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Now, catching up with her three years after earning her bachelor’s degree in health sciences from California State University, East Bay, Alison Paxtor is still filled with dedication to her community and impact in the public health and healthcare industry.
First-gen college grad Alison Paxtor shares about her purpose and motivation in her public health and healthcare career as well as how she overcame challenges in college to reach her career goals post-grad.
Loyola Marymount grad Chaylah Williams shares five lessons from PR, social media, and sports media internships.
The class of 2025 shares their inspiring college journeys, post-grad plans – from sports PR to vaccine development – and how Making Waves helped them thrive through challenges, internships, and community impact.
Elaine Fernandez Bravo (she/her) shares her story pursuing internships, earning her college degree, finding confidence and her sense of belonging in the business world.
Naidelyn Aceves (she/her) is no stranger to navigating unfamiliar spaces – from being a first-generation college student from Pittsburg, California to attending UC Santa Cruz to majoring in art and design with a focus in games and playable media.
A first-generation college graduate pursuing her dreams in public relations, Chaylah Williams shared: “Know where you’re going, why you’re going, and know what you’re going to do when you get there.”
For many young people, an internship can change their career and life trajectory. Yet, 70+% of first-generation college students are missing out on internships. Making Waves has a created a new fund to support students to say “yes” to opportunities they might otherwise have to turn down due to financial barriers. Here are some of their stories.
Voices of Making Waves: Meet Armando Ramirez “I always try to advocate for both mental health and for higher education, especially in the Latino community,”
“Ser parte de Making Waves cambió mi trayectoria”, dice Enrique Romero. “No tendría la formación para poder ir a la universidad”, explica él, graduado de la licenciatura en sociología por Pitzer College en California y de la maestría en políticas educativas por Harvard University en Massachusetts. Gracias al apoyo incondicional de sus padres y al acompañamiento de Making Waves, Enrique pudo tomar decisiones que lo llevaron a un futuro diferente.
“Sometimes lab research can feel very impersonal, but I really enjoy the interpersonal interactions and the community aspect of science,” shared Ysabel David (she/her), a first-gen college student and graduating senior at Scripps who is sharing about her path finding community and pursuing her passions for science, dance, and DEIB.
The scholarships and coaching from Making Waves made attending UC Berkeley attainable for first-gen college student Ale Paz, who has found community on campus, studied abroad, and completed a global internship. “College has given me so much freedom to explore these opportunities and figure out what’s best for me. It’s been a great journey,” Ale said.
