HARD WORK PAYS OFF: Kali Wallenta

Hard work and dedication have gotten Kali Wallenta through college debt free.
This Harlingen native went to Harlingen High School and took a semester off before deciding to go to the University of Texas-Brownsville.
With 31 or 32 college credits already under her belt, Kali was confident in her abilities to get through school without any debt.
She began her college education as a double major in biology and chemistry. At first, Kali thought she wanted to be a veterinarian, and quickly decided this was not for her. She is graduating on Saturday with a degree in chemistry, and she is proud of what she has accomplished.
Kali worked on the weekends at Tractor Supply Co. and during the week as a research assistant to Justin Moore, who has proposed research that Kali was working on throughout college. Kali said she loves the formulas and discovery of chemistry, as well as the energy of molecules and the specifics of elements.
Her major goal is to work for the military in a lab, but right now she is leaving her options open, and is going out into the world of the job search after graduation on Saturday.
She said the great thing about chemistry is that everything involves it. Even in cosmetics, chemistry is required.
Kali said her graduation is a success in part because of her parent’s support. She was able to live at home while at college, and believes this helped with the burden of paying for school. Kali said it took a semester of work to pay for a semester of college.
In addition to her career search, Kali is seriously considering additional education, and wants to eventually receive a Ph.D.
She is the oldest of three siblings, and is the first to graduate from college, setting an example for her younger brother and sister. Her 11-year-old brother, Charles, is currently being homeschooled by Kali’s mom, and her sister, 20, is looking to apply for college classes in the fall.
Kali said the past four years were really tough, but worth it. She is proud of her accomplishments and won the Scholastic Excellence Award in chemistry this year, given out to one student out of the entire chemistry department.
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