Nayeli Del Mundo is a fourth-year student at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) where she is majoring in Communication and Marketing. She is a graduate of El Cerrito High School and joined the Richmond Promise Summer Associate program in the summer of 2026. She is also a former Richmond Promise Communications & Marketing intern.

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: I have always wanted to achieve a good education after high school, but I never imaged my grades and hard work would take me to my dream school UCSB. Being a rising senior at this school has been motivation for me itself, and I try to gain all the experiences I can through UCSB as well as take advantage of all the resources and benefits that will then support me in my future goals and in my career.

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

A: Richmond Promise has not only financially helped me through my education but it has given me resources and opportunities to gain more valuable and hands-on experience which have been fundamental for me. (Through RP’s) Communication and Marketing internship, I was able to narrow down what I was super interested in pursuing after college and that’s something I truly struggled with before the internship.

Q: Why did you choose to be a Richmond Promise Summer Associate and what are you hoping to take from the experience?

A: I chose to be a Richmond Promise Summer Associate because I wanted to give back to those who may need a bit more help when trying to further their education. I feel eternally grateful for my mom being a college counselor and for her help and guidance whenever I struggled and it made me think of those students who are first-gen and don’t have the help that I did at home, so because of that I really wanted to help students like that who need the support.

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

A: I want to make a positive difference by helping others, supporting my community, and continuing to learn and grow. In Richmond, I hope to give back by being kind, working hard, and helping make my community a better place.

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

A: My college experience has been better than I ever imagined. I think the best part was being able to transfer to my dream school and then living in the moment when it actually happened. It has truly been an experience of a lifetime that I never imagined could be possible for me.

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: I would say to just try everything and put yourself out there. I didn’t realize how fun classes I had never taken could be and pushing myself to take those classes even if I felt I wasn’t qualified has allowed me to become more confident, meet more people and learn new material which is what I am in school for.

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

A: I love having a simple consistent structure, so I am looking forward to having a 9-5 and being able to have a set schedule that I can work my life around.