If you’ve ever faced rejection — especially with scholarship or college applications — Alejandra Guerrero has a pretty powerful story of perseverance, which led to a full-ride scholarship. This 1,000 Dreams Fund Scholarship recipient will be attending The University of Texas at Austin to pursue a double major in Public Health and Biology.

What is your professional dream?

It is my goal to become a certified Physical Assistant to give back to my community and help educate and mitigate the effect of healthcare inequity.

How will you use the 1,000 Dreams Scholarship?

I will use the scholarship to enroll in an EMT certification program.

How is this scholarship helping you get closer to your dream?

It has given me the opportunity to become a certified professional, which I can use to volunteer and give back to my community.

​What advice do you have for other young women who are wanting to pursue their dreams?

Opportunities come and go, so make sure to grasp all available and never let fear of the unknown hold you back from doing what you love!

​Have you had any setbacks? How did you move past them?

Setbacks come in many shapes and forms — it could be familial pressures, emotional distress, mental health, and even continuous failure.

My most recent setback occurred my senior year, where most of my scholarship applications were either rejected or did not advance to the final round. I felt dejected, like I was under a microscope that enlarged all my faults and flaws. I stopped applying for scholarships for a month, drowning in my full-time job, school, and family responsibilities.

However, I remembered, out of all these rejections, I only needed one acceptance. For the 20 failures, one success would completely turn my future around. I started applying again, and I eventually was awarded a full-ride scholarship. A change in perspective was what I needed to feel empowered again!

What’s next for you? What is your next goal?

I hope to finish an EMT training program by the start of the spring semester to begin volunteering and working as a certified EMT.