“This Associates degree is long over-due, but today I become part of the 22% of Latino adults who obtain some sort of college degree. Thank you, South Texas College for providing an exceptional college experience to this first-generation student. My family could not be any prouder to see me complete this milestone. While completing my Associates degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, I transferred to the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in English with the concentration of English Language Arts. This fall, I will be receiving my Bachelor’s degree. I have plans to begin graduate school next spring. I aspire to become a professor at the collegiate level and teach dual enrollment. I cannot express how proud I am to be a product of the Ascender program. Every first-generation student has their own story to tell and, with the help of this program, I am able to share mine with the world. 

Si se puede, échale ganas”-Antoinette Villanueva