In her own words
Jenny Olivarez
Being a first-generation student is something that I’m proud to have as part of my legacy; however, it is just the beginning. Working past my limits has been all that I’ve known growing up, always striving for perfection to satisfy my parents and make them proud. Hearing my dad’s story of why he came to this country, alone at the age of fifteen, is one of my biggest motivators. My father arrived in the United States with my future as his motivator. He knew that he wanted more opportunities for his children. He knew that he needed to succeed as far as possible so that his kids could go even farther. As long as I graduated high school my parents would have been proud, I would have made it farther than them, but they wanted more for me. Applying to Michigan State University was beyond their wildest dreams, and attending college is my dream. I have made my parents proud of all that I have done; attaining higher education is to make myself proud. My parents are my forever motivators, but now I must be my own motivator. Graduating from Michigan State University and attending law school will be how I launch my career. After getting my bachelor’s degree, I wish to work for non-profit organizations that focus on immigration reform. Working in the non-profit arena will provide a place of stability to then complete law school. As my life goal, I plan to build a path for myself to become the owner of a law firm that is focused on serving marginalized communities with special emphasis on the Latinx population.