Xavier Alan Guerrero Toquinto
"I'm really proud of myself for getting this far."
Lizbeth Fonseca has a lot to be proud of. As a first-generation student, she has continued to be resilient in her efforts to pursue her dreams. Lizbeth is a senior studying finance at The University of Texas at Dallas who jumped at the opportunity to work for EAW’s leading financial services client this summer.
Lizbeth was born in Mexico and came to the United States when she was only a few months old. She started her journey in Chicago, then moved to Denver and moved once again, landing at her current residence in Texas. She notes that her biggest motivation in life is her mother. “My mother had cancer for 10 years and she recently passed away. I’m doing this for her, and that motivates me,” she says.
Lizbeth’s mother was an accountant in Mexico but was unable to keep pursuing that career in the states. “Seeing her do things to help the family makes me want to do the same thing for myself,” says Lizbeth. “There are no barriers to success.” With this mindset, Lizbeth always knew that college was a goal for her.
Being a first-generation student can be tough, but Lizbeth has felt constant support from her professors, friends, and family. With her new job at EAW, she feels that she is surrounded by a supportive group of people. With this new position, she notes that she is proud of herself for getting as far as she has.
“I’m proud that even though I had family members that told me I wouldn’t be able to go to college since I don’t have papers and this and that, I still made it here,” she says. Not only has Lizbeth pursued a career in finance but she also plans to get her masters after graduation as well. She notes that one of her biggest accomplishments was earning a $10,000 scholarship in her freshman year.