The many worlds of Ashley Lopez Mora ’26
By Britt Board
Assistant Director of Communications
Some of Ashley’s transformation happened in classrooms. Much of it happened in residence halls, with fellow student leaders and musicians, or while lobbying as a student advocate in Olympia. And an incredible amount happened far beyond campus, in five separate study away programs that stretched from Oaxaca to Oxford to Oslo — and in the friendships she built with students, faculty, and friends who live all around the world.
Ashley carried with her a sense of humor, a fierce commitment to community, and an ever-growing understanding of what education can make possible.
Finding and choosing PLU
Ashley remembers what drew her to PLU. “PLU has that sense of community,” she says. “Having grown up in a Hispanic home that centered on values of helping family and others, I felt at home at a university that promoted the same ideas.” A moment that still sticks with her came during her Regent’s Scholarship interview: “PLU faculty and staff members who interviewed me felt like they were some sort of distant aunts and uncles. I feel a bit silly saying this, but in all honesty, that’s how it felt!”
She got the scholarship. From there, she launched into 4 dizzyingly busy and fulfilling years.
Another selling point? “I remember during a guided tour of PLU, the guide shared a statistic that was something along the lines of half of all PLU students study away.” That single comment sparked an interest in Ashley that would eventually kindle into a defining point in her college experience.
New experiences, evolving goals
Ashley arrived at PLU imagining one type of career. Then another. Then another.
“Originally, I genuinely thought that I was going to be a lawyer, and that slowly turned into being a businesswoman, and then that slowly turned into meeting with just about every department chair and asking them about what ‘x’ major can mean for a career.”
But across all that exploration, one through-line held firm. “My story of a first-gen student of color who has been able to travel the world and be accomplished should not be an exception. I want what I have for everyone. If that means interrupting systems, rebuilding ideas, and talking to literally everyone who can help, then so be it!”
My story of a first-gen student of color who has been able to travel the world and be accomplished should not be an exception. I want what I have for everyone.
Now, as graduation approaches, she sees herself serving students the way others have supported her: “As I gear up to graduate, I envision myself working in higher education or even getting other students ready for the college admissions process.”
Five study away programs, five transformative worlds
“My studying abroad journey took lots of planning, support, and grit! My department chairs were so willing to meet with me and make things work — again, they all saw something in me and further fueled me.”
Here’s what those efforts yielded:
Ireland
PLU Symphony Orchestra Tour
First-year, first-ever trip abroad.
“It was an amazing two weeks, in which I had the best bus ride of my life, sipping on Irish coffee and looking out at all the castle ruins and sheep.”
Oaxaca, Mexico
Semester Study Away
A return to cultural roots and a deepening of identity.
“The colorful city, the mole, and the music. It was the perfect environment for my independence and sense of self to grow. I am Mexican, and Oaxaca was my first time in Mexico and exploring that identity more in-depth. Oaxaca definitely changed me, it embraced me and told me to always be myself: be ambitious and make people laugh.”
Washington, D.C.
J-Term Program
A month shaped by political history, racial justice, joy, and community.
“D.C. taught me the importance of resisting through joy. There were so many moments where I felt uneasy or like I did not belong in my own country. Despite our mourning, I feel that our cohort did an amazing job of being silly and taking care of each other. Especially during the performance for Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Kennedy Center, we felt all the love of celebrating diversity and the power of the people.”
Oxford, England
Semester Study Away
This program overflowed with friendship, brilliance, and community.
“I met literally the most impressive people, all of whom I still talk to today. Everyone created a community for me in a place that felt so different from home.”
Oslo, Norway
Peace Scholars Program
A summer immersed in peace studies and nonstop laughter.
“My Peace Scholar cohort is an impeccable group of people. Never a dry moment with them, I basically finished the program with abs from how much I was laughing.” But the moment she’ll never forget: “What truly stuck out to me was getting to stand in the room where the Nobel Peace Prize winner is chosen.”
Back on campus: musicianship, leadership, mentorship
Ashley threw herself into campus life with the same enthusiasm she brought to traveling the world. She played the French horn in multiple ensembles: “It’s such a tough instrument, but it is so rewarding.”
She helped build community in Latinx Unidos (LXU), including organizing field trips off-campus to Tacoma Art Museum and the Washington State History Museum. She even drove LXU members in the PLU van.
Reflecting on her time as a Resident Assistant (RA) in Ordal and South Hall, she shares, “Being a RA gave me such an amazing opportunity to get to know my peers and help them in their own PLU journeys.”
Still, she added more to the plate. As state-level budget cuts threaten access to scholarships for low-income students, Ashley decided to lend her voice as a student advocate. “Currently, I am lobbying with the Student Advocacy Fellows in support of SB 5828, in hopes of restoring aid to students who need it most.”
When asked about the mentors who helped guide her through the many pathways she pursued at PLU, Ashley did not hesitate. “My biggest shout-outs go to Dr. Emily Davidson, Dr. Maria Chávez, Dr. Carmiña Palerm, Bridget Yaden, and Dream Gonzales. Each of these women has opened their doors for me and has always been there for me through tears of panic and tears of joy. They have all expanded my knowledge and have all taught me that my future is limitless, and I am a powerhouse.”
A clear vocation
“I truly feel that I have a place in the examination, rebuilding, and encouragement of education,” she says.
Ashley’s sense of vocation didn’t arrive in a single lightning-bolt moment. “I feel that my whole life, I have noticed inequality. Whether it was racial or income inequality, growing up in public school was an example that the same schooling has different outcomes for students.”
Those patterns became impossible to ignore when she started her own college process, navigating applications, finances, and requirements largely on her own: “It was so hard, for literally no reason.” While some classmates could seamlessly transition to college, Ashley saw how easily others were left behind. That contrast lit a fire. “Growing up in public school was an example that the same schooling has different outcomes for students.”
She leveraged her high school AP research project to help students navigate what can be a murky process. She and others hosted a college prep night in Spanish for Latino students and their families. Seeing a room full of families eager to begin their college journeys solidified what she already knew: education can be a powerful equalizer, but access is everything.
Looking forward and looking back
First up: “Graduation! And then after that…a job! I honestly do not know what my specific role will be, but for sure something in higher education or a non-profit that deals with education. I really want to get my Master’s in public policy, so the goalis to land a job that will support me in that.”
While Ashley continues to explore new worlds, including post-college life and a new career, she hopes to carry pieces of PLU with her.