Ysalena Vega-Sainz '21 Recruiting Profile

I am a well rounded woman that has been underestimated all of my life because of my size, yes I am smaller than your average athlete but this has made my character and will stronger.  I have been able to maintain my GPA with all of my extracurricular activities, training, social life and occasionally work with my parents in their business.  I love running and the competition.  I am of a mixed race and love every bit of it which is Afro-Cuban, Mexican American, with a splash of Spanish.  I embrace and proud of every bit of my heritage.  I have to love what I do and so far in my short life I have loved everything that has come across my path, maybe not always immediately but in the end it has always been a positive factor.  What makes me different from other candidates is what makes me a good candidate, because I come from a very versatile background, because I have had to work and work harder than everyone else, because my beautiful color does not define me but makes me stronger, because I have been consistently underestimated and told no!!  My mom has always told me in order to change perception, we have to work twice as hard always and I have.  I hope to get the opportunity to speak to you and meet you personally.