This Sunday, Gabbie Buendia will give the valedictorian address at Rollins College. Buendia recently became a US citizen- the first in her family to go through the naturalization process.
Buendia joins Intersection to talk about navigating the path to citizenship.
Buendia's parents moved to the US from the Phillipines on work visas in 1999. She says she had "a lot of mixed feelings about becoming a citizen."
"It was really exciting on the one hand. On the other hand I've lived here so long, I feel like I am a citizen."
Buendia says she would like to help others learn about naturalization.
"I really want to learn more about the process, and what somebody like me in my position can do to advocate for other people who have the same goals and have the same hopes for their family coming here to America."
Education reporting on 90.7 News is supported by Helios Education Foundation.