Allan Rivera Jaramillo

My name is Allan Rivera Jaramillo. I am a student currently pursuing the IB Diploma at Lake Wales High School, Florida. I was born and raised in Colombia up until I was eight years old, at which point my family decided to move to the United States.

We moved here in search of a better life, and better education for myself. Since 2012, I have been taking steps to take advantage of all the opportunities at my disposal. From being that eight-year-old new student from Colombia and learning English in the span of a few months, to enrolling in the IB diploma program at my high school, and even participating in the Wesleyan course once it was offered at my school.

I was that kid that wasn’t particularly social or motivated to put myself out there. Everything sort of changed when I participated in my first National Education Equity Lab Course–I was supported through the entire journey and was able to get firsthand experience with a real college professor and alumni. This experience reshaped my preconceived notions of what I expected college to be, and I was able to succeed in the class because of it. I was able to challenge myself in ways I never thought possible. Eventually, this sense of growth and inspiration bled into the other aspects of my life and I could sense it. Things and ideas started coming into perspective and I unlocked a new level of understanding of what it means to go to college. There are many things I’ve yet to figure out one hundred percent, but I know that I want to work in a team environment for a common cause, whatever it may be. Joining the Alumni Society was a no-brainer in terms of preparing myself for my future goals and aspirations. I’m excited to work closely with the team that single-handedly changed my life for the better.