Luisely Doza, Class of 2021
Why was it important for you to attend college?
My parents didn’t have the privilege to attend college back when they both lived in Peru. For them to sacrifice by immigrating to the United States and leaving everything they knew behind, I felt it was crucial to attend college so I could provide and thank them for everything they did to give me and my siblings better opportunities in life.
What has been the greatest challenge so far in your college experience?
My greatest challenge so far in my college experience is managing my mental health during busy times in the semester. I stress myself out a lot studying for classes during midterms and finals week so I always have to remind myself to take a break and relax.
What has helped you the most so far in college?
Being a part of organizations have definitely helped me a lot in college. It was how I was able to find my friend groups and spend time planning, organizing, and partaking in events/activities I enjoy and am passionate about. If I wasn’t a part of organizations at Shepherd, I feel like my college experience wouldn’t have been as great.
What are your career goals?
I plan to work as a Software Engineer once I graduate and then apply for graduate school in a more specific specialization in Computer Science once I have a few years of experience in the tech industry. Past that, I would love to establish a non-profit that focuses on teaching programming to minorities so that we have more people of color and women in Computer Science and related fields.
Outside of academics, what are your hobbies/extracurricular activities?
Related to my goal of establishing a non-profit, I am really passionate about mentorship and introducing students to STEM opportunities for when they enter college. As a result, I have volunteered as a teaching assistant for Google under their Computer Science Summer Institute program as well as Microsoft’s TEALS philanthropy. I am also really into activism and pushing for support of social and economic equality reform policies. I am a member of Alpha Sigma Tau social sorority here on campus as it pushes for both of these goals through our Women’s Wellness initiatives which supports philanthropies like Dress for Success and Girls Who Code.
How has being a first-generation student influenced you?
Being a first-generation student influenced me because it made going through the college experience a bit more difficult than students who are not first-generation. I did not have any guidance from my parents at all and we didn’t even know what to expect when applying for college or filling out FAFSA (we didn’t even know what it was at first). Everything was very new to me, but it didn’t stop my drive to succeed. I think being a first-generation student definitely pushed me to work harder, especially for my family. As a result, I hope to help my younger siblings navigate their way through college when the time comes for them.
What would you tell your first-year self now?
I would tell my first-year self that she is capable of doing a lot of things and she just needed to put herself out there. College is going to be difficult at times but it’s not going to be the end of the world–you just have to keep grinding and always remember what your goals are.