Katherine Torres

University of North Georgia

Katherine (Kat) Torres’s significant positive impact on our campus community is seen through her leadership roles; in each, she identifies students’ needs and responds with the support and guidance necessary to help them achieve their goals. As a study abroad peer advisor, Kat’s own experiences as a first-generation Latina student inform the knowledge and encouragement she shares with students. Kat assists students to both envision and achieve success through study abroad and nationally competitive scholarship opportunities. Her efforts helped lead to a significant increase in applications for study abroad scholarships. In addition, Kat served as sophomore class representative in the Student Government Association where she collaborated with her classmates through service to the campus community. Kat herself has received the Gilman Scholarship for her current study abroad, and she recently participated in the Cox-State Diplomacy Seminar in Washington, DC and the Public Policy and International Affairs Public Service Weekend. Both of these honors recognized Kat’s impact through service and her long-term aspiration to become a Foreign Service Officer in the US State Department. Kat’s commitment to local, national, and international service is deeply held, and she is poised to continue her positive impact throughout her academic and professional career.

Dr. Bonita Jacobs
President
University of North Georgia

Personal Statement

As a first generation Latina, I experienced many emotional and economic struggles through my college career. As I surpassed these hurdles, I realized I could use my triumphs as a source of inspiration for other first-generation students undergoing similar adversity. I noticed a lack of first generation students participating in education abroad programs when I studied abroad my freshman year in Ireland. Upon returning, I served as the student government sophomore class representative to investigate how I could support my campus community in fulfilling student needs. I also volunteer as a study abroad peer advisor to directly educate first generation and minority students on local and national competitive scholarship and academic opportunities involving study abroad through one-on-one discussions and electronic outreach. My grassroots volunteer service inspired students to confront their emotional and economic barriers that were once daunting and has led to a direct increase in student interest in study abroad programs as well as three times the number of applicants for the Gilman scholarship. I strive to continue collaborating with the education abroad office to implement outreach programs geared towards supporting first-generation and minority students and advocating for related programs and policies through the student government.

Katherine Torres
Political Science: Class of 2021
written 2020

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Alexander Kaye, U. of Central Florida Miyako Iwata, UC Berkeley M. Chiamaka Okonkwo, UNC Charlotte Noelia Michelle Flores González, Universidad de Monterrey Ashlyn Woods, University of Baltimore Greta Hacker, University of Central Arkansas Christian Coleman, University of Central Oklahoma Hailey Ettinger, University of Colorado Boulder Michael Hernández, University of Connecticut Claire Sullivan, University of Dayton Maggie Nelson, University of Delaware Tarun Ramesh, University of Georgia Gregoria Uroza, University of Houston-Downtown Wasan Kumar, University of Illinois at Chicago Kaitlyn Meyr, University of Kentucky Ana Benitez, University of La Verne Amanda Gardner, University of Maine at Augusta Stephanie Turcios, University of Mary Washington Nihira Mugamba, University of Maryland, Baltimore County(UMBC) Maggie Sullivan, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Danelia Ramirez Aguilar, University of Massachusetts Lowell Jendayi London, University of Miami Meredith Days, University of Michigan Lucy Grimshaw, University of Missouri – St. Louis Kortney Sims, University of Montana Dinesh Karki, University of Nebraska Omaha Alexandra Vergara, University of New Hampshire Keyri Ambrocio, University of New Haven Aryelle Jacobsen, University of North Carolina Asheville Katherine Torres, University of North Georgia Yarik Molina, University of North Texas at Dallas Cole Passick, University of Northern Iowa Evan McKenna, University of Notre Dame Justin Norris, University of Oklahoma Nisha Sridhar, University of Oregon Oluwatomisin Oyedele, University of Pennsylvania Stephanie Rose, University of Pittsburgh TJ Tann, University of Richmond Ana Trejo Aguilar, University of San Diego Evelyn Pedraza Fernandez, University of San Francisco Imani Sherrills, University of South Carolina Beaufort Patrick Mack, University of South Carolina Upstate Reylan Cook, University of South Carolina-Columbia - Columbia, SC Tyus Edmond, University of St Thomas Amber Heidenreich, University of Wisconsin - Superior Shehrose Charania, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tavyonia Davis, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Trenton Ebel, UW Green Bay
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