ELIANET TAMAYO

Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
School: University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Major: Criminology and Criminal Justice
Placement: The Office of Rep. Xochitl Torres-Small

Elianet was born and raised in the small town of Pueblo Nuevo in Havana, Cuba. In 2006, her mother immigrated to the United States, leaving Elianet in the care of her grandmother. It wasn’t until December 2011 that Elianet was finally reunited with her mother in the U.S. when she was 14 years old.

Being the first in her family to attend college in the U.S. came with a lot of challenges, however, Elianet was able to find her place within Lambda Theta Nu Sorority Inc., a Latina based organization that helped her develop into the leader she is today. On-campus, she also served as a mentor for the William H. Thompson Learning Community. In this role, she helped first-year students become acquainted with the resources available and contributed to their academic success and overall well being.

Elianet is currently a senior at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice and minoring in Psychology. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Elianet hopes to obtain a Juris Doctorate degree with a focus on criminal and immigration law. Her ultimate career goal is to become an agent of change within the Hispanic community no matter where her career in law takes her.

As a CHCI Intern, Elianet hopes to gain a better understanding of the legislative process, as well as broaden her professional network. She hopes to use this unique experience to make a difference in her community. Consequently, she hopes to become a role model for young Latinas like herself.