For Adriana Zarate, college was never a question. It was the biggest goal her parents set before her.
"They came to this country with very little education, so they wanted to make sure we had opportunities that they didn't," she said.
The Gainesville, Georgia, resident exceeded them by leaps and bounds.
The first-generation college student won the Goizueta Foundation Scholarship in 2018-19 academic year. The scholarship supports the academic success and leadership development of the Hispanic and Latino students at UNG through financial assistance, group activities, mentorship, personalized advising, and community service opportunities.
The funds allowed Zarate to pursue a degree in kinesiology, and spread the message about taking advantage of educational opportunities to new and potential UNG students as an orientation leader and through her work with the High School Equivalency Program, the Multicultural Student Affairs office, and the Latino Student Association.
"No one says college was easy," Zarate said. "But I told incoming students that people are here to mentor you and lead the way. I spread that message through the Latino Student Association and through the cultural connections that we share. I told them, 'It's OK to ask for help.'"
All of her work including time on the Student Government Association led her to be selected UNG's Newman Civic Fellow for the 2019-20 year.
"It was unreal in the beginning," the Alpharetta, Georgia, native said. "Then when I heard I was going to a conference to meet other individuals. That made it real."
Zarate was one of 262 students named to the 2019-2020 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. The one-year experience emphasizes personal, professional and civic growth for students who have demonstrated a capacity for leadership and an investment in solving public problems.
