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At age 23, Chavely Cruz Cárdenas left her home in Havana, Cuba, to pursue post-secondary education in the U.S. She dreamed of attending medical school and becoming a doctor.

“In 2017, I left my hometown and so much more than that, I left my family and friends,” she recalls. “I left with just a small backpack and a hat full of dreams. After a few months in Florida, she headed west to start a new life in Wyoming, where her grandparents lived.

In May 2024, Cruz Cárdenas graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a 4.0 GPA. As the student speaker at her commencement ceremony on the UW – Casper campus, she received a standing ovation. Many were moved to tears by her story of navigating the challenges of immigrating to the U.S. while excelling as a student researcher, overcoming countless obstacles to thrive in a new country.

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