Hometown: New Bergen, New Jersey

One of the biggest challenges I faced was during high school. I had to balance school with part-time jobs to help out at home. There were nights when I’d be up late finishing assignments after a long shift, completely drained but still determined to keep my grades up. That kind of commitment wasn’t always easy, but it helped me become the first in my family to go to college.

College came with a whole new set of challenges. I had to figure out financial aid, class schedules, and internships on my own. At times, I felt lost and unsure if I even belonged in that environment. I didn’t give up. I asked for help, found mentors, and stayed focused on my goals. When I didn’t get accepted into certain programs or felt like I was falling behind, I used those experiences to push myself harder and keep moving forward.

Hometown: Oregon, Ohio

Balancing the demands of college while working multiple jobs has been one of the most defining challenges of my life—and one of the most rewarding. From my first semester, I knew that if I wanted to earn my degree, I would have to fund most of it myself. That reality meant working two or sometimes three part-time jobs at a time, including roles in food services, tutoring, and campus marketing and operations. Juggling work schedules, class deadlines, and exams required discipline, time management, and above all, persistence. There were moments when the pressure felt overwhelming.

Working through college hasn’t just helped me afford my education—it’s shaped my character. It’s made me a better student, a more responsible adult, and a more driven professional. As I move forward in my education and career, I carry with me the confidence that comes from knowing I’ve earned every step I take.

Hometown: Elizabeth, New Jersey

I learned early that education was not just a privilege, it was my opportunity to rewrite my family’s story. Throughout my life, I’ve helped run my family’s business, Santiago’s Bakery, in Elizabeth, NJ. My hands-on experience taught me far more than business skills—it showed me how perseverance, responsibility, and service can reshape an entire community.

Becoming part of Alpha Sigma Nu has affirmed that I’m not just achieving my goals, I’m doing it with purpose and for others. My long-term goal is to become a Certified Public Accountant and eventually open my own financial consulting firm for small immigrant-owned businesses.

Rooted in the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis and discernment, I have learned to reflect deeply on how my education can serve others. I constantly ask not just “what do I want to do?” but “who am I becoming?” and “how can I use my knowledge for the greater good?” These values influence everything I do from launching Dulce Cultura, my mobile Mexican coffee and pastry business that celebrates cultural identity, to my service on campus councils where I advocate for equitable access to resources.

As a first-generation student, I knew that building my network and learning from others would be one of the most important investments in my education. However, the process was not easy, as I often found myself in unfamiliar territory, unsure of where to begin or whom to consult. But by staying open to learning, asking questions, and embracing every opportunity, I began to find my path. These efforts have led me to incredible experiences, including placing 2nd in Fordham’s Consulting Cup Challenge and being chosen as a Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Scholar.

The journey has not been without setbacks. Rejections, whether from internships, programs, or internal applications, are difficult to navigate. But I have learned that rejection can be one of the most powerful lessons. Each “no” has fueled my determination and helped me refocus on what matters most: using every experience to grow.

Hometown: Jersey City, New Jersey

As a first-generation immigrant and college student, I faced many challenges throughout my education and career path. Moving to the United States without fluency in English was one of my first challenges. Nonetheless, through effort, dedication, and a lot of consistency, I was able to grow more confident and fluent in English. I still remember being very shy in high school, translating English words with a dictionary that a teacher had given me–I have come a long way!

I have been very blessed to be the first in my family to attend college, with the hopes that one day all the rocks along my path will be the foundation of a new home—a brighter future for my mother, brother, and myself.

After graduation, I see myself pursuing further education. As mentioned before, I would love to attend law school. Due to my lived experiences, I am also considering public administration to become an advocate for others, and I can tell that being part of a Jesuit community has allowed me to nourish these feelings and ideals. At Saint Peter’s, I have learned that we are not only complex individuals, but we also belong to communities.

Hometown: Thompson, Ohio

My faith has always had a significant impact on my life. I am a Catholic first-generation college student who has relied on God to help me overcome my challenges with hard work while also remembering the importance of serving others.

