“Mentorship can be transformative. You can learn a lot about yourself through what you choose to teach others.”
Andrea Gonzalez and Sherlyn Ramos’s interest in leadership and community advocacy began long before joining the Student DREAMers Alliance (SDA) leadership program. As the oldest daughters in their Mexican-American families, Sherlyn and Andrea were expected to serve as guides and examples for their younger siblings. Both translated for their parents from young ages and attribute part of their interest in the medical field to their early recognition of the need for qualified bilingual healthcare workers knowledgeable about the needs of the Hispanic community.
Sherlyn joined the 2021-2022 SDA cohort in Greenville through the encouragement of her soccer coach and Communities in Schools coordinator, Jose Morales-Martinez, while attending Berea High School. Andrea, a senior at Carolina High School, applied for the program three years later after observing how meaningful the experience was for some of her friends.
“It was awesome, to say the least,” remarked Sherlyn. “I felt like a lot of things that SDA talked about, I was already doing. I was already volunteering; I was already interested in helping my community and knowing that there was a space for us in South Carolina, but [SDA] gave me a space specifically to do it…I love that SDA connected us with some really important people.”
During the program, monthly seminars provide students with the opportunity to make connections with professionals in their community, connect with other high school students from similar backgrounds, and hold discussions about topics relevant to their experiences and advocacy goals. After her final seminar, Andrea observed that “It was just really nice knowing that there were other people like me and we all share the same struggles.”
From Mentee to Mentor
By the time Andrea joined SDA, the program offered a robust mentorship program. Many SDA students, including Sherlyn and Andrea, are first-generation high school graduates, which means that even with supportive parents, these students must navigate daunting challenges like college applications and FAFSA on their own. When Sherlyn learned about SDA’s new mentorship program, she jumped at the chance to serve as the guide she wanted as a high school student.
From their first meeting, the rapport between the two was unmistakable. Sherlyn enjoys using their monthly meetings to introduce her mentee to restaurants in Greenville, and Andrea loves being able to process her life with someone who understands her experiences. Often, she and her mentor discuss her questions about scholarships and college decisions. “She just sort of listens to me talk,” Andrea comments, “so I tell her about what’s been going on in my mind and what’s been bothering me. She just offers me advice, and at the end of the day, that’s what I want.”
“It feels very rewarding to me as I have been in her position,” says Sherlyn, “and the exact question that she’s asking me about was something that I would have asked somebody else if I’d had the chance.”
Mentorship benefits Andrea by providing her with a guide as she navigates her senior year of high school and determines next steps, but Sherlyn recognizes the benefit to herself, as well. “Mentorship can be transformative,” she says. “You can learn a lot about yourself through what you choose to teach others.” Her passion for mentorship and intentional networking with other college students has already led others to sign up to serve as mentors for the next SDA cohort.
Building Bridges on Campus and Beyond
As Sherlyn and Andrea pursue their goals of entering the medical field, they maintain a passion to empower the Hispanic community in South Carolina.
Sherlyn, now a senator on the Clemson Undergraduate Student Government Senate, has earned a reputation on Clemson’s campus for building connections between Hispanic students and students outside of the Hispanic community. The faculty and staff at her high school displayed flags from South and Latin American nations to celebrate the heritage of their diverse student body, and guidance counselors understood the unique needs of Hispanic students as they navigate financial aid and college applications. Now a college Junior, she meets many students on campus who “don’t know that there are other cultures” within the Hispanic community and are “always so shocked by that.” Like Andrea, Sherlyn carries a deep love and connection to her Mexican heritage but believes that more people in the state need exposure to the diverse nationalities and traditions within the Hispanic community.
Increasing communication between cultures opens opportunities for change in policies that would benefit the entire state. Through SDA, Andrea learned about H.3211, a bill introduced in January 2025 that would enable South Carolina residents with federal authorization for employment to earn professional licensure in the state. Andrea expressed her hope that the bill passes: “I know a lot of people, especially family and friends who are connected to me, who have such big dreams and goals, and if…DACA allowed them to get a license…we [SC] would be getting a lot of money, and that could go toward education, scholarships, and just help out a lot of people, so it’s just like a win-win situation, and I would like that for our Hispanic community.”
Whether working in the healthcare field or participating in grassroots advocacy, these empowered, passionate youth deserve the bright future that they work so hard to achieve.
