Diana’s Student Story

This story was originally written in Spanish.

Meet Diana

Diana, born and raised in Mexico, spent most of her childhood there until, at around eight years old, she moved to Chicago with her father and twin brother. Now at 18, she is the first in her family to graduate high school and attend college. Currently, Diana lives with her father, stepmother, and three younger siblings on the South Side of Chicago. She is pursuing a radiology degree at a community college on Chicago’s South Side. Diana is an undocumented student who eventually obtained legal status. Thanks to the STAR Scholarship program, Diana was able to cover her education costs without taking on debt.

Diana’s Path to College

Diana moved to Chicago at eight years old to live with her stepmother, who was already living there. “Yo no quería, porque estábamos bien en México, y también el idioma me preocupaba. Decía, ‘¿Cómo voy a comunicarme? No sé nada.’ Lo veía como dos mundos muy diferentes. No quería, pero al mismo tiempo, pues yo era la niña y no podía decidir. Así que al final nos vinimos para acá, por esa razón [I didn’t want to go because we were doing fine in Mexico, and I was also worried about the language. I would say, ‘How will I communicate? I don’t know anything.’ I saw it as two very different worlds. I didn’t want to go, but at the same time, I was just a child, so I couldn’t decide. So in the end, we came here for that reason].” Ultimately, Diana, her father, her twin brother, and her older brother moved to Chicago.

Relocating to the United States was a drastic change for Diana. “En México, aprendíamos inglés, pero lo básico. Entonces, ya cuando nos vinimos para acá, fue un cambio muy grande para mí, porque pues no sabía nada. Entonces empecé la escuela y me sentía perdido porque no sabía inglés [In Mexico, we learned English, but just the basics. So when we came here, it was a huge change for me because I didn’t know anything. I started school and felt lost because I didn’t know English],” she recalled.

“En México, aprendíamos inglés, pero lo básico. Entonces, ya cuando nos vinimos para acá, fue un cambio muy grande para mí, porque pues no sabía nada. Entonces empecé la escuela y me sentía perdido porque no sabía inglés. [In Mexico, we learned English, but just the basics. So when we came here, it was a huge change for me because I didn’t know anything. I started school and felt lost because I didn’t know English].”

The transition was even more challenging when she started attending a school where almost no one spoke Spanish, which pushed her to learn English quickly. While the process was difficult, Diana sees it as an experience that helped her adapt better. “Siento que cambiarme de escuela, una escuela que no había tantos mexicanos fue lo mejor porque eso me ayudó más a expulsarme y este aprender el idioma mejor [I feel like changing schools to one where there weren’t many Mexicans was the best thing because it helped me push myself and learn the language better],” she explained.

The first months of fifth grade brought not only language challenges but also cultural changes. Diana describes how she went from doing everything on paper in Mexico to using computers for every subject. “Yo nunca había usado una computadora. En México, todo lo hacíamos en papel. Jugábamos afuera, no en computadoras ni en iPads, nada de eso. Cuando llegué aquí, todo era en computadora y en inglés. Fue un cambio extremadamente grande [I had never used a computer before. In Mexico, we did everything on paper. We played outside, not on computers or iPads, none of that. When I got here, everything was on computers and in English. It was an extremely big change].” Diana also shared her thoughts on the differences between schools in Mexico and the United States. “Son similares, pero aquí te dan más apoyo para lograr lo que quieres. En México no veía mucho de eso [They’re similar, but here you get more support to achieve what you want. I didn’t see much of that in Mexico],” she said.

With support from her teachers and English Learners (EL) programs, she not only mastered English but also began helping other students in similar situations. “Sí, fue algo muy difícil. Pero pues, como digo con dedicación esfuerzo (…) eso fue lo que ayudó [Yes, it was very hard. But as I say, with dedication and effort (…) that’s what helped].”

“Sí, fue algo muy difícil. Pero pues, como digo con dedicación esfuerzo (…) eso fue lo que ayudó.[Yes, it was very hard. But as I say, with dedication and effort (…) that’s what helped].”

During her experience in ESL, Diana felt she received significant support, which allowed her to learn the language quickly. In fact, she mentioned that her teachers were very helpful, not only during class but also outside of it. “Tenía una maestra que me sacaba a mí como por una hora y media (…) aprendía inglés con ella [I had a teacher who would take me out for about an hour and a half (…) I would learn English with her],” she explained. Additionally, they provided her with articles and reading materials to improve her learning both inside and outside the classroom. This support, according to Diana, was crucial for her adaptation.

