“Seeing others succeed is its own form of deep joy and satisfaction.”
Just a few years ago, Anayelli Munoz Marquez struggled to imagine herself in college.
Today, the 19-year-old is a rising sophomore at Boston College on a full scholarship. She also spent her summer interning at Hope Ignites Network Headquarters, the organization that helped change the trajectory of her life. Anayelli joined Hope Ignites Colorado as a high school sophomore in Aurora, a bit later than most scholars, who typically join in middle school or early high school.
During her freshman year, frequent moves and an unstable living situation made it difficult to feel grounded, and her responsibilities at home often took priority over school. As a result, she began missing classes and falling behind, not because she lacked ability or ambition, but because she was trying to navigate circumstances that made it difficult to imagine a clear future for herself.
“Looking back on my freshman year self, I didn’t see anything for myself. I didn’t see myself going to college,” Anayelli said.
It was a good friend in Hope Ignites Colorado’s Academy who first brought her to Hope Ignites’ after-school programming. There, she found tutoring, mentorship, and peers whose stories reflected parts of her own. “It felt like I wasn’t alone,” Anayelli said.
“This program brought me out of that. They kind of showed me the light. It was always there, they just opened my eyes.”
The turning point came in her sophomore year. Preparing for Hope Ignites Colorado’s annual job fair, Anayelli wrote her first resume and ran mock interview after mock interview with her program manager. “I didn’t even know what a resume was,” she said. When the day came, she walked up to the recruiter from the Medical Career Collaborative internship at Children’s Hospital Colorado, resume in hand, and introduced herself, mentioning she had already submitted an application and reiterated her interest in the opportunity.
Anayelli at her graduation ceremony from Aurora Central High School.
Anayelli volunteered at James Otis Elementary school during her freshman year at Boston College.
She earned a placement in the cardiac intensive care unit, the program’s most competitive placement. The recruiter later told her: “You’ve always stuck out to me from that day. Hope Ignites’ students — that’s what I want to see.” The next year, she personally recruited four more Hope Ignites scholars.
The internship shaped her path in an unexpected way. Her hands-on hospital experience taught her that direct patient care wasn’t her calling. Today she is majoring in biology with a minor in finance at Boston College, eyeing a possible master’s degree in biostatistics as a way to serve the healthcare world by using data.
Behind every step were what Anayelli calls “the women of Hope Ignites.” There was Naomi, a volunteer who guided her through college and financial aid applications. “She really spoke life into me. Mind you, she’s not getting paid for any of this. That’s what Hope Ignites attracts — people who want to see students succeed.” Naomi remains her mentor today.
The support extended beyond Anayelli herself. Through scholarships from Boston College (with whom Hope Ignites has a longstanding and productive partnership), Hope Ignites Network Headquarters, and Hope Ignites Colorado, her parents, Ricardo and Rosalinda, haven’t had to pay for her college education. They proudly keep her Hope Ignites postcard on the refrigerator as a reminder of how far she’s come. When her younger sister, Ruby, began pursuing a nursing certification, Maria stepped in to help guide her as well. “We were kind of on our own, but we weren’t, because of Hope Ignites,” Anayelli said.
Now, having served as a Legacy Leader at Envision U and a Network Headquarters team member, Anayelli has completed the circle:
“I wanted to come back and be that person for others,” she said. Her message to those considering an investment in the scholars of Hope Ignites comes from a philosophy she learned at Boston College: seeing others succeed is its own form of deep joy and satisfaction.
“All of these students have something to give. If you have 70% to give, you better give that full 70%. That’s what this program is — and that’s why they need support.”
Anayelli served as a Legacy Leader at Envision U 2026 in New York. Here with two Colorado scholars during a service project.
Anayelli with her father and his coworker, and her little brother. “We ran that race to spread awareness about gun violence with Zach Golditch, who presented me with a $10,000 Aurora Public Schools Scholarship my senior year,” she said.
