "gusto" they needed to overcome those obstacles; Andrea found a sense of possibility and applied for the program.
"Éxito! helped me believe in myself; I no longer see my perceived barriers as reasons "why not" they are just challenges I will have to work past," Andrea said.