Complete this sentence, "If not for MLT..."
I would not have explored a career in business.

Please describe the impact MLT had immediately upon completing your program.
MLT helped me take my personal and professional growth to the next level. Upon completion of the CP program, I was able to communicate my goals concisely and clearly. I also had the confidence to navigate the high echelons of business organizations. My increased confidence and awareness helped propel my career.

How has MLT changed the financial/economic trajectory for you and your family?
MLT opened doors to opportunities I never imagined. For example, CP helped me secure a job in consulting, which allowed me to assist my family during times of need. Growing up low-income, I dreamed of the ability to support my family during times of need and reduce the financial stress we grew up with. Furthermore, MBA Prep supported me as I sought and gained admission to The Wharton School. As a first-generation college graduate and the first in my family to pursue a graduate degree, I am helping my family break a cycle of poverty.

Has MLT elevated your personal and professional aspirations? If so, please provide an example.
Yes, MLT helped me visualize a future as a business leader. As a fellow in the MLT MBA Prep program, I was surrounded by a cohort who inspired me and pushed me to become a better me. Being surrounded by high impact people made me want to be better in my own personal and professional aspirations. The environment helped nurture a belief that I could contribute more to my community.

How has MLT's community helped advance your personal and/or professional happiness?
MLT introduced me to some of my closest friends. We have grown into our professional roles together and I have gotten joy from seeing my friends achieve wonderful milestones and from sharing my accomplishments with them in return. Also, it's always nice to bond with other MLTers over coach feedback and rigorous assignments.

Speak to a challenge MLT helped you overcome and how did that help your trajectory (i.e. confidence that you belong, growth mindset, vulnerability).
I knew I wanted to go to a top business school but was unsure of how to achieve my goal. MLT MBA Prep helped provide the structure for me to learn and explore different MBA programs and strategize how I could be a fit. The coaching provided helped me grow so that by the time the application period arrived, I was ready to put my best foot forward. I am now a first year at Wharton majoring in Finance and will also be pursuing a concurrent degree at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Have you helped advance vulnerable people on their path to economic mobility? If so, how?
I chartered the LULAC DC Young Professionals Council, a council in the largest and oldest U.S. Hispanic civil rights organization. As the president, I led a professional work clothes drive for people who were reentering the workforce. Through the drive, we collected several hundred dollars’ worth of suits and business casual clothes and donated them to a local organization that supported low-income communities.

Share 2-3 ways you've been able to accelerate your organization's journey toward greater diversity and inclusion.
As a student, I speak with prospective students of color who are interested in Wharton and attend workshops to encourage them to apply. I also read application essays and provide feedback. Outside of Wharton, I participate in mentoring other first-generation college students and encouraging them to apply to business school.

Share your favorite song, movie, or book, and why it appeals to you.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I really identify with the main character who leaves home in search of his personal destiny. Along the way he meets interesting folks who help him along, and help him understand his destiny a bit more. The book made me think about my own journey and how the people in my life have helped me grow along the way.

What is your superpower?
My superpower is connecting people. I enjoy meeting people, learning about them, and connecting them to others who have similar interest or goals.

What gives you hope?
My youngest brother gives me hope. While I grew up not knowing someone who went to college, least of all an Ivy League, my brother sees it every day and speaks about accomplishing a similar goal. To him, college and graduate school are normal and achievable. Knowing that things that I once dreamed of are now concrete paths for others, like my brother, makes me hopeful for a future where the presence of a person of color in higher education and boardrooms will no longer be questioned.