Category: News and Information

My name is Sochea Chhay, I am a junior majoring in Quantitative Economics and minoring in Mathematics. I’m originated from Siem Reap, Cambodia. I am the first daughter in my family to pursue higher education in the U.S. Reflecting on my community and upbringing, I recognize the barriers that underserved populations, especially women and minority ethnic groups, face in accessing economic opportunities. This inspires me to empower women from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain equal access to opportunities, resources, and decision-making.

When I first started college, I took a lot of random classes in political sciences and economics. I found out that I really enjoy the topics discuss in economics I took which led me to choose quantitative economics as a major.

My name is Anna Varveris, and I am a first-generation Greek-Dominican-American college student studying International Relations with a minor in Latin American/Latinx Studies. I grew up in a multi-generational immigrant household in Long Island, New York, which shaped my perspectives on culture, trauma, discrimination, and migration.

As the first in my family to pursue college, I had some concerns about balancing familial obligations, work, extracurriculars, and academics. When I first started college, I joined my school’s Latino Student Association, which helped me meet people with similar experiences. I spoke extensively with faculty and professors, as well as fourth-year students who acted as mentors and were essential to my personal, academic, and professional development. As I approach my final year in undergraduate, I try to pay that same sentiment forward to current first-year students.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, raised by a single mother, alongside two siblings. Attending Abraham Lincoln High School, where I found myself drawn to law through their specialized program. Engaging in classes ranging from constitutional law to public policy, I was intrigued by law and how it shapes our societies and individuals’ experiences. Driving me to participate in extracurricular activities like Moot Court and mock trial, where I gained experience in argumentation and critical thinking, along with grasping the nature of our political system. This led me to run for student body president my senior year, where I was elected in 2021. Allowing me to gain experience in my school’s political and social climate whilst awarding me experience in public speaking and communication with various department heads. While focusing on my studies and academic extracurriculars, I balanced my studies with sports, participating in three different sports teams throughout my high school years. This trickled into my college career where I play Division Three Softball for Hunter College and Student Athlete Advisory Committee representative. Majoring in Political Science and minoring in Economics and English, I continued to explore my interests in governance.

When I first started college I intended to major in Political Science. After taking an introductory economics course I decided to pursue a minor in economics as I found the topic interesting and helpful to my major. I find Political Science and Economics to go hand and hand because policy is driven by economics. I’ve always been interested in English and by taking on an English minor I was able to keep my studies creative as many of the classes I’ve taken for my English minor have included creative writing.

I was born and raised in Queens, New York to Salvadoran immigrants. My parents, like many immigrants, came to this country in search for a better future, which has always been so inspiring to me. I grew up hyperaware of immigration policies and the daily news surrounding laws in the U.S. because it affected my family and community. As someone with dual citizenship and who grew up with two different cultures, the importance of advocacy and diversity is important to me. This led me to studying International Criminal Justice at John Jay College and immersing myself in many activities and opportunities that expanded my knowledge and social skills. An example would be serving as Secretary and reviving the club of Latin American Student Organization (LASO) at my college. This taught me to connect with my community and bring them together by planning fun events like dance parties, but also informative ones like a panel with special guests on why it is essential to vote. I am an advocate not only for issues that personally impact me and my family, but other groups that need a voice and support. I believe public service and social justice is crucial, especially in the times we are facing today on a global lens.

When I first started at John Jay College, my major was Forensic Science and I was interested in working for the FBI. I also was considering doing the MA/BA program at John Jay in International Criminal Justice. However, after my first semester of college I soon realized my passions were elsewhere.

I grew up in Salinas, California, known as the Salad Bowl of the world, where my immigrant parents raised me and my siblings after moving to the United States to build a better future for us. I stand as a proud son of immigrant parents, my heart woven with the rich threads of my Mexican American heritage. I embrace my queer identity with pride. Above all, I am profoundly committed to public service, driven by a deep-seated passion to make a meaningful difference in the world.

In high school, my heart was set on becoming a doctor, dreaming of serving my community through the healing arts. But my journey took a profound turn after I began volunteering at my local homeless shelter. There, conversations with those I hoped to serve opened my eyes to the stark realities of our healthcare system. I saw a system that often overlooks the undocumented, one that has historically misrepresented people of color, and one where treatment can be more about your insurance coverage than your actual health needs. Facing these truths, I could not pursue a career as a medical doctor in good conscience, knowing the injustices embedded within the very system I once aspired to uphold.

