Her story is a common but profound narrative of students who feel "offbeat" while navigating two different worlds.

Perhaps the most poignant story belongs to , a young woman whose life was upended when her parents were detained by immigration authorities.

, a student at Westmont College, turned a life-altering medical diagnosis into a creative journey.

She described the feeling of "always translating myself in my head" and the struggle to balance a home life—where family and Spanish culture were paramount—with a fast-paced school environment that demanded independence.