2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Fellows

Abel was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is the youngest of three and his parents are from a small town in Chihuahua, Mexico called Cerro Prieto. Being a first-generation college student, he hopes to follow in the footsteps of his two older sisters and graduate from the University of New Mexico. Abel would like to be a part of the ever-growing field of mechatronics; the integration of computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering to solve the world's problems. He would like to focus specifically on the manufacturing process and how smart machines can make manufacturing cheaper and easier. He is looking at potentially getting a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering to further his career and his knowledge of the ever-changing world of engineering. He plans to use what he learns at El Puente to become a better engineer and to determine whether he will go to graduate school.

Alexandra was born and raised in Albuquerque, Nuevo México. She is currently a Junior at UNM and is pursuing Dentistry. Coming from immigrant parents, she has always seen the struggles they had to face to succeed in a country that did not want them. Her parents had little to no education but always instilled in Ale the importance of education and the doors it can open for her. As a first-generation student, she hopes to attend dental school and become an Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon. Dentistry has always been her passion, and she sees the lack of knowledge her community has about oral health. Through this program, she hopes to educate and enrich her society by instilling preventative health measures. She is grateful to be part of this unique program and excited to grow relationships and knowledge. She is always ready to face any endeavors and knows she will succeed with respect and leadership.

Alicia is a senior pursuing two degrees to become a nationally certified family life educator, where she will then continue her work with tribal communities to educate and empower Indigenous families. Alicia is from the pueblos of Acoma and Laguna and is also Dine and Chicana. Having taken Native American Studies, Chicano/a/x Studies, and Africana Studies courses, Alicia has gained a passion for integrating cultural knowledge into professional fields and academic spaces. Alicia has participated in community based and student led organizations like Center for Social Sustainable Systems, Native Health Initiative, Rural Student Project, Kiva Club, and Pueblo Action Alliance. Being grounded in community and having those connections are important to Alicia, as they continue to navigate higher education spaces. Alicia is the oldest child of 6 and strives to be a role model for her younger siblings. Alicia attributes their academic success to being unconditionally supported by their family, friends, UNM faculty, and community.

Born and raised in Albuquerque, Austin is a sophomore student who has always had a creative side and a proactive mindset. He prides himself on being a free thinker who thinks critically and considers the perspectives and situations of himself and other people. He also prides himself on being open minded and willing to try different things and interact with different people. Austin does not always speak a lot, but on occasions when he does speak he is not afraid to express intriguing and thoughtful ideas. Beyond that, he is an optimist who believes that he can achieve success even in tough and adverse situations, and is also willing to work smarter instead of harder to reach his goals. Austin’s core values include being an empathetic person who wishes to leave the world a better place than he has found it.

Brandon is from a small town called Estancia, New Mexico. He has been a part of the College Assistant Migrant Program (CAMP) as both a CAMP Scholar and a CAMP Peer Leader. This summer, Brandon served as an Orientation Leader for UNM, welcoming new first-year and transfer students to the university. Brandon comes from a Mexican household, where both of his parents immigrated from Durango, Mexico. Brandon is a first-generation college student, who takes pride in helping and guiding others like him to achieve their goals in higher education. For this reason, Brandon has taken every opportunity of every student leader position he can, while studying at UNM. He is eager to learn more about graduate school through El Puente and is very excited and honored to have the opportunity to be an El Puente fellow this year!

Cesar was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and raised in Arizona and New Mexico. Cesar is a first-generation student who hopes to become an educator that can impact the next generation of students. Cesar personally has seen the struggle of education in his own community especially immigrant families who believe that they have no voice. He wants to make a change in the bilingual education system after he achieves a masters or PhD. Cesar has always wanted to be an educator to teach students who have been in the same position as himself such as being a Spanish speaking student and not having the opportunity to learn his language or culture, or struggling to find his identities and losing his culture because of the education system. Cesar is grateful to have the opportunity to be part of El Puente to gain the skills that will be necessary for the future.

Charlotte was born and raised in Albuquerque into a mixed South Korean/Hispanic culture. Growing up in a family of non-Native English speakers, she has become passionate in keeping languages and cultures alive among students. She is an employee at the newly established Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center where she works to create language and culture reclamation programs. Charlotte was recently accepted into the Golden Apple Scholars Program, which aims to prepare and guide aspiring teachers and ensure teacher retention in the NM community. With these experiences, she plans to create a culturally sensitive classroom where all students feel represented and free from academic prejudices. As a “Hispasian” student, Charlotte is familiar with the “model minority myth” of Asian Americans and presumed academic shortcomings of the Hispanic population. She is very excited and thankful to complete her research with the El Puente fellowship and fight these stereotypes!

Diego was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has three siblings, all of which have inspired him to work hard and find something that he loves doing. Diego is the co-chair of UNM MEChA and plans to do community work, activism and continuing to build their presence on campus. Diego is continuously engaging with critical theory and is eager to share his thoughts about change. Diego is currently a Junior and after graduation he plans to continue to graduate school to develop his skills and knowledge when it comes to racism and prejudice in order to help those around him.

