My Story

Hi, my name is Danny Alonso, my major is Electrical Engineering and I will be graduating this year. I’m originally from NYC. My parents migrated from Mexico in the late 70s with the goal of saving enough money to help their families and eventually return. In Mexico, having only a grade school education my parents found themselves not being able to provide enough for their families especially when both their fathers had passed away. Fast-forward a decade and I was born. Being a first generation Mexican American, I was taught never to forget where I had come from and what my family had to endure for me to have a better life.

Straight out of high school, I attended my first four-year college. A year later, I was dismissed due to my academic performance. When I first went to college, I was not the best student. I did not find it as easy as high school was for me. I struggled and was lost for a long time. After many years, I bounced around from colleges to various retail jobs. While working at the Apple Store, I continued to have the urge to go back to school. One day, while looking at an iPad, I thought to myself, wow, this thing brings people joy, I want to be the person to designs these things, not sell them.

I found out that it was electrical engineers who make all the internal electronics work. I had found my calling. But I still had struggles. Not long after, I was diagnosed with ADHD. The symptoms were always there but no one really brought it up to my attention. My girlfriend at the time and now wife, encouraged me to get help and I did just that.  With the new diagnosis and direction, I felt that I could restart my college career.

Now as I reflect on my academic career at GVSU, I think about all the people and things that have helped me get to this moment. For me TRIO-STEM was one of those things. Linda has been my advisor here at TRIO. Not only has she helped me with planning out my schedule, with getting me access to a laptop, she has been a very positive influence on me. She has taught me to celebrate the small wins as well as making me feel comfortable with my ADHD.  It is still something I struggle to accept, but there is nothing wrong about it. She has a great spirit and attitude that is infectious especially when I’m having a bad day, she has taught me to celebrate the little wins. I also feel that warm and positive attitude from other advisors as well. I think that is the biggest take way of this from me is to learn to accept help and ask it. Without it, I don’t think I would be here today, so I will continue to ask for help and guidance well after college.