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Aurora Torres ’24, a Spanish major and political science minor, was honored with the 2024 Unstoppable Scholar Award at the President’s Scholarship Luncheon on February 21, recognized for her spirit, determination, academic excellence and robust involvement with campus activities. 

Equipped with her Mount education and leadership experience, Aurora cannot wait to make her mark in student affairs and impact education policy after she graduates in May. 

Aurora, who grew up in Granada Hills, is the first in her family to attend college, and she says she could not make it happen without the financial support she received during her studies. She is grateful to be the recipient of the Paula Bazar-Sandling Expendable Scholarship and the President's Expendable Scholarship.

“I am truly thankful for these donors, who believe in the mission of the next generation of students. I would not be here without their support,” she says.

A Full Mount Experience

Aurora was attracted to the Mount for many reasons: the Spanish program, small class sizes, financial aid opportunities and its roots in the Catholic faith. 

She has made the most of the Mount’s leadership opportunities, serving as an orientation leader, a Leadership Scholar, a member of both the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Institute for Student Academic Enrichment, and the president of Mount Traditions, a club dedicated to teaching students about the University’s history. During her time at the Mount, Aurora has fostered a sense of support with her fellow students and continues to inspire others to develop and step into leadership roles. 

Aurora has also honed her advocacy skills at the Mount by participating in the Public Leadership Education Network, where she learned about lobbying and policy advocacy. As the Elections and Civic Engagement chair of the Student Government Association, Aurora has worked closely with Ashley Joseph, PhD, director of Women’s Leadership and Community Engagement, to engage the student body in the electoral process. 

She has also worked as an intern for Institutional Advancement and the Alumnae Relations Office, and as a research assistant for the Spanish and the Political Science departments.

Even with this busy and active schedule, Aurora has still excelled in her studies. She will be graduating this spring after only three years at the Mount. The student has been accepted to the Claremont Graduate University’s master’s program in Community-Engaged Education and Social Change, where she will be attending this fall.

In the future, she plans to teach and advocate for equity in the public education system, helping students navigate the path to college. “It can be difficult to figure out what to do to get into college, even something like filling out the FAFSA application can seem daunting,” she says. “So I want to work in student affairs and higher education, bridging that gap between students and college. I want to be a mentor and teacher to students who need that help.”

Aurora also looks forward to the day she can make college more financially accessible for other students. “Being first-generation can mean limited opportunities. I would love to be a donor and pay it forward to help other people like me,” she says.