Tuition-Free College: Meet Daniela Gutierrez

Watching students take a path to their future dreams is a beautiful thing.

Daniela Gutierrez, a New Mexico native and first-generation college student, is on a journey to become a nurse practitioner in the emergency department — and she is doing it at no cost.

Daniela and her agent Clara Akwarandu worked together in high school to narrow her choices down to seven colleges, finally landing on the University of Portland for a full-ride scholarship.

We recently had the chance to speak with Daniela to learn about her high school experience and ask what advice she would give other students on the road to postsecondary success.

What is your vision for yourself in the future?

I aim to be a nurse practitioner with a focus in the emergency department.

When did you realize your potential in high school? How did you uncover that potential?

Throughout my high school years, I was involved in a lot of “college readiness” programs. These programs opened a lot of doors for me, especially because the town where I’m from is pretty small, but it also taught me that I need to work in order to actually get to where I want to. That was something that definitely pushed me, and of course, the support from my parents.

What resources and/or opportunities were most valuable for you in high school?

My high school had pathways, and we were required to be a part of at least one. I was in the medical pathway and because of it, I was also able to apply to a program my local hospital offers, which was a summer internship in the hospital shadowing different people.

What resources and/or opportunities were most valuable for you now that you are in college?

I am currently part of a mentor-mentee program focused on first-generation students, students of color, or populations that are less represented in the college. I’m also constantly reminded of all the resources that are available to me and it’s pretty easy to access them.

If you could tweet yourself one thing entering high school, what would it be?

If I could tweet one thing to myself entering high school it would be “Enjoy the little things because they’re gone faster than you think. Time will take care of putting everything into place.”

If you could tweet one thing to high school teachers/counselors to prepare students for postsecondary success, what would it be?

If I could tweet something to high school teachers/counselors I would say “make an impact in your student’s life that will serve them for a lifetime.”

Daniela — congratulations on taking the next step towards your future dreams. Thank you for being courageous and an inspiration to so many!