My aunt was a big help in the college process along with my cousin, who went to John Carroll University for marketing. She introduced me to the university and I fell in love. I loved their emphasis on faith as a Jesuit, Catholic school along with the strong and highly accredited business college. I had a lot of help from my community to navigate this college process. A big challenge I came across was funding as my family was not well off and unable to pay for my schooling, I had to find a way to pay for it myself. Scholarships like this one have helped tremendously so that I can focus on education, my faith, and clubs.

In terms of being persistent with pursuing my goals, one thing I learned about myself is that I constantly challenge myself by doing new activities like leading a new volunteering club and working a new tutoring position. I always found a way to complete my assignments on time and also found ways to help others. I have made great relationships in my teaching assistant positions with my students and as a mentor in all of the organizations I am involved in on campus with my mentees.

After graduation I hope to attend medical school where I can continue to take what I learned from my undergraduate experience and apply it in a hospital setting. I hope to serve my patients guided by the principles of scholarship, loyalty, and service. I also plan on finding ways to promote service and justice in my career and personal life.

My vision for success is not defined by prestige or speed, but by sustainability: the ability to pursue intellectual work thoughtfully while remaining attentive to my health, responsibilities, and community. As a first-generation undergraduate student, I am still learning how to imagine a future in academia, and that process has required careful reflection about what kinds of goals are realistic, ethical, and meaningful. This ongoing reflection closely aligns with the Jesuit tradition of discernment, which has shaped how I think about decision-making rather than simply achievement.

Discernment has influenced how I approach my education by encouraging me to pause and evaluate my choices in light of my values and long-term well-being. Instead of asking only what will advance me most quickly, I have begun to ask what kinds of opportunities will allow me to grow as a student and contribute responsibly to others. This perspective has guided my developing interest in pursuing graduate study in English Literature, particularly in areas such as disability and Black speculative fiction, where literary study intersects with questions of access, care, and justice.

With the degree I am currently pursuing, I hope to build a foundation for both academic and community-centered work. Personally, I aim to continue developing habits of reflection that allow me to balance ambition with care. At the community level, I plan to remain engaged in mentoring and writing support, drawing on my experiences in Writing Center work. More broadly, I hope that my future research and teaching will contribute to conversations about equity and inclusion in education. While my long-term goals are still taking shape, Jesuit discernment has taught me that thoughtful, values-driven formation is itself a meaningful measure of success.

My vision for success is contributing to the community that I grew up in, and being a voice for those who are taken advantage of. The system that was built to protect marginalized communities are the same ones that built systemic inequality.

When discussing the Jesuit Tradition of discernment, it helped shape my vision by always reminding me to reflect on my position, such as my own strengths and weaknesses, and using those to further empower those around me. Additionally, my career choices deeply align with the Jesuit Tradition of cura personalis, or caring for the whole person. To care for the whole person is to see them as human beings, not as a “criminal”, an “unhoused individual”, or as an “illegal alien” . It is to acknowledge my privileges, respect their human dignity and see them as an equal individual with the same rights as I.

My current plan after obtaining my Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice is to obtain my Masters in Social Work and J.D in Law as a dual program. I hope to attend a Jesuit law school due to my experiences in SLU and how the Jesuit mission deeply ties into my faith and identity. I plan to become either a family, immigration or medical malpractice lawyer.

As a first generation college student, navigating higher education has required me to learn how to advocate for myself, seek guidance and keep going despite uncertainty. Growing up bilingual and deeply connected to my Polish heritage has taught me the importance of resilience and hard work. Guided by these values, I have always aspired to help people and pursue a profession that will positively impact our world.

I take pride in balancing my academic excellence with a strong commitment to service. My vision for success is to pursue a higher education to further my knowledge and ensure I have the essential skills needed to advance in my future career. Completing my degree is essential to my goal of becoming an effective social worker who is prepared to serve diverse communities with compassion and professionalism. I plan to achieve this by continuing to actively engage in my coursework, seeking mentorship, and participating in service opportunities that allow me to apply what I have learned beyond the classroom.

After graduation, I would like to pursue a career in social work and earn my Master of Social Work. Ultimately, I aspire to open my own private practice as a licensed clinical social worker, where I can provide therapy and create a safe, supportive space for individuals.