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About Valerie

Saludos! My name is Valerie and I am the proud granddaughter and daughter of Salvadoran immigrants and the eldest of four siblings
(all mujeres).

My life revolves around my family! On the weekends you’ll find me sleeping in, visiting my abuelita, or at a family event. Whether it’s someone’s birthday, a baby shower, or a random bbq, it feels like there’s always something going on. And I LOVE it! My siblings and my cousins are truly my best friends. Random family fact: all of my siblings and the majority of my cousins are either currently enrolled in college or have graduated with at least a bachelor’s degree. From an early age, our parents made sure we understood the value of having an education. I always knew that I was going to college – I just didn’t know how I would get there.

Saludos! My name is Valerie and I am the proud granddaughter and daughter of Salvadoran immigrants and the eldest of four siblings
(all mujeres).

My life revolves around my family! On the weekends you’ll find me sleeping in, visiting my abuelita, or at a family event. Whether it’s someone’s birthday, a baby shower, or a random bbq, it feels like there’s always something going on. And I LOVE it! My siblings and my cousins are truly my best friends. Random family fact: all of my siblings and the majority of my cousins are either currently enrolled in college or have graduated with at least a bachelor’s degree. From an early age, our parents made sure we understood the value of having an education. I always knew that I was going to college – I just didn’t know how I would get there.

My academic journey began at my local community college. Within two years, I transferred to UCLA where I earned a B.A. in Anthropology. After taking a gap year to explore various career paths, I applied to graduate school and eventually earned my M.S. in Counseling with an option in Student Development in Higher Education. Since then, I’ve worked with undergraduate students supporting their holistic development and academic success. One aspect of my job includes supporting students with the graduate school exploration and application process. For many first-generation college students, graduate school can be an unfamiliar and scary concept. I created this blog and digital community to support mujeres get to and through graduate school. I hope that by sharing my story (and highlighting the stories of other Latinas) I’ll be able to inspire YOU and other students of color pursue graduate education. 

 

A Latina’s Guide to Grad School is dedicated to providing you with information about graduate school, celebrating the stories of current and former graduate and professional students, and building a community of support for Latinas. As I begin my doctoral program, I’ll be using this platform to share my challenges and successes with you.

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