When Cristian moved from El Salvador to Boston at age 15, he arrived with determination. Though he could have entered 10th grade, he made the intentional choice to repeat half of ninth grade so he could strengthen his English skills. “I thought it would benefit me in the long run,” he says. After graduating high school in 2019, Cristian enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College, setting his sights on a future in medicine.
The path to a degree was anything but straightforward. While Cristian excelled academically, navigating finances and immigration regulations made it difficult to move forward after completing his associate degree. When he was accepted to Northeastern University, the excitement of admission was quickly followed by a reality check. “It was so much money, and I didn’t have financial aid. I couldn’t apply for FAFSA,” he recalls. “I decided to take a semester off because my immigration status was about to change in a couple of months.”
After that waiting period ended, Cristian enrolled at Northeastern and explored options for financial and personal support. During his first semester, he learned about the Alray Scholars Program through a college advisor and applied right away.
Adjusting to Northeastern after time away from school wasn’t easy. “Taking a gap year was challenging,” he admits. “Some people don’t go back to school after they leave. I didn’t want that to happen to me.” With Alray’s continued support and his mentor’s encouragement, Cristian found his footing again. “My mentor really helped me to envision myself in so much more than what I was doing. Knowing that he had a Ph.D. gave me someone to look up to.” His mentor’s story resonated deeply, as he was also an immigrant. “We had that connection,” Cristian says, “It made me feel seen.”
Summer classes helped him rebuild momentum, and soon he was thriving in his biology program, a field he chose because of his long-standing dream of becoming a doctor. “I always wanted to be a doctor. Especially coming from a background where no one in my family had gone to college here or in El Salvador,” he says. “I chose biology because it had the prerequisites I’d need for medical school.”
For Cristian, graduating represented more than academic achievement. It was a triumph over self-doubt. “My biggest accomplishment was completing my degree and not letting my intrusive thoughts win,” he says. “Sometimes I felt like I wouldn’t fit in, but I pushed through.” Along the way, he found encouragement not only from his mentor but from the Alray community. “Meeting other students and mentors who shared similar experiences really helped.” When Cristian reflects on his Alray experience, one word stands out: mentorship. “For me, Alray means mentorship and friendship,” he says. “It’s about meeting people who understand your goals and push you to keep going.”
Now a graduate, Cristian is focused on what comes next: gaining experience, preparing for the MCAT, and applying to medical school. His motivation is deeply personal, rooted not only in his own goals, but in a desire to uplift his family and community. “Finishing college wasn’t just for me—it was for my parents, too,” he says. “I want to be an inspiration for other Latino and Black students, so they can see that this is possible for them.”
Cristian’s story was captured and written by Julianne Stein.
“My mentor really helped me to envision myself in so much more than what I was doing. Knowing that he had a Ph.D. gave me someone to look up to.”