Eva Escobedo, second-year pharmacy (P2) student, discusses what it means to be a first-generation college student and how she strives to represent Latina women in pharmacy.

“What interested you in our pharmacy program?”

“While I was studying at the University of California Davis, I took a course in pharmaceutical chemistry. It was a brand new field of interest for me that changed my perception of pharmacy. Up to that point, when I thought of pharmacy, I thought of someone standing behind a counter dispensing pills all day. But it is so much more than that! And [here] I’m able to learn about pharmacy while also learning about different cultures and growing.”

“How has surrounding yourself with different cultures affected you?”

“I think Manchester is its own little cultural hub. We just had our international fair and we were able to see and learn about cultures from all over the world in one small building. And I think that’s so important to share and learn about cultures outside of your own.  

“Is there an area of pharmacy that interests you most?”

“I knew I always wanted to end up in the healthcare field, and this program has really helped guide me to where I’m supposed to me. I have a special interest in helping Latinos, being that Spanish is my first language. I want to target that population and be a part of its growth. There’s this huge barrier in [understanding] medical terminology with a lot of people, and it’s even harder for people who don’t speak English as their first language. And being a first-generation college student, I’m able to gain a different perspective.”

“What does it mean to you to be a first-generation college student?”

“My parents were born in Mexico and they immigrated to the United States. My dad works in construction and he works really grueling hours, sometimes overnight, in temperatures over 100 degrees. And he never, ever complains. When [my brothers, sisters and I] see him come home super tired, he’d always just say, ‘I’m making sure you build a better future for yourselves. Stay in school!’ And now I strive to be an example that anything is possible. I’m the oldest of six, I’m a Chicana [a Mexican-American woman] and I like to bring awareness to our culture. I’m almost halfway done through the [pharmacy] program and I want to be an example to future generations.”