Eighteen years, ten moves, six colleges, two kids, one recession, and one global pandemic later, Angelica Soto continues to exude resilience as she discovers her strengths on her quest for change.
She grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as the oldest of four siblings. Her dad knew very little English but completed the eighth grade in Puerto Rico. Her mom graduated from high school but did not know any English.
Angelica says, “My parents always supported me even with limited resources. My mom helped me with math, time management, and organization skills because teaching those skills did not require knowing how to speak English.”
She adds, “My dad always watched the History, Discovery, and Science channels to teach himself things he missed out on in school. He is the smartest man I know.”
Growing up in Bridgeport was challenging. Like many major inner cities, Bridgeport has impoverished communities.
“I remember working hard to be an honors student in elementary school. But education couldn’t shelter me from the world outside my front door. Friends were shot, killed, or arrested,” she comments.
Angelica knew there had to be more to life. After high school, she attended Gibbs College for fashion design. She took the train to school every day from her new home in Stratford. Sadly, after eight months, she left Gibbs. As a first-generation college student, she needed more guidance.
In 2004, she landed what she considered her first “real job” in medical records and accounting for a cardiology group.
“I wanted to fit in, so I imitated the speech of my co-workers because I was too embarrassed to be myself, a young Latina woman,” she explains. “No one in my family had an office job. I thought I had made it and became comfortable not striving for more. I did not appreciate that my roots made me the person I am today.”
That mindset changed when she met her husband, Tom. He was in the U.S. Navy and constantly encouraged her to live life more fully. After meeting in 2006, they married nine months later. Their family of five (Tom already had three children) quickly expanded to seven when they had two more children.
“During those early years of motherhood, we moved a lot, but it allowed me to see life outside of the inner city. I was determined to do more for myself and my family,” Angelica states.
Angelica Soto '22,Find programs like LEAD that empower you. Take one class at a time, make friends, ask questions, but never sit back and wait for things to come to you.
In 2008, she enrolled at Housatonic Community College, the second of six schools that would shape her experiences as a mother, military wife, and first-generation college student. Each role came with, and still has, its unique challenges. It was difficult for her to find a stable job because her résumé was full of different cities, schools, and gaps in dates of employment.
Being a mom comes naturally at home, but some days seem harder when her youngest child says, “Come play with me, Mom,” or “You study too much; you need to take a break.”
Angelica says, “I have to push through those days to find balance, but my family is there cheering me on.”
In 2020, she enrolled at the University of Hartford. “Now, I am in a classroom with 18- to 21 year-olds. In the beginning, I felt alone. I was desperate to find people my age and build relationships,” she recalls. Celia Lofink, instructor of management and director of undergraduate programs at the Barney School of Business, provided her with resources.
Then, Angelica received an invitation to apply to the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program. LEAD seemed like the community she needed. Angelica enjoys LEAD sessions that help enhance her personal and professional development, and she has built a friendship with another LEAD student, Elena Hynes ’21.
“Elena was energetic, positive, and confident. I looked at her and thought that I could stand tall and break away from my insecurities,” she shares. “If I were to advise others looking to start or finish school, I would say, “Do it. Find programs like LEAD that empower you. Take one class at a time, make friends, ask questions, but never sit back and wait for things to come to you.”
Outside of school and home, Angelica immerses herself in networking events, listens to podcasts, and attends workshops. One night, after a workshop, she met Elizabeth Barry. Angelica mentioned that she purposely does not wear hoop earrings, especially in business settings as a Latina woman.
Elizabeth looked at her and said, “We need more people like you at the table. Wear those hoop earrings proudly and never be embarrassed about who you are.”
Angelica says she’ll never forget that meaningful reminder.
She recently completed an internship as a talent acquisition sourcing intern at WarnerMedia. She hopes to use her marketing degree to find a career in workforce strategies and community impact. In addition, she wants to offer programs that connect families in the inner city with resources to attend and navigate college, stop cycles of poverty, and encourage entrepreneurship.
Angelica says, “Change is hard, but it is in those challenging moments that you build resilience. My family and my community are my motivations. I find additional motivation from other empowering women, fabulous hoop earrings, and my desire for change.”