Students

Alejandro is a first-generation sophomore student here at University of New Mexico. He was born in Los Angeles, California but moved to Rio Rancho, New Mexico when he was one was raised here ever since. Alejandro is majoring in nursing and plans on working in a pediatrics unit. Outside of school Alejandro enjoys going out with friends, watching movies, and listening to music. As a first-generation student Alejandro is thankful for the hard work both of his parents have done so he can have the opportunities they never had. Because of that he takes pride and his Mexican roots and implies them into his academics. Which is why Alejandro is excited to participate in the Transformar Mentorship program this year because it will help him have form a better understanding of his cultural identity and ways to imply culture into his future.

Alondra is a first generation Mexican American, born and raised in the state of New Mexico. Her family is originally from the city of Juarez, Mexico and moved to the United States in 1990. When she is not buried in her studies, Alondra likes to hike, bike, and focus on meditation. She strives to uphold her mother’s American Dream by maintaining her own happiness and peace. With determination and passion, she plans to earn her bachelor’s in business, making it her third career. Apart from professional life Alondra realized that her connection to her culture had been severed and, in her effort, to reconnect she has built a spiritual connection with the earth. Her persistence to pursue knowledge and self-improvement inspired her to be a part of the Transformar Program, where she hopes to grow her connections with the earth and the people. Something she loves about her culture is how strong and supportive everyone is.

Aneth is a second-year student at the University of New Mexico who is planning on graduating with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in Criminology. She was born in El Paso, Texas but grew up in Sunland Park, New Mexico. Graduating from a small town, Aneth wanted to explore her surroundings more, thus deciding to move to Albuquerque in order to further expand her education. Aneth’s goal is to move on into clinical psychology and further on into forensic psychology. Aneth enjoys reading and writing and that is what she spends most of her time when she is relaxing. While living in a border city, Aneth was always close to her culture and spent the majority of her time in Mexico appreciating the music, the food, and the people. With the Transformar Program, Aneth is looking forward to further expanding her perspective and to get out of her comfort zone.

Anna Sanchez was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, a city that sits at the intersection of cultures and traditions. Growing up in a second-generation Mexican household, she is the oldest of three daughters, often taking on the role of a leader and mentor for her younger siblings. From an early age, Anna developed a strong passion for math and drawing, leading her to explore architecture as a career path. Currently, she is in her second year at the University of New Mexico, where she is pursuing her undergraduate degree in architecture. Her long-term goal is to earn a master's degree in Architecture and Planning, with a specific interest in designing homes that blend functionality and cultural significance. Being from a border town, Anna has always been deeply connected to her Mexican heritage, but she feels that her move to Albuquerque has given her the opportunity to deepen that connection even further. She is thrilled to be a part of the Transformar program, which she believes will provide her with the tools to grow both personally and academically.

Anthony is a first-year student majoring in electrical engineering and physics, and was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is an only child raised by two hard working parents who share a small business located in the North Valley. Seeing his parents work as much as they do inspire him to be extremely dedicated to academics and chose electrical engineering for his love and physics and computers. His goal is to use his degree in industry to work on the forefront of research and development, and to possibly mentor younger students and share his experiences with them. If not studying, outside of school Anthony spends a lot of time spending time with friends and family. In other parts of his free time, he practices the guitar and drums. He lost connection with his culture at a young age and is looking to regain it through attending this program!

Antonia Pattichis is a first generation American and a sophomore at UNM pursuing her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. She was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her parents roots in Tamaulipas, Mexico and Cyprus. With her diverse background, Antonia has come to love and appreciate her cultures as they form a huge part of her. She strives to become a Nurse Practitioner after receiving her BSN and becoming a Registered Nurse. She loves her family and thinks of them with every accomplishment. Antonia's loving family has shaped her into the person she is today. She loves to help people, and will be able to advocate for her Spanish-speaking patients in the future. Antonia loves to spend time alone studying, listening to music, cooking, or going on walks. She would love to get into baking and stretching as she continues her studies.

Cristopher is 18 years old, raised and born in Santa Fe, NM. He is currently majoring in Political Science with a minor of Pre-Law, he's also a bilingual learner. He's trying to follow his dreams of becoming an immigration lawyer, someone who wants to help their people. His biggest motivation was always his mother and grandmother, setting him in the correct path. He is the first of his family that attends college, which motivates and inspires him to follow through this dream of his. Cristopher is a cat lover, he had one but she is no longer with us, RIP Minina. He also enjoys going to the gym and spending time with his family and friends. His family is from Tlaxcala, Mexico on which he's been there twice and is very well recommended for everyone to visit. He's excited to begin this journey with Transformar in an attempt to reconnect with his roots and ancestors.

