ALUMNAE

Young Women’s Preparatory Network empowers young women to become leaders and change makers. Our alumnae are proof that all girls, regardless of their economic background or socio-economic status, can excel academically, if given the right opportunity. They are a great inspiration to their “little sisters,” so we make every effort to keep them connected.

Because of the education YWPN provided for me, I am able to say that I am going to graduate as a first-generation college student in my family. Knowing that I am attending college excites me for my future vocation of being a mathematics teacher giving be to my community! Thank you for continuing to support my education and empowering young girls to be the future of this world!

Sienna GuerraSt. Mary’s University Class of 2022

Because of the Young Women's Preparatory Network, my education has become a fruitful experience. YWPN is where world changers are birthed, and leaders are built.

Da’Shayla FoardSouthern Methodist University Class of 2024

If it were not for the educators of color that I was lucky enough to be taught by within the YWPN, the trajectory of my life would have been completely different. Rather than settling for the low expectation’s strangers had for me due to my race and status as a first-generation college student, the empowerment I received from my YWPN teachers propelled me out of my comfort zone and onto earning my bachelor's and master's degree in education. My goal is to return to Texas, teach girls that have similar contexts to my own, and inspire them in the same way my YWPN educators did for me.

Lara AndreeIrma Lerma Rangel Class of 2016, Masters of Primary Education at Rochester University

Being a part of the YWPN sisterhood has quite literally changed my life for the better. Not only have I been exposed to accelerated courses to better prepare me for academics on the collegiate level, but I’ve also been surrounded by countless mentors and role models who make it their priority that I not only graduate high school but succeed even after college. YWPN reaches far beyond the four walls of the classroom and opens doors for the future!

Adyson AlexanderMargaret Talkington Young Women’s Leadership School 2020 Graduate, Xavier University Louisiana studying Biology/Pre-Med

Coming from a low-income family with no college degrees to measure up to or hardly any education, my vision would have never been to earn a degree in architecture. Never would it cross my mind to continue education. Instead I would have taken the route of working and supporting my family and sadly would have become a statistic of a high school drop out.

MaeganClass of 2014

Entering a shy middle school student at Irma Rangel, the flagship school for the YWPN, I never would have believed I could evolve into who I am today. Although I am attending my first year of college during a global pandemic, I have received comments from my professors that state, "your writing is the best I have come across since I have started teaching." I owe my success in college to the YWPN. Ultimately, that success will allow me to receive a degree in law and be the change that I want to see in the world.

Valerie Gutierrez

Attending a YWPN school allowed me to grow as a strong, independent woman. If it were not for the support and countless resources I received, attending university would be very difficult. I am forever thankful for everything they provided me with to get my degree.

Yuliana Hernandez2019 UT Dallas Terry Scholar, Biomedical Engineering Class of 2023, Secretary-Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at UTD

YWPN has played a crucial role in my development as a student, leader, and career professional. The opportunities granted through partnerships and funding for summer camp programs and internships helped my peers and I find new passions and develop the skills necessary to succeed and give back to our families and communities.

Nancy Pineda-Gama2017 Graduate of Irma Rangel YWLS, Environmental Studies and Biology Major at Austin College, Religious Life Intern with Inclusion and Diversity Board, Peer Advisor for AC Career Services and Biology Teacher Assistant