Music Major Has a Heart for Others

Nothing makes her happier than when she sees other people happy.

“When I can sing something, and it touches some­body or brings them out of a funk that I didn’t know they were in, I’m happy it’s helping, and it makes me feel good,” she admits.

Still, even with all the accolades she receives for her talent, Angel remains thankful, humble, and down-to-earth about her ability. Maybe it’s because she’s had to work hard to get where she is today? Perhaps it’s be­cause she has a heart for others who have it worse than she? Most likely, it’s a little of both.

With 10 younger siblings, Angel knew the only way she would get to go to college was to pay for it her­self, and she has worked tirelessly to do just that while making good grades along the way. To make ends meet, Angel has always had at least one job while at college. There even was a time during her sophomore year when she had three jobs at once. One of those three jobs was at UPS loading trucks at 4 a.m.

“I know if I hadn’t worked as hard as I did, whether in my classes or outside of school, I probably wouldn’t have been given the opportunities that I was given,” she said.

Angel is thankful for donors who made it a little eas­ier for her—and many other students—to pursue their dreams at UMHB.

“I don’t think they realize how much they’ve affected and impacted my life,” she said. “They didn’t have to give their own money for someone like me—who they probably will never meet—to help me go to college.”

Over the years at UMHB, Angel enjoyed “giving back” to those donors through her performances with One Voice, when the group was invited to perform at functions like the President’s Leadership Circle, an annual dinner that celebrates donors. She said performing for donors makes her feel like she is giving something back to them.

Just as the donors have a heart for giving to help students like her, Angel has always had a special place in her heart for people who have it worse off. She is inspired to one day find a way to help others, either through her music or her love of social work.

“I have family members who are adopted,” she said of her five cousins. “They came from terrible situa­tions, and I’d like to help other children who are going through similar circumstances.”

Knowing what these children went through before they ended up with her family inspired her to look beyond teaching music, which she planned to do once she finished college. Now, she is looking into the pos­sibility of continuing school and going into social work someday or tying her two passions into something like music therapy.

“I just like to help people, and when I’m performing, especially when I’m singing gospel and Christian music, it’s about God, and that’s a form of helping people.”

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