Leonel Acevedo is a graduate of Richmond High School who currently attends San Francisco State University. Leonel is majoring in Architecture and Business Administration.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Is there anything in particular that motivates you as you go through college and prepare yourself for a career?

A: Something that motivates me is my parents, growing up I am the oldest son and a first generation college and high school student. They supported me a lot through my journey and inspired me to be who I want to be in the future which is an architect. They inspired me to stay in school and make change for my community.

Q: When did you first realize that you were college-bound?

A: Definitely senior year of high school, what flipped my switch was the summer after sophomore year when I got really into researching colleges and universities. One of the big things was the EAOP program explaining the process to me made it a real possibility for me to go to college and to thrive there.

Q: How has Richmond Promise played a role in your education?

A: Richmond Promise gave me a lot of financial flexibility in terms of being able to give me time off of work and chase my dream of studying for my architecture degree and business minor. It has also helped me with accelerating opportunities like RP Leads and have made me more than prepared for going through university.

Q: Why did you choose to apply for RP Leads, and what are you hoping to take from the experience?

A: I chose to apply because I felt like I needed a compass to guide me in the right direction. I wanted to try out architecture but had no way of going about starting it and needed a boost in my career because I felt like I was at a dead end before the support came to me. At the beginning during my freshman year I started as a business major but wanted to switch to architecture or interior design and with RP leads it gives me an opportunity to experience that and continue with it.

Q: What do you want to contribute to Richmond and/or the world?

A: Having some sort of change in terms of creating a nonprofit for students such as Richmond Promise, specifically for children with ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder. I’m currently an RBT so I have some experience in that field so I would love to create a nonprofit in that field so I can give back to my community.

Q: How has your current college experience gone, and what has been the best part?

A: My experience has been educational to say the least. I feel that commuting has created a lack of opportunities to create networks, however programs like Richmond Promise and EAOP have created opportunities for me to make new connections and also meet new people at my school that I had no idea were there. They provide resources to me for creating networks and creating connections that will last with me through my school years.

Q: What challenges have you overcome to get to where you are today?

A: One challenge that I faced was financial restriction. Choosing the College i go to was determined heavily by the amount of money I had to pay. It also caused me to balance a lot of things such as being enrolled full time in school, being part time at work and managing my internship. A way I overcame this is by looking for further financial aid and using my resources that I had available to manage my time and money.

Q: What advice would you give to a first-year Richmond Promise Scholar who is just heading off to a new college or CTE program?

A: Make the most of your first year in terms of creating friendships and networks that will last throughout your years. On the educational side, I would say create opportunities for yourself and manage your time because the work can be successful but managing time is the key to success going into the first year. Taking advantage of the school’s resources such as advising and office hours.

Q: What are you looking forward to doing after finishing school?

A: I’m looking forward to getting into a professional internship and starting up my nonprofit aiding children with ASD as well as aiding people throughout the world through architecture.