Brenda Palacios Rodriguez never envisioned herself attending college.
“I felt like I personally wasn't worthy of it,” she said, reflecting on how she felt about college before getting involved with GEAR UP.
As a first-generation student from an immigrant family, Brenda had never seen attending college as something that was possible for her.
That changed when she attended a GEAR UP-led campus visit of UNC Chapel Hill as a senior at Patton High School in Burke County.
“I remember just kind of walking through the campus of UNC, seeing the wonderful, big trees across campus and I just felt at home,” Brenda said. “I felt like it was really welcoming.”
Brenda’s cousin Evelin also attended this visit, and being there with her family really changed how Brenda imagined her future.
“Together we were imagining, wow, what if we both went to college in the future? What would that look like, and what would our families say? How would that feel? I turned to Evelyn and I was like, what if this is like our future home?”
Physically being on a university campus allowed Brenda to begin imagining herself as a college student.
“I was inspired by just seeing what a university campus looks like,” Brenda said.
While Evelin ended up attending Appalachian State University, Brenda did attend UNC Chapel Hill. She received the university’s Blue Sky Scholarship, which is intended for students with an outstanding work ethic and sense of responsibility from middle-income backgrounds. She received two degrees and graduated with honors.
Today, Brenda works and lives in Aspen, Colorado as a planner and designer for landscape architecture and planning firm, Design Workshop.
“Having support from GEAR UP and being able to attend these different free events really allowed me to be hopeful and imagine a future where I could achieve this,” Brenda said. “Maybe I could be able to go to school and create a unique story, not only for myself, but for my surrounding community and family as well.”
Brenda is continuing to create her own unique story and hopes that the GEAR UP students that have come after her will be able to do the same.
“GEAR UP leaves a huge impact on the lives of so many students from so many different backgrounds, and they all have their own story,” Brenda said. “I really hope this kind of work will continue on.”
Appalachian GEAR UP currently serves students in 17 school districts across western North Carolina helping to prepare the generation for success. Middle & high schools students receive resources to help them succeed in school and to learn more about opportunities available to them after graduation. This includes learning how they can grow and develop into contributing members of their communities. To read more about current and former GEAR UP students like Brenda, or to find out additional details about GEAR UP services, visit our website.
Student Spotlight
Student Spotlight