Rafael Estrada

Rafael Estrada

Ms. Garza’

Personal Statement

June 30, 2010

My sister graduated from Papillion La Vista Senior High School and was admitted to the University of Nebraska Omaha, she set the bar of success high for me. I was expected to go above and beyond this “bar.” If I could develop my sister’s qualities of responsibility, academic success and involvement outside activities, I would not only follow her footsteps but maybe do better than her. These qualities have made a large impact on my college career by guiding me through my daily life as a student at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

The quality I have noticed about my sister is how responsible she is. Since she was 10 years old, my sister has had to deal with problems that a ten year old should not experience till they are older. My sister has been the interpreter, in our family, for many years. She had to master the English language to help out my struggling parents. Other than being a bridge between two languages, she has also taken responsibility over my path to education; she has been a mentor and a friend. The responsibility that my sister has every day, to me, is amazing.

Since my sister entered school, she has always been academically successful. This quality of her has pulled me through my school, it pulls me to do strive more in my studies. When Mariana was in high school, she received many awards for her academic success and she was also inducted into honors programs. This quality is number one priority for me because I want to be successful, so I can to become my dream career. At UNO, my sister has made the Dean’s list, and recently has been awarded the Susan Buffet Scholarship. These two awards inspire me to fill my sister’s shoes. I want to fill her shoes because if I can be academically successful and acquire the Susan Buffet Scholarship, I’ll be one step closer to going to PKI.

With responsibility, and academic success the only other quality that, in my eyes, is important is my sister’s quality of involvement in outside activities. My sister’s high school involvement included Spanish Club, LEO club, Honor Society and many more. She enjoyed helping and being involved with all these activities. I started to be more involved when the application for Honor Society was given out. I hurriedly started to look for community service opportunities to acquire my hours for my application. My sister stressed the importance of joining Honor Society and being involved, and I learned how look for opportunities to help out in my community. I am a member of Habitat for Humanity and this is one of the opportunities I found due to my love for volunteering.

Throughout my sister’s college career at UNO, she has made an image for herself of a respected individual. During my stay at UNO, I have met representatives from many departments of UNO. When I introduce myself, they look at me and ask “Are you related to Mariana Estrada?” I respond, “Yes, she is my sister.” Then a conversation starts about how my sister is such a wonderful person, and then they ask me if I have the same qualities as she does, I respond “I have learned all I know from my sister.”