Paola is a strong leader on Aquinas College’s campus and represents the kind of academic, extracurricular, and personal attributes that the College hopes all AQ Saints gain during their educational journey. She is a dual major in business administration and communications with a minor in marketing and has been an active leader on campus as a Diversity Assistant peer educator and as president of the Latinx Student Association.
Her dedication and tenacious spirit embody the legacy of Cesar Chavez. She is a first-generation student and the daughter of immigrants. As she wrote in her application essay, “Having parents who migrated to the U.S. with nothing in their pockets, but always made sure my siblings and I had clean clothes, a hot meal to eat, a bed, a roof over our heads, and shoes to walk in, is what inspires me to become the best version of myself for my parents and for my community. Cesar Chavez strongly believed that if you formed a union you would not only improve your life, but those around you. Your familia is your strongest union growing up, but once you become an adult it is up to you to create your own union and connections, and that’s what I strive to create on our campus.”
Aquinas College is proud to honor Paola with this award.