My name is Cinthya.
In 2007, I became the first undocumented student admitted to Columbia University’s School of Public Health. As an undocumented student, I am ineligible for all federal aid, grants or fellowships; thus, I was forced to defer my admissions from 2007.
I immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the summer of 1999. In 2003, I graduated from Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. As a high school student, I worked hard to transition from ESL into AP courses. My hard work paid off because I was admitted to UCLA, but because of my undocumented status, I did not qualify for financial aid. However, I did not let this stop me and after applying to countless scholarships and working odd jobs, I was able to secure funds for four years of undergraduate work at UCLA.
In 2007, I graduated from UCLA with a double Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English World Literature, and Spanish Literature with a minor in Mexican studies.
Now I have been accepted to one of the best Schools of Public Health in the nation to pursue a Masters of Public Health degree in Sociomedical Sciences with a concentration on Health Promotion. Upon graduating, I plan to attend medical school and return to my community as a physician to help make health care services more accessible and culturally competent to under-served communities.
