Kentucky State University’s Spring 2022 Commencement was an academic milestone for more than 250 students. For Brenda Pacheco, it was historic.  

On May 13, Pacheco became the first female graduate from Kentucky State to earn a dual degree – Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from KSU and a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Kentucky – as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the universities and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.

“Being the first female to complete the dual degree program is a bonus,” shared Pacheco. “As a Latina first-generation student and single mother in STEM, the odds were never in my favor.”  

Pacheco credits her faith and support system for her success.  

“My faith kept me strong when I felt alone and out of place. When I needed childcare and words of encouragement, my family was there. When I needed help understanding assignments, being accountable or helping me take my mind off the daily stressors of life, my friends were there,” she shared. “I thank my advisors and mentors for going above and beyond by checking in on me as a person, not just as a student. I thank my professors who worked with me to ensure I had a level playing field to the rest by helping me with extensions, technology, and at times textbooks.” 

The recent graduate says her experience in the program was both humbling and personally rewarding.

“I had to learn to be humble and recognize when I needed help and be willing to swallow my pride ask for those extensions on assignments, help understanding material, technology, and textbooks to ensure my success,” she acknowledged. “I had to be resilient even after failing an exam or an assignment. With an unexpected additional year of school and the difficulty of my programs, I had to remind myself why I needed to continue.”

Pacheco says her daughter was a significant influence in her persevering through the difficult moments.

“I needed to demonstrate to my daughter that she was a blessing and not an excuse to drop out. I needed to continue to show her that a woman with a motive cannot be stopped,” she exclaimed. “I needed to show her that cultural and societal expectations do not define you. I want to show her that as woman in STEM we have a lot to offer.” 

Pacheco graduated cum laude. She is spending the summer prioritizing her daughter before moving on to the next phase of her life.  

“Every summer since my daughter was born, I interned with Toyota,” Pacheco expressed adding that she recently started looking for a full-time job and is also considering pursuing higher education again in the future.   

Only two students have successfully completed all requirements to earn simultaneous degrees from both institutions. The dual degree program is funded by the Toyota Engineering Scholarship Program which requires students to intern at Toyota during the summer and complete three years at Kentucky State and two years at UK. 

Click here to learn more about the dual degree program.