Prioritizing Academics and Parenthood

Deysi Macias is a first-generation Latina college student, daughter, sister, and mom. She is pursuing a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) with the dream of becoming a plastic surgeon. Deysi aims to set an example for her son to pursue his dreams and get a college education. As a woman in STEM, her path has had many twists and turns. Deysi is involved on campus and in her community, encouraging others to attend college while supporting those coming after her through peer mentoring.    

Deysi and Family

A daughter of immigrants with many dreams ahead, Deysi has continued to persevere and show her resilience. Deysi went to Denver Online High School while working to help her family financially as a preschool teacher, and at a grocery store while she took her classes in the afternoons. She discovered she was going to be a mom at the end of her junior year in high school and never thought of dropping out as her motivation to continue was her future son. At Denver Online high school, she took concurrent enrollment classes at the Community College of Denver. Receiving college credits in high school meant Denver Public Schools (DPS) would assist by paying for tuition. Ater graduating as salutatorian, Deysi had her eyes set on going pursuing a Bachelors Degree. Her older sister, Elva, had already gone to college, and was essentially her college advisor helping Deysi apply to various schools and scholarships. Elva is a DSF Alum herself who graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. She was the one who showed Deysi the ropes and told her about DSF., The DSF scholarship was the first scholarship she received which unlocked two more scholarships through CU Boulder to help her pay for college.    

Deysi has been interested in STEM since she was little. When Deysi was a 7th grader she attended a college fair, where she met a Latina plastic surgeon whom Deysi could related to. Deysi is part of CU Women of Color in STEM, the McNeill Academic Program, and the American Medical Women’s Association. She also volunteers at the Children’s Hospital and works on campus as a peer advisor for high school students transitioning to college.; Deysi helps support students like the surgeon she met in 7th grade and saw that she could also go to college and be a surgeon one day. She wants to help other students see that college is possible and that students who look like her fit in on campus. As Latinas are underrepresented in STEM fields, she also is motivated to tell other students that if they are interested in STEM, they need to go after their dreams.  

Deysi at CU Boulder Lab

Deysi will continue to follow her goals and she knows her son is watching her steps and can get a college degree like her. “If college is the dream, make that a vision and stick with it,” said Deysi. Deysi knows the importance of having a college degree, which has ignited her motivation to push forward, create her journey, and make anything possible.