A University of Nevada, Reno student is among thousands of first-generation students that have utilized the peer mentor program to provide a blueprint for success.
According to a news release shared by the university, Ingrid Perez owes much of her success to watching her immigrant parents go above and beyond to provide for her family, which led her to believe that anything is possible.
“My parents came to the United States specifically to give me, and eventually my younger siblings, better opportunities,” Perez, a sophomore at the school’s William F. College of Hospitality, said in the release. “So, from a young age, they encouraged me to do well in school, knowing that would help me succeed further in life.”
Perez’s story is not unfamiliar on campus as it is estimated that roughly 50% of UNLV students are first-time degree holders in their families.
The obstacles placed in her path have only led Perez to zero in on her studies as she finished her freshman year with a 4.0 grade-point average.
Prior to beginning her educational career at UNLV, Perez graduated from Northwest Career and Technical Academy.
Perez chose the magnet high school because it had two caveats that excited him, an excellent reputation for preparing students for college and its hospitality program.