She also highlighted what she enjoyed most about the situation: being able to help other new students migrating to Chicago. “Me gustó mucho poder haber ayudado a otros estudiantes, porque ya había pasado por todo lo que ellos estaban pasando. Nos entendíamos bien porque, aparte de que ellos también estaban aprendiendo y esforzándose, yo los veía y decía, ‘yo también pasé por eso, los entiendo [I really liked being able to help other students because I had already gone through everything they were going through. We understood each other well because, aside from the fact that they were also learning and putting in effort, I would look at them and say, ‘I went through that too; I understand you’].”

“Me gustó mucho poder haber ayudado a otros estudiantes, porque ya había pasado por todo lo que ellos estaban pasando. Nos entendíamos bien porque, aparte de que ellos también estaban aprendiendo y esforzándose, yo los veía y decía, ‘yo también pasé por eso, los entiendo’. [I really liked being able to help other students because I had already gone through everything they were going through. We understood each other well because, aside from the fact that they were also learning and putting in effort, I would look at them and say, ‘I went through that too; I understand you’].”

During her transition to the United States, Diana found significant support in her partner, who only spoke English. Diana recalled, “Le decía, pues yo no lo hablo muy bien, pero tú me puedes ayudar igual. Yo te puedo ayudar a aprender español [I would tell him, well, I don’t speak it very well, but you can help me too. I can help you learn Spanish].” This process of language exchange was fundamental to her integration into her new environment.

In fact, Diana’s greatest achievement in the United States was learning English. “Ya sé inglés, lo hablo muy bien, ya no tengo tanto acento. (…) Ya es parte de mí. Yo hablo dos idiomas. Entonces, ya con eso, entiendo, me puedo defender, ya leo, ya hago todo. Ese fue mi mayor logro, y ahora estoy muy feliz por eso [I know English now; I speak it very well. I don’t have much of an accent anymore. (…) It’s part of me now. I speak two languages. So with that, I can understand, defend myself, read, do everything. That was my biggest achievement, and now I’m very happy about it].”

As she entered her senior year of high school, Diana began to feel the pressure of deciding her academic future. “Cuando empecé mi senior year, sentí mucha presión. Decía, no, pues ya tengo que tener un plan. Tengo que saber qué voy a hacer [When I started my senior year, I felt a lot of pressure. I was like, well, I need to have a plan. I need to know what I’m going to do].”

“Cuando empecé mi senior year, sentí mucha presión. Decía, no, pues ya tengo que tener un plan. Tengo que saber qué voy a hacer. [When I started my senior year, I felt a lot of pressure. I was like, well, I need to have a plan. I need to know what I’m going to do].”

Diana’s stepmother played an important role in discussing options, classes, and necessary credits with her. “Me decía, tienes que tener ya un plan porque necesito saber qué vas a hacer después de graduarte [She would tell me, you need to have a plan because I need to know what you’re going to do after graduating],” Diana explained. She eventually decided to pursue a two-year program in radiology.

Diana shared that one of her main motivations to move forward with her studies was to make her parents, especially her father, proud. “Sentía que tenía que ‘make them proud’, porque mi papá no fue a la universidad y mis hermanos no tomaron el mejor camino [I felt like I needed to make them proud because my dad didn’t go to college, and my brothers didn’t take the best path].” Despite the difficulties, Diana felt she had to take responsibility for being a role model for her family. Even when she didn’t always want to, she understood it was something she had to do to honor her parents’ efforts and the opportunity for education they didn’t have.

Navigating College

In college, Diana experienced a significant shift in the support available. “Aquí tienes que abogar por ti mismo. Nadie viene a ofrecerte ayuda; tienes que buscarla [Here, you have to advocate for yourself. Nobody comes to offer you help; you have to look for it],” she shared, explaining that, unlike her previous experience, in college, it’s necessary to seek out help because professors don’t approach students on their own.

“Aquí tienes que abogar por ti mismo. Nadie viene a ofrecerte ayuda; tienes que buscarla. [Here, you have to advocate for yourself. Nobody comes to offer you help; you have to look for it].”

