Meet Karen B. (she/her), a 1,000 Dreams Fund Scholarship winner who is studying psychology and education at The University of Chicago.

What is your dream?

My dream is to become a professor at a higher education institution and run my own psychology lab. To fulfill this dream, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. after my master’s program, focusing on developmental psychology, social psychology, and education. I am passionate about creating healthier learning environments through community-based interventions that help children build healthy relationships with their social identities.

This dream is deeply personal for me, fueled by the underrepresentation of Hispanic/Latino students in graduate programs and the field of psychology. Less than 10% of Latinas hold graduate degrees, with only 1% having PhDs, a figure that would be even lower if we included undocumented Latinas. Additionally, the lack of research on Hispanic/Latino populations, especially immigrant communities, is concerning.

I want to change this. By pursuing my academic goals, I hope to address these issues through research and mentorship, creating opportunities for future generations of Hispanic/Latino students.

Please share a short quote that tells us how you feel about the win and what impact it will have on your career.

The only words that come to mind when thinking about how I feel about winning this award are thankful and motivated. I am deeply appreciative of the support this scholarship provides in pursuing my educational goals, and I am committed to maximizing its impact.

This scholarship will allow me to purchase textbooks, statistical software, and hopefully attend the Midwestern Psychological Association conference in 2025. These resources will help me develop essential skills — such as data analysis, conference presenting, and networking, which are key to my dream of becoming a professor at a higher institution with my own lab.

Additionally, receiving this award motivates me to fully immerse myself in my master’s program. With this financial support, I am inspired to show other women pursuing their dreams that it is possible and that we have a community that we can rely on as they want us to succeed.

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

My advice for other women reaching for their dreams is to never be the first person to try to end your dreams. You cannot — and I repeat, cannot — be the first person to say no, to close the door, or to doubt your dreams when they haven’t even lived outside your own head. I know it’s hard to leave self-doubt behind, but if you are the first person to end your dreams, how are you going to defend them from the criticism and doubt of others? In short, always be your own cheerleader, as your dreams are only as strong as you make them.