Graduate Itzel Ruiz Perez will be attending the University of Texas at San Antonio in the fall as the first person in her family to go to college. Ruiz Perez says that this is an achievement that means a lot to her. “I consider being the first one in my family to go to college as being a significant accomplishment,” she said. “It’s important for me and my family, because I can achieve my career goals by going to college.” Ruiz Perez will be studying biology as a pre-nursing major. One of the main reasons that she chose UTSA was because it has a great nursing program that matches her interests. Though she’ll miss seeing her teachers and friends at McCallum, she’s looking forward to starting something new. “The things I’m most excited about are meeting new friends and exploring a new city,” Ruiz Perez said. “Although it does make me a bit nervous, I know I can do it.” Caption by Lillian Gray. Photos courtesy of Ruiz Perez. #macseniorwall24