For Perez, UNA’s campus, faculty are the keys to her success
Jul. 28, 2023
Caroline Conkle , at cconkle@una.edu
Seventh in a Series
The University of North Alabama is home to the Delores and Weldon Cole Honors College. Its mission is to provide students with a great college experience that translates into postgraduate success. The College is full of students with different majors, backgrounds, and aspirations.
As a student in the Cole Honors College myself, I am writing a series of profiles on other students in the College and how their time at UNA and as an Honors student is preparing them for next steps and future success.
Yaslin Perez is a senior at UNA, and she will be graduating in May. She is majoring in political science, with a minor in legal studies. She has always wanted to study law and become an immigration attorney. She works at Solano Law Firm where she specializes in special juvenile cases, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – DACA – renewals, advanced parole, and tourist visas.
Perez said she enjoys this work because she is able to help her immigrant community with their legal cases. In her spare time, she said she loves to read and spend time with her family. Here she is in her own words.
Q: Why did you choose to come to UNA?
A: I chose UNA because of the kind atmosphere. I knew I wanted to go to a university where the students and faculty got along well together. I also loved the campus structure. It was perfect for me since I knew I wanted to go to a university where faculty and staff would be able to help me when I needed it.
Q: If you were to give your younger self advice about coming to college, what would you say?
A: I would tell myself to always keep good grades and to know when to ask for help. Planning is key to thriving in college.
Q: What drew you to Honors? Why did you want to join?
A: (Honors) offers many events where we can meet different students and learn about different topics while eating good food.
Q: If you were to tell someone to join the Honors College, what would you say?
A: I would tell them that Honors College offers opportunities that are tailored to our future careers. I remember I told Dean Brewton that I wanted to go into law, and I’d receive emails from him personally letting me know of interning opportunities with the government – something I wouldn’t be able to find on my own.
Q: How do you feel UNA is preparing you for success?
A: I believe UNA has prepared me for success because of all the different organizations on campus. I have been part of Mock Trial, which has helped me better my public speaking skills and has given me an idea of how much work goes into legal trials. The Student Government Association has prepared me on how to listen and plan action for the well-being of the students. My professors have always been very helpful when needed and have helped me thrive in my classes.
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.