Her memoir, the common reader for the 66 high school students in CRSI, delves into her childhood as the daughter of a Mexican immigrant and charts her path from her impoverished Los Angeles neighborhood to a job at the White House by way of bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern California and Harvard University.

For the students in CRSI, Campoverdi’s story mirrored why they had joined the program: to find the kind of success that begins with college. They wanted to follow her trajectory, and CRSI’s mission is to help them do just that.

CRSI is a two-week summer program for students from under-resourced schools in Delaware, many of whom will be first-generation college students. While in the program, students stay in UD’s residence halls, take classes on essay writing and college-application strategies, and join introductory seminars on various fields, including engineering, business and nursing, among others. Throughout the program, students learn to see college as a way to expand their future and sense of possibility. They get a taste of campus life and academics by touring labs and studios around campus, imaging themselves — maybe for the first time — working in spaces just like those.

The two-week program culminated in a leadership conference, where students participated in sessions titled “Study smarter, not harder” and “Your network is your net worth.”

Before Campoverdi’s keynote, Yosmiriz Roman, assistant vice president of admissions, spoke about developing a personal mission and overcoming imposter syndrome — a theme echoed in Campoverdi’s discussion. 

When Campoverdi arrived, students rushed over to get their books signed. It was clear then and continued to be clear during the question-and-answer portion of the keynote that the students saw themselves in her story and looked up to her as a role model. 

One student asked how she adjusted to a position in the White House.

“Social mobility felt like costume changes, but it’s about balancing change,” she said. “I stopped trying to change with new environments. It was about getting comfortable in my own skin.”

Another student, who identified as Hispanic, asked how he can preserve his culture while also dealing with the “chutes and social ladders,” a reference to Campoverdi’s book.

“You are your culture,” Campoverdi said.

Over the two weeks in the program, the students in CRSI had grown close. They’d learned a lot, met new friends and had new experiences. 

“I thought I was always going to be alone, but the people at CRSI accepted me for who I am and gave me the path in the right direction,” one student said.

“This is the first place I’ve felt I belong,” another student said. 

“I wish I had more time,” said Uriel Gonzalez-Salazer, a sophomore from Delcastle Technical High School. “I’m definitely going to be coming again next year.”