“I Was Willing to Take the Step”— Celebrating First-Gen Success

As a Latina woman in STEM, Yesenia Casas Ramirez is used to walking into rooms where the odds feel stacked against her. But balancing cell cultures in an immunology lab at UNC, coaching youth soccer around in her hometown of Greeley and carving out a path to medical school as a first-generation college student have taught her one defining lesson: never, ever, under any circumstances, give up.

Casas Ramirez is on track to graduate from UNC this December with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Chemistry. Graduating from a rigorous STEM program is an achievement for anyone, but as a first-generation student, Casas Ramirez has faced hurdles many of her peers have not.

“My parents never went to college; they didn’t have the funds to when they were living in Mexico,” Casas Ramirez said. “But they’ve always encouraged me. They didn’t want me to work under the same conditions that they unfortunately had to work under, especially my dad. He always told me, ‘Just keep going to school, keep trying.’ And that’s what I’m doing now.”

As a student at Northridge High School, Casas Ramirez knew she wanted to be a doctor but wasn’t sure how to get there. So, staying close to home, family and friends, she came to UNC to study how the human body functions. Upon arriving, Casas Ramirez was immediately swept into a found family thanks to the Center for Human Enrichment (CHE), which provides care and support to first-generation students.

“They hosted this event a week before school started where I got to interact with other first-generation students, and it was home,” she said. “They were always there for me, more than just being an office for advising. They were also a shoulder that I could cry on, literally.”

Alongside CHE, Casas Ramirez credits programs like the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) and Learning through Engaging and Authentic Practices (LEAP) — which support first-generation students and first-year STEM majors, respectively — as instrumental to her success at UNC.

As a young Latina woman, Casas Ramirez credits Flora Powells, director of CHE, and Rogelio Garcia-Perez, associate director of COSI, as being some of her most treasured role models.

“They helped me figure out what type of classes I should take,” Casas Ramirez said. “They were just really good advisors to me.”

During her time at UNC, Casas Ramirez has conducted extensive research in immunology with faculty support from Professor Greg DeKrey, Ph.D., in the Biological Sciences Department. Working with specialized mouse cell lines, she tests how different chemical compounds cause immune cells to react and move. While the day-to-day work is delicate, the big-picture goal is simple: understanding the microscopic mechanisms of the immune system to build a foundation for her future medical career. As the first step toward that career, Casas Ramirez hopes to begin a master’s program at UNC after her graduation.

Born and raised in Greeley, Casas Ramirez is passionate about giving back to her community. For the past four years, she has been working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in addition to volunteering at the local hospital.

Yet somehow, after a long day of class, research, work and volunteering, Casas Ramirez still finds the time to coach youth soccer.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing soccer, but I never had the opportunity to play; my family didn’t have the financial means for it,” she said. “But now that I have the opportunity to coach younger children, it’s me giving back. It’s a reflection of myself. I see myself in them, and I enjoy it; I really do.”

Through it all, Casas Ramirez has taken every obstacle in stride. That meant explaining to her family why late-night study sessions at the library were essential, or why she was so stressed about an upcoming exam. While at times she felt those close to her didn’t understand, she knew she had to persevere.

“There’s a sense of pride in forging my own path,” Casas Ramirez said. “There have been a lot of obstacles but regardless, I’m still here, and I never gave up.”

Now, just weeks away from earning her bachelor’s degree, that realization feels more meaningful than ever.

“Despite everything, college was always in the picture for me,” Casas Ramirez said. “Even though it’s something my family has never done, I was willing to take the step. Which is why, when I walk across that stage, I don’t just see myself walking; I see a mini Mama and Papa walking, too.”