Summary
Hello! My name is Kaylee Garcia, and I am majoring in Biology with a minor in Business Administration. I am on the pre-dental track with hopes of becoming a general dentist. I plan to graduate from the 91·çÃùÄñ³ª in spring of 2026! I grew up in Carson City, NV and was raised by Hispanic immigrant parents. Being first generation has come with all the obstacles you can think of. Saying this, I am excited to guide and help other first-generation students find their place on campus!
My first-generation story
I am a first-generation Latina. I grew up in Carson City, NV and in my free-time, I enjoy spending time with my family, doing arts and crafts, going to the gym and playing sports! After graduating high school, I came straight to the 91·çÃùÄñ³ª, and the transition was very challenging. I felt a lot of pressure from my parents, and it was stressful knowing I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do or what my passions were. Almost two years into undergrad and I was still considered an “undeclared major” but, with time I decided to major in Biology and am currently still working on my undergraduate degree while being on the pre-dental track. Being a first-generation student was difficult in knowing how to balance life, school and work while taking care of myself. All I knew was that I needed to continue my education and make something of myself. I did not know what it meant to be in the college of science and what classes to take nor what it meant to be pre-dental. I was unaware of most of the resources and opportunities that were available on campus. It wasn’t until I got out of my comfort bubble that I began to realize that there was so much support for students like me. I went from feeling alone and struggling with school to having faculty mentors that saw something in me that for a long time I couldn’t see in myself. My hope is that with the Golden Scholars program, first-gen students can learn that to be first-gen is an honor and a flex. Being first gen comes with a lot of trial and error considering we did not have the path already laid out for us. Will all the struggle we go through, we should be proud of ourselves and every single milestone. There are no boundaries or limits for first-generation students, if there is a will there is a way!