Born in Costa Rica, raised at Appalachian

By: Amanda Jacobson

September 23, 2014
A young woman who moved frequently in her childhood had one community that was
always consistent, Appalachian State University. Ashley Chaves was born in Costa Rica and was
raised by a single mother who cares deeply about her daughters education and is very proud of
her daughters educational pursuits as an Appalachian senior.
Chaves was first exposed to higher education in sixth grade through a program called
Gear Up held on Appalachian's campus. Gear Up aims to prepare middle and secondary school
students for college. The program provides information for families about the cost of college and
availability of financial aid as well as access to rigorous coursework to prepare students
academically. Chaves speaks fondly on her first Appalachian experiences and said she liked
seeing what college was like at such a young age.

When grant funding was cut from the Gear Up program in her early high school years,
she still continued to come to Appalachian but for Upward Bound instead. Upward Bound is a
program designed for high school scholars who will be first-generation college students or meet
federal income guidelines. The six-week summer academy provides tutoring assistance, college
application assistance as well as resume and cover letter development for scholarship application
purposes.
As a child of an immigrant in the United States, Chaves faced many challenges but they
were always met with the incredible support of her mother. Chaves mother, Kattia Segura wants
her daughter to have opportunities she did not have as a young woman. Segura worked many
jobs to support her daughter and did not have the opportunity to earn her GED until she was in
her 30s. Segura is currently enrolled in community college where she is earning her bachelors
degree in Business Administration and Social Work.
Chaves regards her mother as a role model and key influence in her educational
experience. When speaking about her mother, she said [she has] never known anything other
than going to school, she has always told me college and Upward Bound was all about college so
there really wasn't an option to not go to college. She laughed then quickly added, that is not
the only reason I came to Appalachian, I love it here.
When arriving to campus, she wanted to explore all that Appalachian has to offer. She has
been involved in various organizations through her career at Appalachian including Alpha
Omicron Pi, writing for The Appalachian and being a member of the Appalachian African
Community. She also works on campus as a tutor as well as working as a receptionist in the
College of Arts and Sciences Dean's office.

When asked why she attended Appalachian as opposed to other institutions she said
Appalachian felt like home. As a first generation university student, Chaves is involved with
Student Support Services which have made substantial efforts to prepare Chaves to graduate on
time as well as providing other supports, Chaves said they were really, really helpful. Chaves
summer experiences at Appalachian inspired her to give back and work as a counselor for
Upward Bound in 2014. She regards her summer as a counselor as an incredible experience to
give back to a program that invested deeply in her education when she was a student in the
program.
Chaves hopes to attend graduate school at Clemson University for professional writing
and editing immediately after the completion of her bachelors degree in May 2015. Chaves will
earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a minor in Public Relations.
Chaves is nervous about the next step but is ready for where her journey leads her next.
She is interested in working as an event planner due to her experience working in a flower shop
that her family owned and operated in Morganton, N.C; where she spent the most time out of the
places she has lived. She is also interested in working for media companies as well. Chaves
believes her experiences at Appalachian will allow her many future opportunities and is proud to
be a Mountaineer.

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