Kristyne Cardenas-Sanchez, a Year Up United graduate from the Bay Area, overcame her fear of change by following her own path while staying true to her core values.

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.