Hello! My name is Penélope Cervantes (she/her), and I am a senior undergraduate student attending Kent State University. I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and a minor in Spanish in December of 2024. I am a first-generation student, meaning I’ll be the first in my family to graduate with a 4-year degree.
I am raising money to fund my education abroad trip to Salamanca, Spain this summer of 2024. This study abroad program in Spain will be an immersion in the Spanish culture, people, traditions, and language. The trip is from June 7th, 2024 to July 6th, 2024. During this trip, I will be taking 6 upper-division credit hours that would complete my Spanish minor requirements needed for graduation. In addition to this, studying in Spain would improve my Spanish skills immensely. I will be staying with a host family, and I will be consistently using Spanish for 4 weeks straight. Another reason why I chose Spain as my study abroad program is because I love to travel, and I’ve always wanted to study abroad during college. Spain will be my first study abroad trip as an undergraduate student. Moreover, I recently learned that I have ancestry in Spain, Portugal, and Basque country, and this would be an amazing opportunity to learn about my heritage. My last name, Cervantes, is a Spanish name. My abuelo, Enrique Cervantes Souza, always said that we were related to Miguel de Cervantes, a famous Spanish writer who wrote Don Quixote in the 1600s. Studying abroad in Spain will be a huge cultural experience for myself and it will allow me to succeed in my Spanish minor. I am more of a hands-on learner rather than sitting in a classroom and listening to a lecture.
Growing up, my siblings and I were fortunate enough to travel to Mexico quite a few times to visit our dad’s family. Each time we would visit, however, there was always a language barrier between us and our family. I could understand a lot of Spanish, but it was difficult and challenging for me to keep up in conversation with my abuelos (grandparents), tíos (aunts and uncles), primos (cousins), and more. My dad translated for us a lot of the time, and this is something that’s never really sat right with me. My Mexican family is so rich in culture, love, and traditions, and I want to be a part of that. Becoming fluent in Spanish is something I want to do in order to get closer to my family. As I’ve gotten older, my Spanish has completely advanced. Taking Spanish classes throughout high school and now college, has been instrumental in my learning journey. My Spanish minor has improved my skills, but learning in a classroom can only help so much. This is another reason why I want to study abroad this summer of 2024 in Salamanca, Spain.
I feel confident I will be a successful student while studying in Spain because I have been very resilient throughout my college years. I started at my university in Fall of 2020, when COVID-19 affected all my classes. I took classes virtually through Kent State and I stayed at home in Toledo my freshman year. However, I made President’s List and Dean’s List my freshman year. When I moved to campus, I got involved in many positions and programs to make up the time I had lost from making new friends and meeting people in-person. Now, I am serving two mentor positions: Kupita/Transiciones mentor and Exploratory Mentor. Kupita/Transiciones mentors cater to incoming Black, Latine, and Indigenous students; Exploratory Mentors are there to support Exploratory (undecided) students. I also work as a front desk assistant in the Exploratory Advising Center. Furthermore, I am actively undergoing biological research through the McNair Scholars Program, which is a TRIO program. I’m also a part of a leadership development program called Flash Fellows, where I work with a mentor to develop my leadership skills and carry them out into the professional world. Lastly, I’ve gotten involved in the Student Multicultural Center on campus, as well as first-generation resources, and the Spanish and Latine Student Association (S.A.L.S.A.). I also started utilizing the Counseling and Psychological Services on my campus this semester and it has been so helpful in navigating my emotions, work-life balance, and overall becoming a better person for myself and my loved ones. All in all, I believe I will be a strong scholar and leader when studying abroad in Spain. I’ve made it this far in my collegiate career and I want to continue to build my strength, experience, wisdom, and love for the world.
Any funds raised through this GoFundMe account will be used to pay for my education abroad trip. It will go towards flight costs ($1250), program fees ($4000), living expenses and food ($1000), tuition ($1700).
I am actively seeking out study abroad scholarships as well. I was going to apply for the Gilman Scholarship, which is $5,000, but I unfortunately was unable to apply for this year's cycle. This GoFundMe account may be my main source of funding for my study abroad trip and this is an experience of a lifetime.
**I own a small business called Penelope's Bracelets, where I handcraft macrame bracelets. For every $25 dollar donation that an individual makes, you'll receive a customizable bracelet, made by me! Here is my bracelet instagram if you are interested in seeing my previous work: @penelopesbracelets | https://www.instagram.com/penelopesbracelets/
Thank you so much for your time. Any donation amount is very much appreciated!
- Penélope