Danae Muñoz is a first year student at the University of New Mexico. Originally from the small town of Anthony, New Mexico Danae enjoys taking on challenges, which is one of the many reasons she chose to continue her education away from home and in a new city. Her pursuit of a Chemical Engineering degree with a minor in Chemistry is only the beginning, she plans to complete her undergrad and continue on to Medical School in hopes of one day becoming a Doctor. Outside of her pursuit for further education she finds joy in meeting new people and traveling to new places as well as enjoying a variety of hobbies with her favorite being the gym. She enjoys quality time with family and friends and remains incredibly grateful for the opportunities her parents carved the way for. She looks forward to the rest of her college career and is excited for everything the Transformar Mentorship program has in store.

Dannely Verduzco is a sophomore student at the University of New Mexico. She grew up in a rural town in New Mexico's southeast. She is studying Film and Digital Arts with a concentration in Production. She is interested in directing films as well as writing scripts. Verduzco’s familial roots are in Colima, Mexico. Dannely loves to immerse her Mexican background within all of her projects. She also loves to incorporate her cultural background into every project and story she writes. She loves to be involved in her culture through the foods, languages, and traditions. Verduzco is also a culture reporter with the Daily Lobo. One of her most important initiatives is to collaborate with as well as help other filmmakers in the Latino community. She likes to take photos, watch movies, work out, socialize with loved ones, read books, and dance for fun. Dannely has a sweet chihuahua named Luna and a frisky cat named Marbles.

Diego is a first-generation Mexican-American student at the University of New Mexico, grateful for his parents’ hard work and sacrifices that have enabled him to pursue a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in General Management. He plans to complete his degree in four years and return to his hometown of Farmington, NM, to take over his grandparents' business and expand it. Diego is deeply passionate about his Mexican culture, a passion instilled by his parents from Chihuahua, Mexico. He hopes to explore and celebrate Mexican culture, contribute to his community, and honor his cultural heritage, driven by his motivation to repay his parents’ sacrifices and achieve academic and professional success.

James Diaz was born in El Paso TX. He grew up in Texas and New Mexico at the same time. He considers himself bilingual since he grew up learning and speaking two languages at home and at school. He is the first in his family to attend college and earn an Associate of Applied Science – Architecture Technology. He is a transfer student from Dona Ana Community College/ NMSU. This is his first year at the University of New Mexico. He is also on the path to obtain a bachelor of architecture degree. He wants to become a licensed architect. James Diaz enjoys dancing hip hop and playing video games on his Xbox. He likes to spend a great deal of time on Revit software creating new projects. He favorite foods are enchiladas verde con pollo and huevos rancheros. He only likes homemade food. Since childhood he loved to play soccer. His favorite teams are Club America and FC Barcelona.

Joel Azael Reyes is a dedicated Student Success Leader at El Centro de la Raza, committed to fostering academic growth and supporting students. Raised in Farmington, New Mexico, Joel attended San Juan College High School and pursued higher education at San Juan College, where he earned an Associate of Science in Engineering. His passion for learning extends to his plans for a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, with future aspirations to pursue a master's in aerospace engineering. Outside of academics, Joel enjoys spending time with friends, listening to his favorite music, and staying active through soccer and various sports. His strong leadership skills, developed through his educational and personal experiences, fuel his drive to inspire and guide others in their academic journeys. Joel is also bilingual, fluent in both Spanish and English, which enhances his ability to connect with a diverse student population. His leadership roles in organizations like ENLACE and the National Hispanic Institute reflect his dedication to community empowerment.

Josué is a first-generation student pursuing a degree in Nursing. He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico but he truly feels like he is Mexican by heart. His mom is from Gómez Farías, Chihuahua, and his dad is from Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. He is a proud Mexican, even though he was born in another country. He enjoys everything relating to Mexico and its culture, including the food, the music, soccer team, celebrations, and its people. His plans for the future are to finish a bachelor's in nursing and later become a Nurse Practitioner. He would like to work in the emergency room at one point in his career and his main motive of pursuing this career is to care for people in need. Some things Josué likes to do are work on cars, play guitar and other instruments, watch soccer and movies, and playing video games. Josué is very excited to participate in this program so he can learn more about his culture and meet new people during the journey.

Kimberly Nevarez is a first-generation and first-year University of New Mexico student. She was born in Las Cruces, NM, but raised in a small town named Mesquite, NM. She is the proud daughter of a single mother who came from Durango, Mexico, in hopes of providing her children with better opportunities. Kimberly attended Gadsden High School, where she was involved in multiple extra-curricular activities, many of which involved holding officer positions. Still, her high school involvement ignited her love for community engagement and leadership. During her free time, Kimberly enjoys running or doing any physical activity, but she especially loves to read novels about mystery, romance, and horror. She is also passionate about volunteering and helping her community, as she sincerely believes that giving back to the community plays a significant role in shaping the future of our communities and future leaders. Inside the classroom, Kimberly is currently majoring in mechanical engineering but hopes to attend graduate school and become a biomedical engineer to perform biological and cancer research.

