Ignacio Valdez, a student at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), knew he wanted to advance his career, but he also recognized that achieving his professional goals would require more than ambition alone—it would take preparation and access to the right opportunities.

Aileen Oliva is a Year Up United graduate from the Greater Boston Area who found confidence, career skills, and a path forward with Year Up United—and now paves the way for new interns at Harvard Business School.

Meet Luis Cabrales-Vasquez, pronouns They/He. Luis holds a master’s degree in social work and celebrates over six years working at Year Up United. Today, they are the Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), bringing connection, a lot of laughs, and even more kindness to the Year Up United workplace.

Yesenia Morales is a Year Up United graduate from the Bay Area who continues to gain momentum in her career at LinkedIn. She considers herself a natural introvert who got out of her comfort zone and challenged herself both personally and professionally. Through Yesenia’s words, we understand the power of self-belief, opportunity, and community.

Meet Maygan Hooper: a Year Up United graduate from Los Angeles who took a new approach to achieving her dreams and currently works at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Introducing Thai Nguyen: a community leader and a proud Year Up United graduate from Tampa Bay. Thai has not only found success in the professional realm at JPMorgan Chase, but he has also leveraged his alumni status to make meaningful contributions through the Year Up United community and beyond. Since completing the Year Up United program, Thai has been a peer mentor, a volunteer, and he’s also become a homeowner — emphasizing the profound positive impact, not only on his own life but also on the lives of others. His advice to future Year Up United students? Thai advocates for investing in one's future, and in experiences that pave the way to a brighter and more successful tomorrow.