Dorothy was born and raised in Cameroon, West Africa. Because of the anglophone crises in Cameroon, which made it impossible for her to continue her education, Dorothy came to the United States to pursue an education. She is a junior who started her college education in 2019 at CNM as an international student. After receiving her associate degree in Engineering, she transferred to UNM in the spring of 2022 to obtain her bachelors and master's degrees. Dorothy believes that education has the power change ones’ live and that every child deserves an education. She recently participated in the Space Tech Market discovery challenge at Q Station, Albuquerque. She aspires to work in a leading tech company and one day have her own company.

Elizabeth was born in Phoenix, Arizona and raised in Hagerman, New Mexico, a small town in southeastern New Mexico. Her parents were born and raised in Jalisco, Mexico and immigrated to the United States in search of a better life for their future children. From a young age, Elizabeth observed her parents’ and older siblings’ sincere dedication and enthusiasm to their jobs, education, and well-being, which, to this day, greatly influences her strong desire to succeed in every task she confronts. Growing up in a low-income, minority-majority community, Elizabeth witnessed how the absence of proper nutrition and exercise education led to detrimental health effects in her community. This experience has motivated her to understand how the specific diets and exercise habits of Hispanic individuals contribute to heart disease: the leading cause of death for Hispanic populations. As an El Puente Research Fellow, Elizabeth looks forward to obtaining excellent research skills to enhance her knowledge in her academic interests, and she looks forward to applying these skills and knowledge during her graduate studies in a medical-related field.

Floredith was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is a first-generation Mexican-American, her parents come from small towns in Chihuahua, Mexico. They immigrated from Mexico with the hopes to be financially stable. Through a lot of work and sacrifice, they now own two successful businesses. Floredith finds her parent's story inspiring, their sacrifice has allowed her to receive a higher education and in turn, be a recipient of this fellowship. This is something she does not take for granted and plans to create long-lasting relationships as well as acquire valuable skills. She is also excited to be a part of El Puente as she sees this as an opportunity to conquer the academic world; a world that has purposefully excluded women, more specifically Latina women like herself.

Hannah is from the Navajo Nation and is Kiowa tribe, born and raised in Gallup, New Mexico. She is currently a senior and is an an active member serving in many students organizations as an ambassador, leader, mentor, interning, volunteering, etc. She focuses her involvement in the lens of Native perspective as she grew up in an community with limited resources for help in most areas. Her experiences that she endures in school opportunities such as El puente will guide her to help her own communities in the law and criminal realm. As Hannah’s late grandparents always use to say is to help others, Hannah’s lifelong goal is to work and with the Navajo Nation to create a strong and fair Navajo Nation government.

John was born and raised in a small town in northern New Mexico called Mora. Growing up and experiencing the struggles that came with his small community, he made it his goal to strengthen, empower and be an example for the youth within. He is doing this by getting involved with fellowships and programs like El Puente, El Centro de la Raza, New Student Orientation, the PNM Youth Advisory Council, and volunteering virtually within his community. Aside from his time at school, his hobbies include hiking, swimming, video games, and movies, but above all he loves spending most of his free time at El Centro. John is super excited for next couple of semesters within El Puente and the growth, friends, and family he'll make along the way!

John was born to a Mexican-Chamorro family, raised in Los Lunas, New Mexico. He is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of New Mexico. Inspired by the struggles and strivings of his family, he honors their legacy with his work and studies. Amid a cultural context of religious deconstruction and political tensity, John works to address the ramifications of systems established, privileged, or sustained by Christendom, with special regard for those disillusioned or dispossessed by it. He labors toward ecumenism and liberation. Aside from research, he creates content about philosophy, society, gender, race, politics, theology, etc., sparking dialogue among people within and without the Christian tradition. John has been a guest on Memes for Jesus discussing historical apologetics, has been featured on Wall Street Journal Opinion’s Future View, is designated au fait on Nihil Sine Deo, and is actively serving his faith community in Albuquerque.

Julían is the son of immigrant parents Martina Peña and Raymon Angel, raised by his grandmother Ramoña Niño in Hatch, New Mexico. Julían is an advocate for higher education and is grateful for TRIO Upward Bound for their involvement in his education. Specifically thanking Kaylene Womack for her dedication to helping low-income students pursue higher education. Julían plans to obtain his bachelor’s degree and then purse his master's degree at The University of New Mexico. Julían aspires to be an educator and plans to teach the future generation Mexican American and Spanish related material. Julían wants to help underrepresented students pursue higher education as he saw the disproportionate resources in his low-income community. Julían wants to be a source of inspiration to his community, nieces and younger sister Mona who also wants to attend UNM when she graduates high school.

