San Luis native graduates with four degrees from ASU

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Graduation season is in full swing with one special college grad from San Luis, Arizona getting recognition for a major accomplishment.

Four, a special number that holds importance and meaning to Vanessa Aguiar, Arizona State University (ASU) graduate.

Aguiar says, “The number four was always the number that I heard with my family, when we showed up at a restaurant, there was always four, or when we bought Disney tickets it was just always a number that I would always hear.

So when Aguiar realized she would be doing four majors, it immediately made her think of her family.

"I was meant to be doing that and had the opportunity to, very unique opportunity and got to dedicate one of my degrees to each my family members and one to myself," continued Aguiar.

Two of those family members are no longer with her.

Aguiar's mother and grandmother passed away from cancer within months of each other last year.

Despite her loss though, she persisted in majoring in philosophy, global studies, political science, and French. 

The first-generation grad has served as a legislative page working for a congressman, then earning a position with the Department of Economic Security where she keeps a close eye on legislative bills that could affect Arizona families.

She has big dreams to obtain a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Aguiar says, “UCLA is my dream law school because I want to study intellectual property and entertainment law and there’s no better place to be for entertainment law than in Hollywood.” 

Aguiar participated in ASU’s Camp Scholar’s Project, which helps students succeed in college during their first year.

More than 20,000 students graduated from ASU this spring.