We had the opportunity to interview some of our 2021 Latino Scholarship Recipients to get to know them better and celebrate their hard work.
Our first recipient story is Monse Perez Barrios
Monse is a sophomore at Gustavus Adolphus College majoring Biology and Environmental Studies and minoring in Political Science and Dance. Her motivation comes from the potential for constant self-improvement. She has multiple professional and personal goals that she hopes to attain through her education: “the idea of self-improvement and the ability to receive the best knowledge that can help me get one step closer to my personal and educational goals is a key motivation in my life. The idea of accessibility to knowledge is so significant”.
Currently, Monse is focused on completing her undergraduate degree, but she is looking forward to achieving more professional and personal goals. “After college, I will be applying to an international internship in France. Then I will continue to pursue my master’s degree, and then my Ph.D., but that will come with time”.
In addition to her professional goals, Monse shares her inspiring personal goals. She would like to one day create an organization in Latin America that will focus on supporting sexual assault survivors. Additionally she is interested in languages and wants to explore other countries. She describes, “I want to learn different languages and understand a diverse amount of people”.
Monse has successfully navigated the world of academia, and she has a few pieces of advice for any young Latina/o/x students considering higher education.
The first piece of advice she gives is to network. Monse explains, “Some people can help you navigate a system better and give you a better picture of multiple ideologies, knowledge, and resources”.
The second piece of advice Monse offers is to advocate for yourself even if it may be tough, “as a first-generation student or a person who comes from a minority, it’s really hard to speak up”. For her last piece of advice, she speaks directly to students: “To the young Latino community, I know you try really hard, but please take time to take care of yourself. We often forget about our mental and physical health. It’s ok to take a step back to focus on yourself”.
Lastly, Monse gives thanks to a few people in her life that have supported her. “I have a huge list of people that have been there for me, especially since I moved to the US. I will say thank you to my legal guardians particularly…One of my aunts became my legal guardian and she has been an amazing support, I truly admire the way she has raised me”, expresses Monse. She thanks siblings who she wishes to serve as a role-model for. She ends by saying, “Even though I want to mention every single name, I think they will know who they are”.
