Week 1

Hi! My name is Denise Perez and I'm a senior here at UT majoring in psychology and minoring in social work. I was born and raised in Houston, TX and am a first generation Mexican American college student. My program interests for my study abroad trip are mental health, youth & education, and  racial justice. Over the past year, after taking influential professors and classes centered around education, race, gender, and civil rights, and after experiencing a season of positive growth and change, I have become extremely passionate about the these topics. Post-UT I would like to work for non-profit organizations with similar missions as mine and eventually get my Master's degree to become a clinical social worker. I truly believe my purpose in life is to make positive impacts and differences in the lives of others who have similar backgrounds as myself. I want to make an imprint on this world and leave it better than I found it...