This contrasted with her earlier experiences, where support was more accessible, and teachers communicated with her more directly. This change was particularly challenging when she had to submit applications or request assistance for specific radiology programs. “Mi advisor me dijo que no podía aplicar aún porque el programa no estaba listo, pero cuando fui a hablar con otro advisor, me dijo que la fecha ya había pasado

[My advisor told me I couldn’t apply yet because the program wasn’t ready, but when I talked to another advisor, they told me the deadline had already passed].” Despite the confusion, Diana was relieved to learn that the application opens every semester. “Me quedé como que, ¿qué? Pero me dijeron que cada semestre se abre, así que estoy bien [I was like, what? But they told me it opens every semester, so I’m okay].”

Despite the lack of direct support, she found a space where she felt supported: her biology classes. The professor’s enthusiasm and the collaboration of her classmates made this experience memorable for her. “Es una clase difícil porque aprendes sobre los huesos del cuerpo humano, pero al final fue muy divertida. Me gustó mucho porque tenía amigos en esa clase (…) El profesor es uno de los mejores, siempre feliz, hace chistes, te ayuda mucho y explica muy bien [It’s a hard class because you learn about the bones of the human body, but in the end, it was a lot of fun. I really liked it because I had friends in that class (…) The professor is one of the best — always happy, making jokes, helping a lot, and explaining very well].”

“Es una clase difícil porque aprendes sobre los huesos del cuerpo humano, pero al final fue muy divertida. Me gustó mucho porque tenía amigos en esa clase (…) El profesor es uno de los mejores, siempre feliz, hace chistes, te ayuda mucho y explica muy bien.[It’s a hard class because you learn about the bones of the human body, but in the end, it was a lot of fun. I really liked it because I had friends in that class (…) The professor is one of the best — always happy, making jokes, helping a lot, and explaining very well].”

The Support That Helped Diana

• Scholarships for Undocumented Students: Thanks to the STAR Scholarship program, Diana was able to cover her education costs without debt. Although she had doubts about whether she would qualify for scholarships due to her immigration status at the time, she is now grateful to have legal status and access to these opportunities. “Sí, [mis consejeros] me ayudaron mucho, especialmente a llenar becas para no tener tantas deudas. No sabía que podía llenar becas, pensaba que las personas sin papeles no podían recibir ayuda [Yes, (my counselors) helped me a lot, especially with filling out scholarships so I wouldn’t have so much debt. I didn’t know I could apply for scholarships; I thought undocumented people couldn’t get help].” Thanks to this scholarship, Diana doesn’t have to pay anything, and now that she has legal status, she continues to receive support for her studies.
• High School Counselors: During high school, Diana received valuable support from her school counselor. “Tenía un advisor que siempre hablaba conmigo y me decía qué hacer para graduarme a tiempo. Me daban consejos sobre los colegios y las becas que podía aplicar para no gastar mucho [I had an advisor who always talked to me and told me what to do to graduate on time. They gave me advice about colleges and scholarships I could apply for so I wouldn’t spend too much].” This guidance was crucial for Diana, helping her plan her academic future.
• Private Counselor: Diana also received help from a private counselor in addition to her high school counselors. She recommends that other students use additional counseling services. “Me ayudaron mucho, me dieron información que mis propios counselors no me daban. Fue algo que me ayudó más, me dieron mucha información importante [They helped me a lot; they gave me information that my own counselors didn’t. It was something that helped me more — they gave me a lot of important information].” For her, external support was key in her preparation and decision-making process.

Diana’s Hopes for the Field

• Diana believes patience is fundamental for educators. “La paciencia es muy importante porque todos aprendemos de manera diferente. Hay personas que aprenden más rápido que otras, y eso requiere paciencia, especialmente cuando alguien está aprendiendo algo nuevo [Patience is very important because we all learn differently. Some people learn faster than others, and that requires patience, especially when someone is learning something new].” She emphasizes the importance of adapting to the needs of students, particularly those facing additional challenges like language barriers.
• Despite the challenges, Diana sees her journey as a reflection of effort and dedication. “Cada paso que tomé fue para llegar a la victoria [Every step I took was to achieve victory].” Her perspective shows how, with determination and support, she was able to overcome obstacles and move toward her educational goals.
• Diana hopes other students, especially from immigrant communities, take advantage of the resources available, like counseling. “Es importante usar esos recursos para lograr nuestras metas. A veces no sabemos que tenemos estas oportunidades, pero es esencial aprovecharlas [It’s important to use those resources to achieve our goals. Sometimes we don’t know we have these opportunities, but it’s essential to take advantage of them].” Her story reflects the importance of seeking support and not giving up in the face of difficulties.