This story is adapted from remarks delivered by EMERGE scholar Diana Villatoro Sorto at the 2026 Build the Village Luncheon. 

At six years old, Diana Villatoro Sorto stood at the base of a mountain near her village in El Salvador, staring up at a path that felt impossibly long for her tiny legs. 

Her older brother, who usually carried her when she got tired, wasn’t there that day. It was just Diana and her mother, walking step by step under the heat of the sun. 

“When I wanted to stop, my mom told me there would be ice cream at the top if I kept going,” Diana recalls. “For six-year-old me, that was enough.” 

So she kept climbing. 

Years later, Diana would realize that moment was about more than reaching a destination. It was the first time she understood that perseverance is built one step at a time — and that belief from someone beside you can make all the difference.  

Starting Over and Finding Strength 

When Diana was eight, her family immigrated to the United States in search of stability and opportunity. They settled in Pasadena, Texas, sharing one bedroom among five family members. 

Adjusting to a new education system was difficult. Diana did not speak English fluently and often felt out of place. At home, responsibility came early. She helped care for her younger sister while balancing schoolwork and supporting her family. 

Her older brother set aside his dream of studying civil engineering to work and help stabilize their household. Her mother, who held a business degree in El Salvador, took a job in a school cafeteria. 

“Dreaming mattered in our house,” Diana says. “But responsibility always came first.” 

For years, her ambitions existed alongside the realities of survival.  

A Turning Point Through EMERGE 

By high school, Diana knew she wanted a different future. What she lacked was a clear roadmap. 

That changed when she was introduced to EMERGE. 

“I remember filling out the application while walking to class,” she says. “I didn’t even want to go inside until I finished. I knew this was something I couldn’t let go.” 

Through EMERGE, Diana visited college campuses she had never imagined attending and gained clarity about financial aid and selective admissions. She also found consistent, individualized support. 

Her program manager, Andrea Pedraza, guided her through each step of the process. 

“When deadlines piled up, she helped me break everything down,” Diana says. “When I doubted myself, she reminded me I belonged in those spaces.” 

Diana also participated in EMERGE’s mentorship program, where she was matched with mentor Audrey. Together, they worked through scholarship applications, academic planning, and the emotional ups and downs of the college process. 

“One night I was on Zoom with Ms. Pedraza until midnight working on an application,” Diana says. “The next day, I spent hours on the phone with my mentor. Having both of them made me feel like I was never doing this alone.” 

This layered support reflects EMERGE’s model: sustained advising paired with expanded mentorship and community-building opportunities. Research and program outcomes consistently show that high-achieving students who lack access to sustained college guidance are far more likely to enroll in selective colleges when they receive long-term, relationship-driven guidance. 

Today, EMERGE scholars enroll in selective colleges at significantly higher rates than similarly qualified peers without access to comparable support.  

A Moment Shared by Many 

When Diana received her admission decision, she first shared the news with her uncle, the relative who welcomed her family when they first arrived in the United States. 

“He’s a very serious person. I had never seen him cry before,” she says. “But when he heard, he cried. That’s when I realized this wasn’t just my achievement.” 

Her acceptance to Princeton University reflected years of sacrifice, resilience, and belief — not only from her family, but from the broader community that supported her journey. 

Returning to Serve 

This fall, Diana will join the Princeton University Class of 2030. She plans to pursue a career in neurology and return to Houston to serve the community that invested in her. 

“I want to come back and give to the city that gave so much to me,” she says. 

Her story illustrates a broader reality: talent exists everywhere, but access to opportunity does not. By providing sustained guidance, mentorship, and exposure, EMERGE helps ensure that students with extraordinary potential can access institutions that expand long-term educational and professional outcomes. 

Across Houston, many students share Diana’s determination. With the right support, their paths can shift from uncertainty to possibility. 

Sometimes, progress begins with one step. 

Sometimes, it begins with someone who believes the climb is worth it. 

Help more students like Diana reach their full potential.

EMERGE provides sustained advising, mentorship, and exposure to selective colleges so talented students can access life-changing opportunities.

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