Gabriela Guerrero
Criminal Justice Major
About Gabriela
Not everyone has the benefit of having someone to motivate them or to look up to for inspiration. Self-motivated 20-year-old Texas Southmost College criminal justice major Gabriela Guerrero was among them.
Guerrero went back-and-forth between family in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley after her mother passed away, and never had a parental figure to guide her.
Growing up and going to school in Houston’s inner city, where metal detectors in middle schools are common place, Guerrero was exposed to an environment of gangs and constant fighting.
After she returned to the Valley, Guerrero credits the slower pace of life in Brownsville and a safer educational environment for her improvement. She calmed down and did better in school.
FIVE FAVES
- Food: Kung Pao Chicken
- Movie: Love and Basketball
- Artist/Group: Kirko Bangz
- TSC Instructor: Sonia Treviño
- Place @ TSC: Gazebo
Self-guided and inspired, Guerrero enrolled at TSC in fall 2013 and is on track to graduate in spring 2016 with an associate degree in criminal justice.
“There’s been no stress to it,” Guerrero said. “It’s at your pace and its been a really great experience. I don’t want to leave.”
She plans to continue her education after graduating from TSC and aspires to be a juvenile probation officer.
Guerrero believes higher education and her experience working at a local half-way house will help her achieve her career goal.
“I’m getting as much experience as I can working at a half-way house,” Guerrero said. “I come from a rough life and I connect with that. I want to try and help them as much as I can and let them know it’s possible.”
“They do need a little guidance, even if they broke the law,” she added. “They can grow out of that.”
What’s your dream?
“My dream is to be successful and travel the world. I want to look back and see what I’ve overcome and know that I’ve accomplished my career and family objectives. I want to show my family, or anybody, that it’s possible. There’s consequences in life, but I want to show those that have been in trouble that there are ways to overcome that.”
What does TSC mean to you?
“It means education and success. It’s working around your schedule and knowing you got something done that’s going to help you in the long run, and that’s key in achieving your goal.”
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