When Nataly Loza came to Towson University four years ago, she was shy and reserved. Now, as she enters her last full year as a student, she has become entrenched in TU culture.

A College of Liberal Arts double major working towards bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and psychology, Loza has been a member of the Students Achieve Goals through Education (SAGE) program, the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), the TU Psychology Club a bilingual campus tour guide and an Honors College recruitment officer, orientation leader and student office assistant.

While it may seem a lot, the Laurel, Maryland, native knew that to get the most out of her TU experience, she had to get out of her comfort zone.

“Doing all these things made my TU experience so fulfilling,” Loza says. “It’s made me form so many connections. Initially, a lot of these things were a bit intimidating. But in the end, they really gave meaning to my educational journey. It also made me really appreciate someone from my background seeking education.”

On-Campus Support

Loza, the oldest of three children, is a first-generation college student. Her parents immigrated to the United States from El Salvador. One of the key reasons she chose TU was that it offered the programs she was interested in while still being close to her family for support.

But what she wasn’t expecting was to get support while she was on campus.

She joined programs like SAGE, LASO and the Center for Student Diversity to help her adjust to college life. She was accepted to the Honors College and participated in the Psychology Department's Honors Thesis Program where she conducting an independent thesis on bilingualism and cultural identity. She also joined Honorables of Color, a student-run organization designed to be a meeting space for students of color in the Honors College.

She participated in two once-in-a-lifetime study abroad experiences, going on faculty-led programs in Spain and the Bahamas. 

Initially, a lot of these things were a bit intimidating. But in the end, they really gave meaning to my educational journey.

Nataly Loza

Even though she participated in so many programs and organizations, her academics never faltered. She has made the dean's list every semester. She was a member of several honors societies, including Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology and Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society.

With so much going on in her college career, Loza says a lot of her strength and resiliency has come from being a first-generation student.

“Being first-generation is part of my identity and means so much for me,” she says. “My parents have been a very big support system for me. One of the main reasons they immigrated to the U.S. was to give me and my siblings opportunities in education. Everything I do is for my family.”

Off-Campus Opportunities

While her first-generation background has provided her with plenty of opportunities on campus, she has also used determination and passion to find plenty of off-campus opportunities.

She has held various internships over the past three semesters. The first happened last fall when she worked as a youth case management intern at the International Rescue Committee—a global humanitarian aid, relief and development organization.

Then this spring, she worked as a behavioral technician intern with Amigo Care, an applied behavior analysis organization that works with Latino families in Maryland.

Towson University allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and see the growth in myself. It taught me to not be scared to take on new opportunities.

Nataly Loza '25

This fall, Loza will work as a child and family therapy clinic intern with the Kennedy Krieger Institute. In a highly competitive selection process, the internship was the perfect capper to her internship experience.

“I got a little emotional when I got the call,” Loza says, laughing. “They’re one of the largest organizations in psychology, seeing over thousands of patients. To know I was selected from a competitive pool of students, it really meant a lot to me.”

With all the activities she has going on campus, some might question adding internships to an already busy schedule. Not Loza, who wants to get hands-on experiences while giving back to the community.

Continued Success

Those experiences will come in handy this May when Loza will participate in her final TU experience — graduation. Whether it’s finding a job or trying to earn her master’s degree, she says everything about her time at TU will have her prepared.

“Towson University allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and see the growth in myself,” Loza says. “It taught me to not be scared to take on new opportunities. As a first-generation college student, you experience imposter syndrome and thinking you’re not worthy of these opportunities.

“But I had staff members, professors and peers at TU encouraging me. Having this huge support system pushed me to succeed.”