Three of Carla’s dream schools are the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Xavier University, and Purdue. But this senior at the Air Force Academy High School in Chicago is still considering her options — seven of them in total! Regardless of which college she chooses, it’s setting her on a path to achieve an undergraduate degree and then her master’s in psychology so she can become a child psychologist.

What is something you are most proud of?

I’m proud of making the varsity volleyball team for the first time in my sophomore year.

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

I have, and what helped me get through those rough times was therapy and spending time with family.

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

I feel honored and very grateful to be selected.

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

My nephew. I want to prove to him that hard work really does pay off and that anything can be accomplished.

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?

Visiting schools I’m interested in will help me refine and narrow down my list of colleges. The college visits will also help with answering any questions I may have.

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

I will visit Xavier University, Illinois State University, and University of Illinois Springfield because I’m interested in observing their campuses and speaking with current students. These three schools in addition to four other universities (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Purdue, Valparaiso, and University of Illinois Chicago) that I’ve already visited make up the seven I’ve applied to and am interested in attending.