Elle Soriano

• What does being a First-Generation College Graduate mean to you?

Being a first-generation college student to me means that I will be able to give my children a better future than my parents were able to give me. It means that I will have the opportunity to give back to my community in ways that my parents were never able to. My father was beaten and tortured into a false confession by the Chicago police and was imprisoned shortly before I was born. His future was stolen from him and my father was stolen from me. It's a miracle that I was able to make it here to UCSD and graduate with honors from Revelle college, known for it's rigorous science requirements and exceptional students.

• What is your proudest moment from your time at UCSD?

Being chosen to give the keynote speech for other graduates involved in the HOPE scholars program and sharing my struggles to get to where I am now, as well as my dreams and goals for the future. Being able to be a part of a group that I can relate to as a former foster youth was an invaluable experience.

• Who are the family members, friends or loved ones who have been most influential throughout your college journey? Are there any words of gratitude you would like to share with them?

There's no way I would have made it this far without my best friend Jeff and the support from his parents Myrna and Nilo and really his entire family who celebrated my achievements with me when I had no family of my own to support me through this incredible journey to improve my life circumstances.

• Who are the staff, faculty or mentors who have been most influential throughout your college journey? Are there any words of gratitude you would like to share with them?

I would like to thank Dr. Eduardo Macagno for leading the START program for underprivileged students interested in neuroscience research and putting together an amazing team on professors and researchers for us to learn from. This program gave me the confidence I needed heading into my first quarter at UCSD and continued support and communication throughout my time here.

I would like to thank Dr. Daniela Boassa from the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research Lab under the UCSD medical school umbrella for taking me under her wing in the first research lab I became a part of after beginning my time at UCSD. Dr. Boassa always made herself available for support, her kind and warm demeanor has led to a lasting professional relationship and she ensured that I was able to attend the 2018 SfN conference where the lab presented work I had assisted in creating, after I had left the lab.

I would like to thank Dr. Lisa Eyler for welcoming me into her lab to participate in important research work regarding mental health issues, making me truly feel like an important part of the team and her continued support for me after leaving the lab. Dr. Eyler attended the honors ceremony for Revelle students with me and it was an honor for her to take the time to mentor me and take time out of her extremely busy schedule to attend this event with me.

• What do you plan or hope to do after graduating?

After graduation I plan on taking a year off to work in the medical field gaining clinical experience before applying to graduate school to further my research in neuroscience and hopefully making big progress in how the medical community addresses trauma among our civilian community. Especially given the times we find ourselves in now, addressing trauma is of utmost importance in ensuring a healthy and productive population.

Campus Affiliations

Campus Involvement

• START Program

• HOPE Scholars

• Phi Beta Kappa Honors - Revelle

Student Retention & Success Programs

• OASIS - Hope Scholars

• OASIS - TRIO Student Support Services Program

Cultural and Resource Centers

• Women's Center