Katie is a first-generation college student with roots in Zacatecas, Mexico. As a child, Katie’s family moved around a lot, which resulted in moving from Florida to New Mexico to Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, back to New Mexico. After her family settled in Los Lunas, New Mexico, Katie attended the University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus, where she graduated with two associate degrees, Liberal Arts & Mathematics, before transferring to UNM Main Campus. After she graduates with her bachelor’s degree in Spring 2023, Katie wants to earn a master’s degree in Chicano studies. After graduate school, she hopes to pursue a career in institutional research or a related field where she can help low-income and first-generation college students and ensure their success in pursuing higher education.

Laysha is the daughter of two Mexican immigrants, Renato and Aracely Chaparro. She is a very hard working female who strives to help her community and make her parents proud. As a very young girl, she dedicated herself to working hard and getting involved in her school programs and community events. With this, she was able to create strong relationships that helped guide her to a better future. Now, Laysha is planning on graduating earlier than her intended graduation date, with hopes of going to graduate school soon after her bachelor's degree is completed. She dreams of one day creating an environment where Latinx youths can feel comfortable expressing their emotions and seek help for their mental health without facing the judgment that has been implemented through generations.

Lourdes was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico but moved to Española. Both her parent are from Chihuahua, Mexico making her and her siblings first generation Mexican-Americans. She was raised by her mother and by brother who is only 4 years older than Lourdes. They taught her that education was important since knowledge is what stays forever. She hopes she can teach this to her younger sister as well. Lourdes graduated top 10% in Capital high school placing 7th place among 300 students. She also did volunteer work in habitat for humanity and cleaning the local river as well as being a math tutor in her High School. She is very excited to be a part of El Puente Fellowship!

Rogelio was born in Puebla Zaragoza, Mexico and migrated along with his parents to Santa Fe when he was incredibly young. He comes from a working-class family that always encouraged him to pursue a higher education. Due to growing up in a high stress working environment, Rogelio has found his area of interest to be mental health. He believes that many low-income groups in our community face much harsher work conditions, which in return has a negative impact on their mental health and overall quality of life. This motivates Rogelio to pursue his bachelor's in psychology and hopefully move on to completing a masters. Rogelio wants to positively impact members of his own community, especially those who struggle day to day and lack the ability to access the proper resources. Rogelio is grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of El Puente and hopes to grow as a scholar and person along with his research fellows.

Sebastian was born in El Paso, Texas, but was raised in the small town of Santa Teresa, New Mexico. It borders both El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Both of his parents immigrated from Ciudad Juárez and moved to El Paso, Texas. Sebastian is the youngest of three siblings. At the age of six, Sebastian decided he knew what he was going to be when he was older. He decided to pursue the career path of veterinary medicine due to his love for animals and caring for them. Since then, he has been a dedicated student, striving for success. This has led him to volunteer at animal clinics and shelters to learn more about his desired career. He is now a second-year student at UNM and plans to attend veterinary school right after graduating. Sebastian's career path has led him to want to research the growing need for veterinarians and the problems that they are facing due to these issues. Sebastian is grateful that the El Puente Fellowship has given him this opportunity and is looking forward to growing as a student and a researcher!

Shalom is a first generation Mexican American. She was born in El Paso, Texas but was raised here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is the youngest of six children and strives to do just as good as her siblings, reaching the expectation that were set, wanting to make her parents proud. Having always respected teachers and the profession she begins her journey of becoming a teacher. Shalom is grateful for the opportunity El Puente has offered. She will take this opportunity to not only learn academically, gaining new skills and tools for life, but also to learn and figure out more of who she is as a person.

Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Reyes is the youngest of four siblings and currently a sophomore at the University of New Mexico. From a young age Reyes has been enthusiastic about education and has always been eager to learn about any and everything. It is this reason that Reyes’s ultimate goal is to attend graduate school to obtain both a master’s and doctoral degrees to become a college professor. Growing up Reyes experienced a troubling adolescence and turned to alternative music and its accompanying subcultures to find a place of belonging. To this day, it has been at concerts and music festivals that Reyes feels the most at home and wholeheartedly accepted. Reyes’s research into alternative subcultures stems from their own experiences in subculture and their wanting to dismantle negative connotations to the clothing/hair styles and music of alternative subcultures. Reyes is excited to learn all that they can through El Puente and grateful for the opportunity.

Travis was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Taos, New Mexico. After years of working as a craftsman woodworker throughout Northern New Mexico and Washington State, he moved back home to reconnect with family and place, and his identity as a person of mixed European and Indigenous Mexican descent. Travis is interested in organizing resources for Indigenous and underrepresented students to integrate their cultural frameworks and personal stories into game and virtual environment design - creating games that reflect their own cultural ideals. As an El Puente research fellow and with his education in Native American Studies, Travis hopes to learn how to work from an approach of decolonization and self-determination, collaborating with communities to implement their own preservation philosophies while addressing issues that are relevant to them.