That was the moment I shifted my focus towards law and public policy. My great-grandmother was a beacon of compassion and empathy, always extending a hand to those less fortunate. Her spirit, along with the values instilled in me by my parents and community, nurtured my commitment to public service, planting its seeds deep within my soul.
To this day, I see so much of my great-grandmother in myself. She was a fierce advocate for justice, always guided by the compass of her heart. I hope that as I step into positions of influence, I can honor her legacy of compassion and empathy, striving for equality and justice, and fostering unity in a divided world. I am immensely proud of my journey and the person I have become into, yet none of this would have been possible without the love, support, and belief of my family, friends, and community. To them, I dedicate every milestone, every success—they are the ones who saw promise in me and wished for a brighter tomorrow on my behalf.

To this day, I see so much of my great-grandmother in myself. She was a fierce advocate for justice, always guided by the compass of her heart. I hope that as I step into positions of influence, I can honor her legacy of compassion and empathy, striving for equality and justice, and fostering unity in a divided world. I am immensely proud of my journey and the person I have become into, yet none of this would have been possible without the love, support, and belief of my family, friends, and community. To them, I dedicate every milestone, every success—they are the ones who saw promise in me and wished for a brighter tomorrow on my behalf.

When I first entered college, I was deeply engrossed in the intricate tapestry of public health and the interdisciplinary nature of the field. As my journey has progressed, however, my interests have broadened to encompass the wider realm of public policy and law. Now, I am eager to explore and make a meaningful impact across various sectors of public policy, hoping to learn from and influence each one.

I was born on May 24, 2002, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, during my 12 years where I became part of a very tight-knit community. However, growing up in Puerto Rico during a time where our government was on the brink of a recession, everywhere I looked I saw news outlets warning Puerto Ricans of our economic crisis, which was simply on the verge of collapsing, an issue that we are still battling with today. Given the current state of the island, the economic hardship made my family move to different places where we had to learn how to cope with different scenarios. Therefore, when I think about public policy and policy making, I realize that I can play an important role in how we can fix issues, that are involved with the well-being of all Puerto Ricans, but also the impact that policy decisions had on common people which they need to take into consideration the people who are most affected by those decisions. Being in public service will give me the opportunity to impact my community by changing the way we make policy in Puerto Rico, but also a way of being grateful to my family and community who have contributed to my personal development.

I started college in the political science program. At first, my only goal was to enter law school once I finished my bachelors degree. However, when I took my first courses in political science and economics, I realized that this topic was more complex and interesting than I anticipated, which fueled my interest in public policy and policy-making. Later, in the 2020 elections, I started working with various Puerto Rican candidates where I had the opportunity to have a closer look at how, exactly, politics and decision-making affects our communities. During this period, I decided that political science, government and policy-making was my main interest.

My name is Nathalie Saladrigas and I am the daughter of Nora and Jose. Both of my parents are immigrants; my mother is from Colombia while my father was from Cuba. They fled from their countries in hopes to find opportunities they lacked in their home countries. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida, the same city in which my parents met. Throughout my years growing up in Miami, I learned about several injustices occurring such as the lack of rights many immigrants had, the inaccessibility to adequate resources for minority communities, and the impact of politics on the lives on marginalized people. After the deportation of my mother when I was six years old, I began to be exposed to the world of politics at a very young age. I was separated from my father and due to the psychological effects that come from separation, my mother decided to send me back to Miami after three years residing in Colombia. My father and I lived in borrowed homes in which he worked at renovating a house in exchange for a place to stay or he would sleep on an air mattress at my grandmothers house so I can sleep on the bed with her. We lived in a state of insecure housing for two years until the return of my mother. Our dinners consisted of frozen dinners and the occasional dining to his favorite restaurant, Latin America. My mother eventually arrived to the country which allowed us to reunite as a family. My father, however, passed away when four years ago due to a sudden heart attack. Through my experience as a child, I was motivated to help others who suffered like I did. I grew up low-income and attended schools that often lacked adequate resources which led me into the world of activism and community organizing. In high school, I engaged in efforts to fund therapists and defund police officers present in our campus. This work in organizing inspired me to work on other issues such as LGBTQ rights, climate justice, racial justice, and education justice. In college I created the first LGBTQ club on my campus in which I led efforts to organize phone banking and canvassing efforts as well as educate students on issues present in Florida politics. Moreover, I worked as a lead organizer with Florida Student Power Network in which I engaged students in politics through education and several political events. Community organizing is vital in making change; therefore, working within these organizations inspired me to do more for my city and the people who reside within it.

I attended a community college in Miami called Miami Dade College and transferred into Boston University after I graduated.

When I was a little kid I never knew how to answer when I was constantly asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I just knew that whatever career I ended up in, I wanted to be able to make an impact on the world and help others. As I got older I knew I never wanted to be a politician but wanted to find a way to help solve societal problems. When I learned more about public policy as a field, I knew this was how I could accomplish everything I wanted.

I went into my first year of college knowing I wanted to major in public policy analysis with a concentration in sociology. At my college you declare a major at the end of sophomore year and I was ready to declare from day 1. I never deviated from that path and declared in April of 2023.