I am Sofia Suarez, a driven and ambitious Ecuadorian student at Quinnipiac University. I take immense pride in my ethnicity and first-generation American background. Every single day, I work towards empowering people of color in my educational and personal space. Through my active involvement in my campus community and previous experiences, I have had the opportunity to grow academically, professionally, and personally.I am currently working on an independent study at Quinnipiac under the supervision of Prof. Gabriel Acevedo. Our study is titled “Behavioral Economics and Student Engagement: A Mixed-Methods Study of ‘Invisible’ Student Populations on a College Campus.” It aims to understand student attitudes, behaviors, experiences, and future plans. We also aim to learn more about students from multiple majors, from diverse backgrounds, and from all four class years. I have been working on writing a literature review while also distributing surveys to students.I interned at the Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS). Here, I was given the opportunity to have my own cases and work directly with clients. I was able to fill out N-400’s, I-130’s, and I-485’s. I also interned at the International Rescue Committee in New York as the Refugee Resettlement Intern. I was in charge of filling out documents for refugees to receive vital resources like SNAP, Medicare/Medicaid, social security, and more. Both opportunities gave me valuable insights into the lives of refugees and the process of arriving in the United States as one. These experiences not only helped me become more of a self-starter and leader, but also helped me gain a profound understanding of the difficulties people face in their journey to becoming integrated into the United States.I am the treasurer of Quinnipiac University’s Sociology Club. My key responsibilities are to manage the finances of the club by preparing the budget and keeping track of expenses. I have become an advocate for the Sociology Club, and I’m constantly engaging and recruiting new members. This experience has strengthened my leadership skills and allowed me to hone my communication skills. Following that, I was the General Board Representative of Quinnipiac University’s Latino Cultural Society club. My responsibilities include leading G-board discussions, creating new ideas for meetings, and making all members feel welcome. This association has shown me a wide range of cultures and customs outside my own Ecuadorian background.