Meet Nicole Lopez, a proud graduate of the Class of 2019! In 2023, Nicole earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in Portuguese at Penn State University Main Campus. During her time at Penn State, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Brazil to deepen her studies of culture, history, and language.

Currently, she is pursuing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. She plans to become a licensed mental health counselor to serve and advocate for mental health services within Hispanic/Latino communities. She recalls that her time at EACS prepared her for her next steps by teaching her the resilience and dedication needed to excel in the real world. She expressed gratitude for the many valuable lessons learned at EACS that have guided her in pursuing her dreams: “As an adult, I keep the lessons I learned from my teachers present with me as a reminder that anything and everything is possible if you have the motivation to do so.”

One piece of advice she would give to current EACS high school students is: “Enjoy each step that takes [you] to [your] desired goals. The journey is where you create the most valuable and memorable experiences! Also, I would like to encourage EACS students to remember that the sky is the limit to their dreams; keep striving and working towards those dreams and aspirations!”

We love seeing our EACS alumni pursue their dreams while making a difference in their communities. We can’t wait to watch Nicole’s journey unfold and cheer her on as she continues to achieve her goals!