Why did you choose to attend UT Dallas?
I chose UT Dallas because my sister was in the Academic Bridge program.
 
What is your favorite memory of ABP?
The first summer at UT Dallas. The idea of being away from home and meeting new people had me very nervous but everything turned out great.
 
What advice would you give incoming ABP students?
Try your best in all of your classes. It is hard to keep up good grades, but it’s not impossible. It just requires a lot of commitment. Any sacrifice will be rewarded.

Alumni Profile: Sandra Martinez

UT Dallas alumna Sandra Martinez knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was a child.

Martinez, who was in the Academic Bridge program, turned her ambition into a reality when she graduated from UT Dallas in December.

“It made my dream come true,” said Martinez about UT Dallas. “I just went to college because I wanted to be a teacher. It prepared me for real life.”

Now Sandra is living her dream. After graduation, she received the opportunity to be a math teacher at Moises E. Molina High School in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). She is a graduate of Sunset High School, which is also in DISD.

She hopes to one day return to her high school alma mater, where she can teach math.

“I want to try to make the math subject fun and something that they would like because a lot of people don’t like math,” she said.

Martinez credits her academic success to the Academic Bridge program, which helped her transition from high school to college life during the summer of 2007 when she started UT Dallas a semester early.

She recalled feeling nervous about being away from home for the first time. But she learned some key lessons such as discipline and time management that stuck with her during college.

“It’s not an easy school,” she said about UT Dallas. “You have to study. It’s really challenging. You get more responsibilities.”

Sandra received tutoring from ABP mentors and financial support through scholarships.

“ABP is a great program that has great tutors, scholarships, and internship opportunities which will help in a person’s career,” she said. “The staff is great! ABP is one family!”