Growing up in Austin, Gina Silva always held the University of Texas as a dream in the back of her mind. However, nobody in her family had a driver's license or a high school diploma. Her mother suffered from drug addiction, and Silva began moving in and out of foster care at only four years old. "I was a child trying to experience adult responsibilities and emotions," Silva said. "I had no control over my life." When Child Protective Services removed 14-year-old Silva from home, she decided to run away. For years, Silva lived in transitional housing, crowded homeless shelters and on the couches of friends and coworkers. She got a job at H-E-B and picked up as many shifts as possible. Instead of pursuing a GED, Silva enrolled at Round Rock High School. "I knew the goal was to get my brother and sister," said Silva, who is now a sociology junior at UT. "It had been my goal for a very long time since, probably, the first time we entered foster care." |