Karina Salazar-Reyes

NDS Class of 2009
High School: St. Thomas More – Class of 2013
College: St. John’s University
Family Origin: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Inquisitive. Confident. Risk-taker.

Karina’s love for education is one of the many things she discovered about herself while at Notre Dame. Notre Dame impacted her life and that of her family’s because the faculty of the school became such a strong support system for them. She states, “Not only did the school award me a scholarship to help my parents pay for high school, but they never ceased to stay in contact with me. This gave me the reassurance that there were people who wanted me to succeed and were going to help me attain my goals.”
Through her education at Notre Dame, she was able to instill and apply the importance of respect. One things is for sure, Karina is a prime example of incorporating respect into her work, her family, friends, and most importantly, herself. But recent years since entering college, her biggest challenge has been becoming a responsible individual. In going to school in New York, she has found it very difficult being away from home “…because I have such a close-knit family.” When she was younger, her family always there to guide her decisions and were never far from reach. Now, as an adult and in a different part of the country, she has learned to immerse herself in a new environment, as she states, “toughen up and learn to continue to adapt my values” as she continues to push forward. Despite her challenges, Karina is most proud of receiving the award of a Gates Millennium Scholar. She will always to continue to work hard, be grateful, and with respect in mind.