Échale Ganas

Entering college, Hector Hernandez Morales (he/him) was unsure if this was the right track for him. Throughout his six-year journey, there was a lot of back and forth if he should continue or not. Now, Hector is a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Community and Regional Planning with a Minor in Latino Studies. A transcript for this episode is available here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

Oscar Grijalva (he/him) is a senior at Iowa State University with a degree in Management and minors in Spanish and Accounting. Even though he was ready for the freedom and independence that came with college, being a big Mama's boy made him miss home. Family is one of Oscar's highest values, which helped him manage college's excitement and the homesickness that came with it. A transcript for this episode is available here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

When Carlos Nuñez (he/him) first began college, he was uncertain if he would be able to finish due to the Trump administration's stance on immigration policies. While battling those uncertainties is difficult, he continues to work towards earning his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) with a Certificate in Global Health Studies at the University of Iowa. It is Carlos' perseverance that has helped him throughout college porque sí se puede. I am so proud of everything he has accomplished, and I hope he is too. A transcript for this episode is available here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

Alma Apolonio Bernal (she/her/ella) recently graduated top of her class from Mount Mercy University in 2021. Although Alma began college to honor her family, she finished college for herself and all the other Latinas. Her representation as a Latina college graduate means the absolute world to me. A transcript for this episode is available here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

Bonus episode! There is no "right" way to go about college. Some people go right after high school, some wait a few years, and some give it a try and decide another career is calling their name. Listen to Val Ramos (she/her) talk about how taking a break from college to pursue realty was the right choice for her. A transcript for this episode is available here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

Claudia Artola (she/her) is a senior at the University of Iowa, majoring in Social Work with a minor in Political Science. Originally from Guatemala, she and her parents immigrated to the United States during her junior year of high school. Listen to Claudia tell her story about her educational transitions from high school in Guatemala to high school in California to Muscatine Community College to the University of Iowa. A transcript for this episode is available here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

Jackie Mendez (she/her) is a senior at the University of Iowa, double majoring in Psychology and Social Work. She will be the first in her family to graduate from college. Listen to Jackie compare her community college experience to her university experience and how she learned the importance of diversity. A transcript for this episode is available here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

Alex Nunez (he/him), a first-generation college student, is a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Aerospace Engineering. Listen to Alex as he tells us about how he decided on mechanical engineering, his search for internships, and how he got interested in Formula 1 Racing. Interested in learning more about what Alex discussed? Connect with him on LinkedIn. A transcript for this episode is available at: https://learninglab.si.edu/q/ll-c/1olieKdYPpt2WCQz#r/1383737. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message

College is hard. Add the intersection of being Latina/o/x, and college becomes harder. Welcome to Échale Ganas, a podcast that shares the stories of how Latinas, Latinos, and Latinx people navigate college. Transcripts for each episode are available at: https://learninglab.si.edu/q/ll-c/1olieKdYPpt2WCQz#r/64690. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/echaleganas/message