Her grandmother, her inspiration and role model, watched the ceremony online from her home in Colombia as her granddaughter received her hard-earned degree.

She hopes to use her education to one day start her own business so that she can hire and support women who, like her grandmother, just need an opportunity to create a better life for themselves.

“My grandma has always been my inspiration,” Bonilla said. “She is so smart but didn’t get past the second grade. I always think that if she just had access to education, it would have changed her life. Education does not define you, but it opens the door to so many things.”