Meet Hayleigh Price, Psychology Major from University of Houston Clearlake - A Student's Perspective on the GlobalMindED Conference
Today we share the story of Hayleigh Price, a student who attended the GlobalMindED Conference. Hayleigh received her Associate's Degree in Social and Behavioral Science and is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree at University of Houston Clearlake. Her story is one filled with hardship, but also hope, as she continues to set goals and aim high for her future. Hayleigh started in the San Jacinto/GlobalMindED Student Leadership program and since last January has been working with a professional mentor. Her mentor helps her with her personal and professional success and was instrumental in getting her funded to attend the 2022 GlobalMindED Conference.
What is your personal narrative?
My life has been a difficult journey about hardship, poverty, and resiliency. I grew up in a broken home, moving to Texas to live with my grandparents at the age of four. I remember there were times when there was only enough food for tortillas and refried beans. At age thirteen, I received the diagnosis of being bipolar. Upon learning of my diagnosis, most teachers just passed me along in the classroom. While in school, most teachers didn’t believe in me and thought that I would never make it to college. I continued to face hardship learning how to navigate being biploar and being a young mother. However, that did not stop me. I went on to obtain my Associate's Degree in Social and Behavioral Science. Currently, I am hoping to obtain my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and in the future receive my master's.
What were the biggest personal and professional benefits of attending the 2022 GlobalMindED Conference?
At the Conference, I got to meet a lot of inspirational and like-minded individuals. It was wonderful getting to connect with such a diverse, inclusive-minded group of people. Also, I got to meet people from a wide array of professions. We discussed thoughts about invisible disabilities and I was able to see a different perspective than I have in the past. I learned more about how to approach this topic in the work place, which will definitely be beneficial for me in the future.
How can you take your leadership experience back to campus to open doors for other students while creating a more inclusive college going experience on your campus?
I plan to take my leadership experience back to campus by speaking to other professors and faculty about inclusivity and diversity in the workplace in around me. After this Conference, I learned that if you are thinking about doing something, just do it. Don’t wait. Just dive into growth.
How has being a part of the GlobalMindED community impacted you?
Being a part of GlobalMindED has really opened my eyes as to where we are struggling in the workforce. I hope that learning from this inclusive community creates pathways for me to make a difference in my community, especially in my own college and with the first-gen students at my college. What I need from my community is patience and understanding that it may take me longer to reach a goal because of my disabilities and the fact I am a first-gen student.
Overall, I really enjoyed this conference and hope to be invited back next year. Thank you to my mentor and to the GlobalMindED team! This experience was all possible because of them. Thank you for sponsoring me to attend this event and have this life-changing experience.
