Leslie Guadalajara: Your path may not look like everyone else's

Attending a four-year university had always been my dream.  I wanted to experience college and study a career that would get me the job my parents had only ever dreamed of.  

That dream, however, changed during my freshman year of high school when I found out about my immigration status.  

My parents always encouraged me to do my best in school. They pushed me to get the best grades, to never miss a single day. School was our only route to success.  

But after learning about my status, I felt discouraged. “What’s the point in trying?” I thought to myself. After all, I didn’t think I would be able to afford school without receiving any financial help. 

Thankfully, that same year, I qualified for DACA, the Obama era program that provided relief to some children who were brought to the country by their parents without authorization. It was then, when I was finally protected from deportation and I was also able to receive a work permit through the program. Thanks to the program, I started working as soon as I turned 16, balancing both high school and a job. 

Fast forward to senior year of high school—I graduated with my Certified Nursing Assistant certification. I knew all along that I wanted to be a nurse someday.  

I found out about Elgin Community College, during a college fair at school and enrolled in Spring 2018. My GPA wasn’t the best since I had started prioritizing work over school once I began working. That led to me being placed in non-college-level classes. But I never gave up. I knew I wanted to continue my education and make my parents proud, even if it meant taking only one or two classes at a time because that’s all I could afford, paying out of pocket. 

In 2019, I participated in Miss Latino America, where I won second place and was awarded a scholarship. After completing numerous prerequisites, I started applying to nursing programs. After receiving three denials from some schools, I felt discouraged all over again. 

That same year, I found out I was pregnant. I thought to myself, Now it’s not just about me—it’s about me and my son. I applied to the nursing program at Elgin Community College, thinking there was no way I’d be accepted since it was competitive. But I was wrong—I got in.  

Although the thought of having a baby, going to school, and working all at the same time seemed overwhelming and impossible, I was able to enroll my son in the campus daycare and begin the program. 

The two years of nursing school were the hardest and most challenging for me. I was freshly postpartum, trying to figure things out as a new single parent, and unfortunately going through a custody case. I felt like giving up numerous times, but my teachers, the campus therapists, classmates, friends, and—most importantly—my family and my son motivated me. And here I am, graduating in a few weeks. All the stress, tears, and hardships were finally worth it. 

To anyone who is facing obstacles that feel bigger than yourselves; whether it’s your legal status, financial hardships or being a single parent, know your circumstances do not define your worth or your potential. You are not alone. Your path may not look like everyone else’s, and that’s okay. Keep going. Push through. Because your story, your resilience, and your determination matter. 

If I could overcome the setbacks, the doubts, and the fear you can too. Don’t give up!  

Leslie Guadalajara, '25

South Elgin, Illinois  

Associate of Applied Science Nursing