News

(Spring 2023) – Currently a sophomore in college, Kathya’s unique SMART journey began in 9th Grade. Encouraged by her younger brother’s SMART experience, Kathya’s mother advocated for her to apply to SMART when she was in 8th Grade.

“It was during the interview process at SMART that I started to realize that college will take some planning, because so much of what we do in high school determines our college options.”

Her mentors, advisors, and tutors at SMART coordinated closely with Kathya’s mother to create a holistic, mutually reinforcing foundation for success and supported Kathya based on the feedback from her teachers. “In my first year of high school, my SMART advisor really helped me feel appreciated for my hard work. I knew that there was a day every week when I would be appreciated for all the things I did that week.” Kathya maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school, despite the disruption caused by the pandemic.

Kathya credits her motivation to pursue a college degree to experiences and relationships formed during high school. SMART bridged the opportunity gap by providing resources and helping her navigate important decisions while improving academically, socially, and emotionally. “I was very lucky that in 9th and 10th grade, SMART took us on the college tour to Southern California. SMART planted the seed that I don’t have to find a college close to home or limit myself to courses based on what I think I might be good at. Without SMART, I could not have imagined interning at UCSF, learning about science, and overcoming my fear of it.”

During junior year of high school, Kathya interned at the University of California, San Francisco as a Health Investigator. She conducted surveys with other students to understand misconceptions about vaccines in the diverse San Francisco community. After analyzing the data and developing insights, students were tasked with developing ideas for a community campaign. Kathya’s campaign pitch was voted the best. She worked with a group of students to adapt games like Jenga, Uno, and others into learning tools to inform and educate her community about vaccines. There, she started to envision a career at the intersection of mental health, education, and scientific research.

“I only had one parent and it was difficult to navigate all these decisions by ourselves. My mom and I really appreciate that SMART was always there to help, whether it was applying for tax exemptions, navigating the rules and regulations, or helping me with my college and financial aid applications.”

In senior year of high school, Kathya decided to apply for the prestigious Posse Scholarship.

“The executive director of SMART really helped me understand the application and interview process. By the time I appeared for my three-hour interview, I was prepared and confident.”

By December 2020, Kathya knew that she was going to Boston University with a full tuition scholarship. BU was her first choice based on its student-filled city and competitive Psychology program.

Now in her second year on campus, Kathya and her friends are producing a podcast called Coast 2 Coast, which aims to be a resource for first-generation college students as they transition from high school to college.

A recent turning point for Kathya was when she received an email nominating her for a course in biological engineering, which helped her discover her passion for psychology. This semester she is taking a neuroscience-based course called physiological psychology. In the future, she is interested in pursuing a post-graduate career in psychological research.