Rios learns to embrace change amidst challenges

Nayeli Rios, born in Tarandacuano, Mexico, left what she had known her whole life and faced one of her biggest fears to come to America and get a college education.

Being separated from her father for a while, at the age of 15 her parents decided that her mom, brother and herself would move to the United States to be with him. They believed that they could have more opportunities and wanted to be together as a family.

When arriving in Texas, she went to the international newcomer’s academy where she met some of her role models. “The teachers that I had, they were just amazing. I knew little to no English and they helped me a lot. I was there only for a year and when I left, I knew how to speak English, not perfectly of course, but I did.”

It was her teachers’ help and patience that inspired her. “One of my goals is to be a teacher like them who helps students who don’t know the language or are barely learning the language and also supporting their parents because I know it’s hard whenever you first come into the U.S.,” Nayeli said.

Rios is currently striving to be a bilingual teacher, but this was not her first choice. She first wanted to be a nurse and went to TCC to do her nursing basics, but after getting to know the career she realized that it wasn’t for her and took a year off. During this gap year she started working with children and learned that this is what she loved to do and decided to make a career out of it.

When coming to Texas Wesleyan, her biggest challenge was the transition from TCC. “The first semester was kind of rough, getting to know everyone, getting to know the professors, getting to know the campus. But after that first semester I made lifelong friends. I found the support that I expected from the smaller classrooms, and I really love the small setting.”

Nayeli is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and is currently getting certified in EC-6 Bilingual Education. The most important thing that Rios has learned from Texas Wesleyan is connections.

“Life is all about making connections, so it is always good to have a smile on your face. Whatever connections you make you know you have a support system, and you know you have someone to rely on or to go back and ask questions whenever its needed.”

Rios’ friend, Rosa, can confirm Nayeli’s smiley personality.

“Anywhere she goes, she always transmits so much joy and harmony with her smile and her energy.” Rosa said.