Iwas raised in a small border town
called Presidio, Texas. My dad was a
farmer in Ojinaga, Mexico and my
mom was a teaching assistant at an
elementary school. Attending college and
pursuing a career was always a dream that felt
so distant at the time. Growing up Hispanic, my
parents worked endless hours and my childhood
consisted of spending more time in Mexico than in
my actual hometown.
Fun fact about me is that I began school in
Mexico, learned how to speak Spanish and also
learned to dance Mexican folkloric.
Years later, I began thinking of where I wanted
to go to college and how much it would cost. I
remember feeling so overwhelmed and discouraged
after finding out tuition and fees. Each day, I
dedicated time to earn good grades and apply to as
many scholarships as possible. Luckily, my grades
in high school paved the way to a full ride
scholarship at Midland College where I graduated
with an Associate of Arts in General Studies (thank
you, Legacy Scholarship).
Little did I know that I was about to be the
recipient of not just one, but seven scholarships.
#SiSePuede After Midland College, I was accepted
at the University of Texas in Arlington where
I graduated (debt free) with a Bachelor of Arts
in Communication and a Minor in Business
Administration. While I was attending UTA, I had the
opportunity to intern at LATINA Style Magazine
where I’d soon land my first gig as the Social Media
Coordinator.
At LATINA Style, my role is focused on curating
social media, copy and scheduling media posts
across multiple platforms. I also help coordinate the
LATINA Style Business Series, a program for
entrepreneurs that takes place four times a year
across the country. Each day, I’m surrounded by so
many talented and hard-working Latinas who have
empowered me to continue challenging myself.
Another fun fact about me is that when I’m not
in the office, I’m a beauty influencer. Under
@spencerjackiee, I manage my own social media
channels and the development of original content
such as beauty tips and make-up tutorials. A few of
my role models include Dulce Candy, Styled by Ale,
Jackie and her parents, Ana Spencer and David Spencer, ‘Maving Up’ on graduation day,
May 2019.
Daisy Marquez, Iluvsarahii, and BeautyyBird. They
have inspired me to be the best version of myself
and continue pursuing my dreams.
Achieving success takes hard work and
sacrifice. My goal is to utilize my degree doing
something I love. UTA opened many doors for me
and I will soon be moving to New York City to work
within the beauty industry. For anyone reading this,
I hope this article inspires you to work hard and
follow your dreams. LS
Want to comment or have any questions on
this article? Email us at info@latinastyle.com
College Beat
Sí Se Puede, You Can Do It
By Jackie Spencer
University of Texas, Arlington
Major: Advertising, Class of 2019
60 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 25, No. 4, 2019
/www.latinastyle.com
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