Computer engineering is the college major that’s on Agustina A.’s mind. This Girl on the Rise is looking forward to attending a four-year university — perhaps one of the locations of University of California like Santa Cruz, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, or San Diego — as the next step in her professional dream.

What is something you are most proud of?

I am most proud of how I have grown as a person. I’ve had a lot of challenges in which I’ve made mistakes but have learned a lot from them. I hope to continue learning to become the best version of myself that I can be.

Have you gone through any tough or challenging times? If yes, how did you deal with those challenges?

I have gone through many challenges and I have learned many ways to deal with them. Personally, I don’t like talking about my experiences so what I have done to deal with my challenges is to journal. Journaling has helped me express myself without having to deal with criticism or the thought of someone judging me. It is something that I would recommend everyone try.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a Girl on the Rise?

It means that I have support in order to achieve my dreams. It also gives me that extra motivation and determination to succeed in my academic dreams.

What inspired you to want to be involved with Girls on the Rise?

I was inspired by a mentor. When I looked into the program, I really liked its purpose with helping girls achieve their dreams.

How will funding from the 1,000 Dreams Fund help you reach your goals? In other words: Why is the opportunity to visit your prospective colleges important to your journey?

I think the opportunity of visiting colleges is important because it helps me visualize where I want to spend my years studying. It is important that the place is right for me and is somewhere I can see myself living and being happy while studying for my future career.

What schools will you use the funding to visit, and why?

One school that I hope to visit with this funding is California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. I recently discovered this school and I’ve heard many good things about their engineering program, but have never seen the campus. It is somewhat local to where I live and I think this would be a good option for me for what I want to do.