Her passion for helping others led her to UofL, where she became a first-generation student, Woodford R. Porter scholar, Multicultural Teacher Recruitment Program scholar and president of the Kentucky 成人直播 Association鈥檚 student program on campus, among several other accomplishments. Now, all of Hunter鈥檚 hard work has paid off and she鈥檚 earned her degree in early education with a track in learning and behavior disorders.

However, Hunter strayed from the path to becoming an educator before finally discovering her calling. She came into college undecided of her major and focused on taking general education courses to explore her options and find her purpose. She tried out nursing, but quickly realized that was not the career for her.

鈥淚 met with my advisor and got into the lower division of nursing and everything,鈥� she said. 鈥淓veryone was so helpful, but in that first week of nursing classes, I figured out that was not for me. I don鈥檛 like blood.鈥�

She ultimately switched to education and never looked back.

鈥淚 think I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I had those thoughts running through my head, like, 鈥極h, they have to deal with this and that and they don鈥檛 get paid enough,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淏ut once I let all of that go and went toward what I love to do, which is being with kids and helping them out, I really found my true passion in teaching.鈥�

While in high school, Hunter participated in a buddy program where she helped students in a moderate to severe disability classroom. Her experience sparked her interest in helping those with learning and behavior disorders. 聽

鈥淔or one period of the day, I would help students with life skills and go on field trips to learn skills like counting money or how to pick out hygiene products,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e were trying to get those students ready for transitioning in their lives. We helped prepare them for what life after high school would look like and made sure they had the skills they need to transition successfully.鈥�

Hunter, who hails from Shelbyville, knew then she had a passion for helping people. And when it came time for her to decide on a college, an on-campus tour of UofL鈥檚 campus and a scholarship opportunity helped make the decision an easy one.

鈥淚 toured around the university with my cousin who was a student and I just loved it. I saw so many diverse groups of people, which was so different for me, especially coming from a small town,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was very different for me, but an exciting type of different, so I applied for and got the Woodford Porter scholarship, which really swayed me to attend here.鈥�

Being a Porter scholar provided Hunter with a community that helped her discover more about herself and build relationships that have helped her succeed in education.

鈥淚鈥檝e been a Porter since my freshman year and that has allowed me to make so many connections with not just other Black students, but Black educators. That鈥檚 something I鈥檝e not seen a lot of, so those opportunities to connect and network with other Black educators has been really great,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also allowed me to learn a lot more about myself and connect with my dad鈥檚 side of the family, which is my Black side.鈥�

Hunter credits her parents for helping her not only become a first-generation student, but to achieve everything she鈥檚 accomplished over the last four years.

鈥淢y mom and dad cared so much and wanted to make it different for me, so they learned along with me and helped me through it all,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t feels really good to graduate first-gen. Especially since I had no idea at first going through the process of learning all the things that come with college and now I know and can help others and my future children one day.鈥�

In addition to her multiple scholarships, Hunter also serves as a peer buddy for the Best Buddies program, is a member of the Black Student Union, Baptist Campus Ministry, Kentucky Association of Professional African American Women and works as a student success ambassador on campus.

鈥淚 have mentees that are also first-gen students and helping them find resources and support from the Student Success Center has also provided so much help for me too,鈥� she said. 鈥淪eeing the impact I鈥檝e made on my mentees鈥� lives has been so rewarding.鈥�

Hunter鈥檚 professors and mentors have inspired her to make an impact on others.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen the passion all my professors have and being able to help other educators like they鈥檝e helped me is what I want to do. Especially in education, you always need a mentor and someone to help you. I want to be that person to give that back to new teachers or college students or kids.鈥�

For her next move, Hunter is going to attend grad school at UofL to pursue her master鈥檚 in teacher leadership with an ESL endorsement this fall.

One of Hunter鈥檚 fondest memories from her time in undergrad is helping a student learn to write his name during her student teaching.

鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible what you can do just by showing a student they are loved.鈥�

The trek in between has been filled with hard work and dreams fulfilled for these immigrants who arrived in Louisville at age 16 in 2015 knowing little English. Their path has been an education that went beyond the walls of their UofL classrooms.

Their journey started with their mother, Ilsa Brunelis, who wanted a better future for her sons than they might have had under the . Her sister was living in Louisville and sung its praises. With a vibrant Cuban community to be their support system, the family could still become immersed in the American experience.

Through Louisville鈥檚 Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM), the twins entered Jefferson County Public Schools鈥� for English language learners in middle and high school. They met other students also new to the United States. They later attended Academy at Shawnee and, after a meeting with UofL Admissions Executive Director Jenny Sawyer, they started taking dual-credit courses at UofL in 2017.

Both will graduate Saturday with degrees in chemical engineering. Dariel has accepted a job in Houston with his dream company, ExxonMobil, one of the companies where he worked as part of Speed鈥檚 co-op program. Damian is also moving to Texas; he will work in Dallas for Amazon as an operations manager.

Seven years after landing in Louisville, Ilsa Brunelis is seeing her American dream realized.聽

鈥淪he thinks she鈥檚 the one graduating,鈥� joked Dariel.聽

The brothers have high praise for UofL鈥檚 professors and give back by volunteering as tutors to their fellow students. It is their mother who was the foundation of it all, they said.

鈥淚 can’t imagine how difficult it would be to leave a whole life, you know, 50 years in one country and go to another country where you don’t even know the language,鈥� Damian added, 鈥渁ll to seek a better future for your kids.鈥�

Both brothers spend their free time studying finance and investing to learn more about the U.S. economy. Damian also has a passion for dancing, while Dariel is into running and fitness.

鈥淚 never really felt like I was not going to make it. I always remained positive and I was like, you know, I鈥檒l get through this,鈥� Dariel said.聽

Louisville has the third largest Cuban population the country after Miami and Houston, according to KRM鈥檚 Adrienne Eisenmenger, who is the nonprofit鈥檚 family and youth services manager. She called the brothers 鈥渞ock stars.鈥�

鈥淭hey got into Speed School and both just excelled,鈥� Eisenmenger said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a joy just working with them and watching them.鈥�

More about Dariel and Damian below:聽