By Veronica Gonzalez Hoff, Division of Student Affairs

While many Aggies come from generations of Aggies, Ayde Ordaz Franco ‘22 discovered her love for Texas A&M University when she was 10 years old during an Aggieland Saturday. She knew she wanted to go to college, she just did not know what options she had or where to start looking. 

“After learning about the history of this university and hearing about all of these traditions I felt like I had found my home,” she said. “Since that day, I made it my goal to attend my dream school and to leave a mark just like so many Aggies have done before me.”

Finding her sense of belonging at Texas A&M was not easy at first. Ayde comes from the small town of Refugio in South Texas. During her freshman year, she became a part of Latino Logradores (LatiLo) through the Department of Multicultural Services. Latino Logradores is a freshman program which supports the success of Latino/a/x students at Texas A&M by providing mentorship, a family atmosphere, help in transition from high school to college, and resources that help them thrive in a college environment. 

“I did not know where to go or who on campus could help me with the many questions I had as a first-generation student. Latino Logradores helped me find a group of students like me and gave me a home away from home,” she shared. “The Department of Multicultural Services presented me with opportunities to connect with other students and helped me grow as a student and a leader.”

Since then, the community health major has been involved in many other ways. Ayde became a member of the Council for Minority Student Affairs (CMSA), served as an officer for the Hispanic President’s Council (HPC), and is now the executive director of Latino Logradores. 

Being a first generation and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) student, Ayde wanted to take the opportunity to teach others about immigrant rights through CMSA and represent the Hispanic community through HPC. Through Latino Logradores, she now helps first-year students transition into college life just like it did for her.

“I was able to create the second family atmosphere that so many students need during trying times,” Ayde shared. “The reason I decided to get involved in these ways was to show that even when so many people underestimate your abilities, you have the opportunities to prove that you are capable of that and so much more.”

In addition to all these opportunities, Ayde also ran for junior Yell Leader in the spring of 2020 to show other females that they can.

“It was an unforgettable experience. I felt everything from excitement and joy to nervousness and a bit of fear. At the end of the day, my goal was not to win. My goal was to be the voice of so many students on campus,” she said. “I wanted to represent the growing Hispanic population at our university and show others that even if things may seem impossible there are still ways you can impact others by trying something new.”

Ayde holds tremendous pride in being an Aggie. It’s that pride Aggies have in being a part of this community that made her fall in love with Texas A&M at a young age. It has motivated her to accomplish her goals and leave her own mark and legacy. 

She chose community health because it is education-based and wants to teach preventative care. Her brother is a doctor and her sister is a registered nurse and has been inspired to find her own career path into health.