As a first-generation university student and the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, Valerie Gomez bore the responsibility of navigating her educational and professional careers on her own. Gomez, who collaborates with Aspire Institute, followed her passions to graduate school — an enlightening period rich with opportunities that helped her find her path. She now uses her social media platform, Latina Grad Guide, to share her experiences as a first-generation college student and Latina. This platform guides those in a similar position to pursue educational opportunities.
Growing up with a Learner’s Mindset
Gomez, raised in a close-knit, multigenerational household, saw firsthand the hard work her parents and other family members put into their demanding manual labor jobs. Her parents encouraged Gomez and her siblings to attend university and pursue educational opportunities to carve a pathway to economic mobility.
“They wanted a better life for us,” she said. “They wanted us to pursue careers and opportunities that wouldn’t require us to work with our hands, and instead, be able to use our minds and ideas to create. So, I always knew that I was going to go to college.”
Despite her interest in a variety of subjects, Gomez was not tracked as a college-bound student in high school. She did not let this discourage her and began applying to colleges after graduation — a process she had to figure out largely on her own. Her parents, while supportive, lacked the knowledge and resources to help her with things such as crafting a personal statement, reviewing applications, and submitting financial aid forms.
“It was a really hard thing for me to navigate on my own, especially as the eldest of four siblings,” she recalled. “I didn’t really have anyone providing me guidance at the time.”
It wasn’t until her acceptance and enrollment at Cerritos College that she had the chance to truly explore the academic side of herself.
Navigating Her Career and Passions
Gomez, without a clear idea of what she wanted to study, decided to pursue a career as an attorney.
“I often say that immigrant parents really only know a handful of jobs — doctor, teacher, lawyer, [and] engineer,” she joked.
Taking advantage of her college’s resources, Gomez asked her counselor what she had to do to transfer to UCLA and become an attorney. The counselor outlined her academic pathway and encouraged her to take political science and social science classes. She decided to enroll in a few anthropology courses and fell in love with the subject, quickly replacing her major.
Gomez eventually transferred to UCLA and involved herself in many incredible extracurriculars and internships. Through The Civil Rights Project at UCLA, she worked closely with other Latinos in her community and focused on issues such as educational access and equity. As she recognized the lack of support for these students, she began to reflect more deeply on the challenges her community faced.
After graduating from UCLA, Gomez took a gap year to reassess her path. She realized her passion for counseling and enrolled in a master’s in counseling program at California State University, Long Beach.
“I felt like my master’s program was like a three-year-long therapy session because you’re learning and developing counseling skills by practicing with your peers,” she said. “I felt I was learning about myself and being really introspective during those years.”
After working for a few years, Gomez returned to school to pursue a PhD in Education Studies at the University of California, determined to teach and conduct research at the college level.
“When I think back at my academic trajectory, I’m really amazed and proud of myself for not feeling pressured to pursue a linear pathway,” she said. “There was some pressure from my family to do that, but I’m proud that I stayed true to myself and was confident enough to pursue my passions — even if that meant pivoting at whatever career point I was at that point in life.”
Latina Grad Guide: Inspiring Fellow First-Gen College Students to Pursue Postgraduate Study
Gomez worked full time with first-generation transfer students — many of whom were Latino — at UC Irvine shortly after her master’s program. She observed that, unlike her own early college years, these students had little time to explore different educational opportunities and fields of study. Focused on dealing with the present, they seldom considered long-term goals like graduate school or life after graduation.
Gomez recognized that their experiences mirrored her own, particularly in terms of cultural challenges. Inspired by this, she decided to create a guide that was culturally relevant and spoke to the tensions unique to first-gen college students, immigrant families, and students of color.
She began Latina Grad Guide on Instagram to provide valuable information about graduate school and other educational opportunities to underserved students — especially Latina students. Since then, it has resonated with many, with countless students reaching out to share how it has positively impacted their lives. Latina Grad Guide has grown tremendously since its inception, and Gomez has even collaborated with TELACU Education Foundation to create a scholarship aimed at empowering Latina students: The TELACU Education Foundation & Latina Grad Guide Scholarship.
“There are a lot of Latinas in the U.S., [and] sometimes they’re the only Latina [or] woman of color in their program,” she said. “That can be a very isolating experience, and this platform provides them a space and a community where they see themselves and see they’re not alone in their journey.”
Sparking Educational Ambition with Aspire
Gomez started collaborating with Aspire Institute in 2024, aligning with our mission to share resources and opportunities to individuals who otherwise might not have access to them.
“Organizations like Aspire [that] provide such valuable resources, information, and leadership development opportunities are great for students who are looking to advance in those areas of their lives,” she said.
Gomez has been excited to hear from students who discovered the Aspire Leaders Program through her social media and subsequently joined. She believes that without this collaboration, many of these students might never have known about this opportunity.
Proactivity, Resilience, and Finding One’s Purpose
Gomez advises first-generation students to be proactive, taking advantage of the resources available to them. She emphasizes the importance of seeking out educational opportunities and learning about them, and encourages students not to take rejections personally.
“Just because an opportunity doesn’t work out doesn’t mean that something greater isn’t on the horizon,” she said.
She also notes the importance of finding your voice early in order to advocate for yourself and never forgetting your “why.”
“It’s easy to get lost in the chaos of university and our personal lives, but if you remember your purpose, it serves as your north star when things get really challenging — and inevitably they will,” she said. “But, that north star will keep you moving forward.”
Career Advancement and Empowering Future Scholars
Gomez recently began her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Southern California’s Pullias Center for Higher Education, where she will continue working on her research and publishing her findings. Gomez also plans to keep posting on social media and write a guide book for those considering graduate school. She is thrilled about this exciting next step in her journey, looking forward to continuing to inspire others to pursue educational opportunities, discover their passions, and achieve their dreams.
Learn more about Valerie Gomez and Latina Grad Guide on her website and Instagram.