Miahuatl Garcia Domingo is a Student Success Leader at El Centro de la Raza and a freshman pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering. She enjoys drawing, painting, and photographing, often finding inspiration in her diverse cultural background. Coming from a multilingual family, her father is Pueblo Indian and Chicano, fluent in English, Spanish, Nahuatl, and Piro, while her mother, from Mexico’s Indigenous Nahua community, speaks Nahuatl as her mother tongue and learned Spanish in school. Having learned English since moving to the United States 19 years ago. Miahuatl aims to empower others in her community through her studies and leadership roles. Additionally, she participates in a cultural activity sponsored by the Heard Museum, where she and her father teach Pueblo weaving classes to tribal members from various villages to revitalize their weaving tradition. Volunteering from a young age, she has consistently engaged with community organizations, finding fulfillment in being reliable and accomplished. She is dedicated to setting a positive example for young people in her Indigenous communities, showing them that they can achieve academic success regardless of their cultural background and encouraging pride in their heritage, which is a crucial part of their identity.

Rio is from Santa Fe, New Mexico and is currently is a sophomore here at UNM. He is studying both Spanish and Art studio as a double major. Rio hopes to work for community outreach programs and organizations for the future generations of young adults of New Mexico but particularly Northern New Mexico. He is grateful to be apart of transformar because it’s a way for him to help keep close ties with his culture throughout his academic journey. On his spare time he focuses on painting and drawing but likes to keep an open mind for new hobbies to try. Rio’s music interests include R&B, rancheras, rap, and metal. Also, Rio’s favorite artist is Hector Silva of Los Angeles.

Emma Loya is a dedicated university student who aims to make a difference. She was born in Santa Bárbara, Chihuahua, and moved to New Mexico, where she is pursuing a degree in Education with a specialization in Special Education and Preschool Education at the University of New Mexico. Emma is motivated by a desire to make her family proud and to achieve success through her passions.Since childhood, she has enjoyed savoring traditional Mexican dishes, with green enchiladas being her favorite. Music also plays an important role in her life; she enjoys listening to a variety of genres that inspire her and help her get through her day. Additionally, Emma is excited to be part of the Transformar experience, where she hopes to continue growing and learning on her path toward inclusive education.

Tlalli is a culturally and educationally driven person, deeply rooted in her Indigenous Mexican heritage, proudly identifying as both Yaqui and Chichimeca. Her connection to their ancestry not only shaped her worldview but also helped her passion for making a positive impact on society. With a deep respect for the traditions, history, and resilience of her ancestors, Tlalli draws strength from her cultural identity as she pursues her professional aspirations. Studying psychology, Tlalli is committed to applying this knowledge to the field of criminology. Her academic journey has been marked by a curiosity about human behavior, particularly the psychological factors that contribute to criminal activity. By combining this understanding with her desire to help those affected by crime, Tlalli aims to enter the criminology world, where she can make a real difference. Guided by her cultural values of community and justice, Tlalli is determined to work toward a system that holds individuals accountable while also promoting healing and rehabilitation. Her goal is not only to contribute to solving cases but also to ensure that the criminal justice system serves all people fairly, particularly those from marginalized and Indigenous communities. In this way, Tlalli seeks to merge her cultural background and academic skills to create a meaningful and impactful career in criminology, one that honors both her heritage and her commitment to justice.

Valerie Rodriguez is a College freshman majoring in dental hygiene. Becoming a dental hygienist would be fulfilling one of her main goals in life. When she was younger she loved attending dentist appointments, which was strange since most kids didn’t like the dentist, if anything they were afraid of them. She was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico and was raised by a loving mom and grandma. Her family comes from Zacatecas, Mexico and many of their norms and beliefs were passed down onto her. She is the oldest of two and wishes to set a good example. She loves to listen to music, enjoys dancing and watching documentaries/movies. She joined the Transformar program in hopes of becoming closer with her culture and becoming part of a community.

Victoria is a first generation college student who from a young age discovered her passion for her culture as well as civil rights. Being raised by an immigrant family she knew her future would stem right from her roots. She achieved an associate's degree in Pre-Law before she had graduated from high school. She is on track to become an immigration and civil rights attorney to serve her own community with pride. She loves to keep herself busy staying involved with her community through volunteer and activism work. Victoria holds her culture deer to her heart and is a proud Latina.