Summary
My name is Samuel Rosales Rivas, but I am best known as Sammy. I am a first-generation Latino male who was raised in the Reno/Sparks area by a single mother. I originally migrated to the U.S. when I was 4 years old with my older brother and mother. Through hard work and dedication, my mother instilled in me the value of perseverance and to never give up. ¡Si se puede! Growing up, I did not have educators I could relate to or who looked like me. Being in a position where I can be that role model for students who, like me, felt out of place is its own reward. Through my participation and work with the Dean's Future Scholars, I developed my passion for working with first-generation, low-income students. With their support, I graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science (’17) and a Masters of Arts in School Counseling (’19).
As a former DFS mentor, graduate assistant, and summer coordinator, I am honored and proud to continue my unequivocal passion for the DFS program as an alumnus and as the current counselor for the DFS program. As a product of my community, I chose a career that fulfills my desire to pay it forward and become a role model for first-generation students and represent underserved populations.
Languages
English and Spanish
Education
Master of Arts in School Counseling