When an academic advisor counseled her to consider a different major, Perla Valdovinos knew she had to revamp her academic performance to achieve her goal of studying information systems (IS) at the BYU Marriott School of Business. So Valdovinos reworked her schedule, prioritized her studies, and stayed persistent in doing all she could to get into her dream program.
Valdovinos grew up in Pasco, Washington, admiring her mother’s work ethic. Having moved from Mexico to Washington, her mother worked long, arduous hours in fields and agricultural facilities to provide for her family and increase their opportunities. When Valdovinos eventually entered the workforce, she mirrored her mother’s tenacity. “My mother’s example encourages me and reminds me that working hard lets me choose my future,” she explains.
But she quickly learned her choices wouldn’t always be clear-cut, especially when it came to college. She knew she was going to BYU, but as a first-generation college student, she felt there was a lot she lacked. “I didn’t know anything about college,” she explains. “I didn’t know what it would require of me, and I didn’t know how much time I would need for school.”
Valdovinos initially struggled to balance her full-time job with a heavy course load, and her grades suffered. However, one of her many courses was an IS class at BYU Marriott. Suddenly, she knew one more thing about her college journey. “I thought, ‘This is for me—this is what I want to do,’” she reflects.
Since students must apply to the IS program, Valdovinos sought assistance from her academic advisor, who cautioned her to consider alternative majors because of the program’s competitive nature. Valdovinos was disappointed, but she realized her advisor had a point. Her GPA was below the IS-applicant average, and being accepted into the program seemed unlikely—if not impossible.
But at the same time, she didn’t feel her chance was over. “Even if people say it isn’t possible, I can still make it happen,” she remembers thinking. “I might have to work a little harder, and that’s okay.”
Valdovinos made more time for school and gained hands-on experience working as a web developer for the BYU Department of Computer Science. She refined her skills and networked with peers and faculty. After a few semesters, she submitted her application to the IS program, complete with relevant experience and an improved GPA.
Even though she’d worked hard—just as her mother taught her to—the result was now out of her hands. But Valdovinos was determined that no matter what, she was going to study IS, either at BYU Marriott or another school.
At peace with whatever her future had in store, Valdovinos finally received the news. Her preparation had paid off: She was accepted into the program.
Now having completed the junior core and finished a summer internship at FamilySearch as a data analyst, she has realized there’s more she hopes to accomplish related to data science after graduation. “I feel like I can do anything I put my mind to, and I can do it well,” she explains.
As Valdovinos enters her senior year, she feels grateful for the self-confidence she gained as she applied to and exceled in her dream major. “I feel successful because of the person I have become,” she says. “Every setback has transformed me and opened a new opportunity for me.”
Valdovinos knows staying persistent in her efforts to change allowed her to fulfill her goals. For people facing opposition while chasing their own aspirations, Valdovinos has something to say: “Sometimes people will tell us what we can’t do, and we need to not take it personally,” she explains. “If we think about it, there might be something we can change. Take that feedback as fuel to your fire.”
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Written by Nicholas Day
