Like most high school students, Charla Agnoletti was committed to her academic schedule, extracurricular activities and social life. But as a senior, she realized she wanted to make a difference in the world, and discovered the best place to start was her community. This passion to make a difference influenced Charla's decision to attend the University of Denver.

"I decided to stay local and attend DU. I came to DU as an undecided major but I quickly found my academic passion through my UDDC course, American Youth Violence. I started taking sociology classes my freshmen year and found a deep interest in learning about the dynamics of society and its inequalities" says Charla.

Charla is pursuing a double major in Spanish and Sociology. Through her major in sociology, Charla has gained a greater understanding of society and the root causes for many of its problems and inequalities. "This understanding has aided me in developing a greater vision of how I can address inequalities. My Spanish major gives me a competitive advantage by being bi-lingual and also exposes me to history, society, literature and values from the perspective of Latin American and Chicano cultures."

"One of the biggest reasons for choosing DU was the opportunities to study abroad. I knew that one of the experiences I wanted to have during college was to study internationally and DU seemed to have outstanding opportunities to do so." Charla decided to study abroad in Ecuador where she was fully immersed in the culture, society and Spanish language.

During her time at DU, Charla helped launch the Engaged Community Initiative (ECI), which seeks to establish community organizing trainings and work in the DU community. She has also served as a coach for youth in Denver Public Schools. She also participates in many extracurricular activities.

"My favorite part about my DU experience is the amazing relationships that I have developed with fellow DU community members who are involved in community work. Going out into the community with other DU students once a week and sharing our passion for education, community or youth has inspired and supported me in my own community endeavors" says Charla.

Upon graduation, Charla is considering teaching as a career. "I would like to be a teacher in Denver Public Schools. I see teaching as part of my larger goal to work towards educational equity in Denver and the United States, maybe someday the world. My career path is not set out but I am beginning to clarify my goals and envision that social research regarding education and educational inequalities as well as policy making could be involved in my future career in education."

One thing Charla is clear about is that her experiences at DU have equipped her to be successful in her endeavors beyond graduating.