Victoria, the founder of the Dallas First-Gen Project, is a first-generation student herself and a founding lifetime member of the National Leadership Society of First-Generation Students. Through her own experience, she understands how much more difficult the path to college can be for students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education, especially those from immigrant families. Tasks that many students take for granted, such as choosing colleges, completing financial aid forms, meeting timelines, or preparing for standardized tests can be overwhelming without guidance at home.

Dallas is home to one of the largest Hispanic communities in the United States. Nearly 42% of Dallas residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, and many students in this community are the first in their families to pursue college. The poverty rate among Hispanics in Dallas has been estimated at around 25,9%, which is higher than the national average (Buckner International), making access to mentorship, information, and academic support especially important.

Victoria launched the Dallas First-Gen Project during her sophomore year of high school to help bridge this gap. She organizes free workshops on college applications, essay writing, and math preparation, and raises funds to provide professional tutors for students who need extra help to prepare for SAT/ACT and cannot afford it.

Dallas First-Gen Project’s mission is to ensure that talented and hardworking students have a fair opportunity to reach their full potential.