CHCI-HEP CAMP Intern
Hometown: Hermiston, Oregon
School: Oregon State University
Major: Kinesiology
Placement: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Migrant Education
For Kellie Zepeda, growing up in a migrant farmworking family meant that a lack of security was very persistent in her childhood. However, her family has inspired her to grow in several different ways. Working alongside her father in the blazing heat instilled Kellie with passion, motivation and perseverance. He showed her that every task had to be completed before they ate or went home, continuously pushing her endurance each day. Kellie’s mother taught her the value of initiative and persistence. Kellie’s sister Sally, who has autism, taught her how to look at life through different perspectives; through this she has learned the value of patience.
Kellie continuously seeks out resources and programs that helped her further her higher education. She is currently a first-year student at Oregon State University with a declared major in Kinesiology, and is one of the first in her family to attend a four-year university. Through her prospective profession as a physical therapist she hopes to pursue the opportunity to serve farmworkers, who are at elevated risk for an extensive range of injuries and illnesses due to strenuous farm work.
As a CHCI and CAMP intern, Kellie aspires to fortify and expand her knowledge through participating in discussions surrounding issues that affect the Latinx community. She intends to make the most out of her experience by obtaining real life exposure on how to contribute and understand political issues as a community leader. Through this internship, Kellie hopes to develop new skills that will help her better represent the Latinx community and all other minorities.