Sophomore Jessica Espinoza-Flores is making her own way as a first-generation college student. Her path from San Diego to Richmond has broadened her horizons and reinforced her appreciation of her heritage.
My roots
Growing up in San Diego, I was surrounded by people who look like me or who had similar experiences and were familiar with my culture. My school was really small, like 400 of us. We all knew everyone and were pretty close. It was really nice.
My mom
She was born in Mexico and came here. She has been my strongest influence and supporter. She’s caring, empathetic. She wants the best for you. She encouraged me to apply to schools across the country, including the University of Richmond. She’s never held me back from experiencing anything.
My college search
I was in the Elevate Scholars program for first-generation, low-income students. They have programs with universities, and admissions representatives came to our school. When I heard about Richmond, it was the only one that interested me. I liked the size, and I wanted to experience the four seasons. When my mom and I came here for a visit, it was October. The leaves were changing. I was like, “I love this.”
“I liked the size and wanted to experience the four seasons.”
My identity
Because of the way I grew up, I didn’t really think too much about my identity until I got here. I’ve joined SOLS, a Latin student organization, and taken on leadership roles. Clubs have been really important for me. I see people who have similar experiences, and the food is always so good.
My studies
I major in political science and Latin American, Latino, and Iberian studies with minors in women, gender, and sexuality studies and Luso-Brazilian studies.
Intro to Luso-Brazilian studies has been one of my favorite classes. The conversations were so interesting.
My goals
I’ve thought about law school, but that’s been changing. I interned with a family lawyer in high school. The domestic violence cases stuck out to me the most. Even though I was just filling out documents and forms, it was interesting because I was helping her fight for her clients. I was fighting for their rights. That was powerful to me.
My perspective
What if I went to school back home? My community there would be so different. I wouldn’t have had to think about all the things I’ve had to think about here. I’m grateful for this experience. I’ve grown so much.