Senior Thesis

Background & Motivation

This project began with a broad interest in supporting Latino communities in Michigan and understanding the challenges they face across education, iden-tity, and access. Through early research and conversations with my professor, I realized that attempting to address every issue at once would result in an unfocused and unrealistic project. Streamlining my ideas led me to mentorship a theme that consistently appeared in my research and aligned deeply with my own experiences as a first-generation Latina navigating the U.S. education system.

Growing up with undocumented parents, I entered college without guidance, mentorship, or a clear understanding of the academic structures around me.

This personal experience, paired with what l've learned in classes like Race and Ethnicity, made me recognize how crucial support systems are for Latino students and their families. Mentorship became the core of this project not only because it is achievable within the scope of a design thesis, but because it responds directly to the lived realities of my community.

Impacto is motivated by the desire to make educational pathways more ac-cessible, culturally grounded, and compassionate. It reflects both my background and the needs of the community I grew up in and serves as a reminder that design can play a meaningful role in improving access, visibility, and