Location: Tustin, California

You could say Kailynn Dunn’s dreams are so big they extend beyond the United States. The Foothill High School senior wants to major in international business or Spanish — and possibly get a Master’s degree, too — as she’s interested in having a job that involves travel or takes her to other countries and locales.

What is something you are most proud of?

Something I am most proud of is traveling for the first time outside of the U.S. without my mom. Going to Peru with family friends really allowed me to be open to trying new things. The experience not only made me more open-minded, it made me yearn to travel more than ever.

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

One of the challenges I’ve had to face is having divorced parents from a young age; it’s been hard sometimes just having my mom without the additional support of both parents. But having a younger brother helps because he also goes through the same thing and we usually figure it out together.

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

It means a lot to be selected as a Girl on the Rise because it will give me the opportunity to go and visit colleges I wouldn’t be able to visit on my own. It will definitely be a very unique, memorable, and educational experience.

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

The urgency of college is what really got me interested in learning more and getting involved with Girls on the Rise.

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?

The funding will help me reach my goals by giving me the opportunity to see potential colleges and get a feel for what my life could be like in the near future. This is important to me because I want to feel at home and comfortable while at school while also staying motivated to study.

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

I plan on visiting Cal State Monterey Bay. I like the area and some friends have told me the campus is nice. While I want to go a decent distance from home, I have decided to stay in California because I will be receiving benefits from the VA that only apply to California schools.