The good Cornellians can do: Luis Pablo Delgadillo ’21

As a first-gen student himself, Luis Pablo Delgadillo ’21 understands that his Cornell education has changed his life. After graduation, Luis returned to his hometown of El Paso, Texas, to try to give a leg up to other first-gen students like himself. Luis founded the University Preparedness Program (UPP) to help middle and high school students in the Clint Independent School District prepare for college, navigate the admissions process, and apply for scholarships.

“I never thought of myself as more intelligent or inherently capable than my peers,” Luis says, “In fact, I personally knew a dozen or two who were just as talented and prepared as I was, if not more. I founded UPP to bridge that opportunity gap. Maybe, by working in my community, I could help kids like me fabricate their own good luck.”

Enjoy this clip of a recent talk by Peter Wilhelm ’93, CFO of the San Francisco 49ers, who spoke remotely to the UPP students about his experiences. “This shows how strong the Cornell connection is across classes and time zones,” Luis says.

UPP’s mission is to address the unique challenges faced by first-gen students by providing comprehensive support. UPP offers college readiness workshops, mentorship, leadership development, academic resources, and service opportunities to students at one middle school and three high schools in the district.

Cornellians around the globe are sharing how they do good in communities big and small. Share your own story.