Get to know Manny, one of Access Opportunity's Alum Ambassadors for the 2024-25 school year.
Manny is an AO alum and graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2023. Throughout the next year, we will find out what he's up to after college, and get to know him better through his stories, experiences, and advice for AO students.
In His Own Words
Hello, my name is Manuel Mendez, but I go by Manny. I am an alumni ambassador and was part of the Class of 2023 for Access Opportunity. I graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder last year as a Civil Engineering major. I am currently working as an Inspector for RS&H, and I have almost a year of professional experience under my belt.
Throughout my school years and up to now, I have always enjoyed playing soccer, whether it is outdoor or indoor. I also enjoy traveling, trying new foods, watching anime, reading manga, playing sports, playing video games, and going to concerts. Although my daily schedule has changed from my student days to work days, I still try to incorporate one thing I like doing every day. I was the first person in my family to go to college and I am grateful for being able to graduate with an engineering degree. I wanted to be a role model for my younger sister and my family by showing them that although we come from a low-income and Hispanic background, we can achieve anything as long as we work towards that goal and use every resource possible. I now hope to be able to share my experience and knowledge to help the next generation reach the same goals I did and surpass them.
AO: Are there any ways in your life or educational journey that you feel like a trailblazer?
Manny: As the first person in my family to go to college and graduate, I do feel like I’m a trailblazer in my family, leading by example. Pursuing my education has allowed me to achieve many firsts in my life. The first time I ever rode in a plane, and the first time anyone in my family had ever flown on a plane, was when I got accepted to a fly-in program and was able to go visit Macalester College in Minnesota for a weekend. This was during my sophomore year in high school and is still one of my favorite memories and achievements due to never having been away on my own.
I have also felt like a leader and a trailblazer in my life working as a peer mentor at CU Boulder for TRIO Student Support Services. I had a rough first semester in college, failing one class and barely getting C’s in two others, leading to a low GPA and an academic warning. As someone who always had straight A’s in high school and never really struggled, my poor first semester was a punch to the gut and a reality check that I had to continue improving and learning more about myself and what I wanted to accomplish if I wanted to succeed. I was able to bounce back my second semester immensely and retained the study habits and mentality I had learned from my setback to go through my next years in college and do well in my courses. I used my experience as a peer mentor to help students who were in my shoes, showing them that even if it feels like the end of the world to do badly in your first few courses, there’s always a way to step back up.
AO: Thinking back to your time in Access Opportunity, do you have a favorite moment (or moments) that stand out?
Manny: One of my favorite moments in Access Opportunity has to be attending my first Raise a Class event. I didn’t know what to expect going into it. All I knew was that it would be a great way to network with the attendees and that this event was pretty important for AO. Once I got to the event, I was shocked by how many people were attending as well as the atmosphere. There were many stalls with delicious food to try, cool items on auction, and many small tables where people were already talking amongst each other. I was able to meet a lot of amazing professionals who were interested in what Access Opportunity did and I was able to learn a lot about various careers.
The main event, however, stood out the most to me and is still something that I always remember. There was a video that showed the life of an AO student and what their journey was like. I related to it as someone with a similar background. It was followed by some beautiful speeches and ended off with an auction where AO raised a lot of money for their students. It really showed me that there were people who wanted to support us with our goals and that what we were doing was pretty special.
AO: What does it mean to you to be a part of the AO family?
Manny: Being part of the AO family means I never have to struggle alone. Throughout my six years as a student with AO, and now as an alumni, I have always had someone to reach out to for anything I needed. As a student, if I was having trouble in classes, if I needed advice for an event, or if I just wanted to share an accomplishment with someone, I could always count on an AO staff member to answer. I also was always checked up on which was crucial for me. I felt like there were times in college when I would be extremely busy or overwhelmed and it would be hard to reach out for help, but Olivia, my AO counselor, made sure to let it be known that she was always in my corner and could aid if I needed it.
The AO family helped make my experience as a student as smooth as possible and I would not have been able to succeed without them. Even now as an alum, I can still reach out to AO for any questions and concerns I have. My transition from a student to a professional wasn’t as smooth as I’d hoped. However, I was able to meet with Olivia and work out any doubts I had and felt supported, even though I was no longer a student. I feel like I can be a part of the AO family for life.
AO: How did you feel when you first got accepted into Access Opportunity?
Manny: I always knew the importance of education from a young age when my mom would encourage me to learn and do well in school. I listened to her and did my best in every class I had. However, I didn’t know exactly what I was working towards. All I knew was that if I focused on my education, I would be able to have more opportunities in life as my mom had said.
It wasn't until I learned about Access Opportunity that I understood that higher education was the next step I wanted in my life. I applied and was thankfully accepted. At that moment, it felt like the doors to my future had opened up, and a clear path to college had been set. I had a clearer goal I could shoot for, and I decided to work hard towards it with support from AO and my family. I was able to apply to multiple colleges and universities and was accepted into several of them. Getting those acceptance letters and being able to read them out loud to my family was one of my proudest achievements. I was ecstatic. I ended up choosing to go to CU Boulder, and it was one of the best decisions I have made.
Once I was in college, things ramped up in difficulty compared to high school. There were many long nights, tough courses, and many doubts, but through the support I had, as well as my will to keep going and my desire to succeed, I was able to graduate. High school graduation was already a big accomplishment, especially for my family who comes from little education, but it didn't even compare to graduating and getting my bachelor's degree. It felt like my whole life's work as well as my family's sacrifices and support had accumulated into that one moment. I felt relieved, amazed, and proud of what I was able to accomplish.
Graduating was just the start of my journey. I had some trouble when looking for and applying for jobs after I graduated, even waiting months for a response. But, RS&H reached out to me and decided to give me a chance to work for them. Finally getting a job after graduating and being on the search for a while had me feeling relieved but also anxious for the future. I am excited to continue my professional journey and see where it leads me.
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