Pots and pans rattle on the stove while Telemundo blares in the background – an average afternoon in my Abuelita’s kitchen. Some of my fondest childhood memories took place in that kitchen on Commercial Street in Southeast Chicago. I remember making tortillas by hand and cooking arroz con frijoles with my Abuelita’s help. I remember crossing the street to the corner store to buy her daily lottery ticket, and running back as she called out to me, “¡Vamanos!” But...

Journalism is a passion of mine. I can’t imagine my life without it. From my humble beginnings as a high school newspaper reporter to the first time I walked into my job at Tribune Tower, I knew that it was my calling. That isn’t to say that I wasn’t pulled into it kicking and screaming. I never thought I would be interested in journalism. Hell, I was never that into the news until I got into high...

At the time that I applied to Northwestern, I was almost certain that I wasn't going to be accepted. It was my dream school, no doubt about it. The school fit all of my criteria: proximity, program, and prestige. I had dreamed about the school since I was that little girl that wanted to be a veterinarian. I couldn't handle that dream being crushed, which I was sure was going to happen because of my (what I considered to be)...

I chose the universities I applied to based on three main criteria: proximity, programs, and prestige. I applied to local schools because I knew that as an only child that had never spent much time away from home, I would probably be best off with safety schools...