NW Valley Times

TheDream.US scholarship senior Danna Hernandez Cardenas served an internship with USA Baseball. Photos by Ralph Freso.

Karla Cardenas was 23 when she brought her infant daughter to the U.S.

“We came from Mexico 20 years ago. I was 6 months old. Just me and my mom,” that daughter, Danna Hernandez Cardenas, said recently. “She decided to take the journey to live a better life.”

Mother and daughter became a team. Karla cleaned homes in the Valley while Danna grew up to eventually help her with the business end and excel as an Independence High School student in Glendale, Arizona.

She couldn’t imagine that one day she would be a scholarship student at a private university just 15 minutes down the road, Grand Canyon University, and turn that into big opportunities.

“I am a Dreamer,” Danna Hernandez Cardenas said of the name for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. “This is a dream come true as a first-generation student.”

This summer, Cardenas carried the Mexican flag as the national anthem played into State Farm Stadium, where a team from Mexico and several other countries played in Copa América, a major international soccer tournament. The sports psychology major heard about the opportunity through GCU’s Sports and Entertainment Business Club.

“I walked in with the athletes, and you could just feel the excitement,” she said. “I was proud to be representing my country.”

Danna Hernandez Cardenas will start an internship with the Arizona Cardinals in September. That wasn’t all. She also served as an intern with USA Baseball for six weeks, leading safety presentations for the 100 teams who played in its 14U-17U tournament. And now she’s slated to begin another internship for game day operations of the Arizona Cardinals in September.

She said she got a push from GCU to do what she once thought improbable.

After a knee injury playing high school soccer, Cardenas lost what had always “been a way for me to be who I am.” The struggle after her injury, both mental and physical, led to an interest in trying to help others come back from injury.

So after she earned a Students Inspiring Students scholarship from GCU in 2021, she began a major in sports psychology.

“Athletes not only go through injuries but have real-life issues,” she said. “I feel like a lot of people think sports is 90% physical and 10% mental, but it’s the other way around.”

There is growing acceptance of addressing mental health issues, she said, and talking to family members, coaches or therapists is important instead of suppressing their feelings.

Cardenas faced her own struggle with confidence and anxiety over her immigration status. She said she was only two weeks from getting her work visa when the past administration paused the program which is now temporary.

“I felt like I couldn’t receive these opportunities because I am a Dreamer because I wasn’t born here. Also, I know sports business is very competitive not just locally but all over the country; it’s rare to get those internships,” she said.

But encouragement came in full force from Cinthia Monge, scholarship program manager for GCU’s Canyon Rising scholarships and TheDream.US scholarships for undocumented or Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals students.

“They pushed me to reach my dreams. Without that push, I wouldn’t have got these opportunities,” said Cardenas who this fall is one of 204 TheDream.US scholars at GCU—a partner scholarship with the national organization that offers full tuition and course fee scholarships.

“It’s quite common for undocumented students to feel uncertain about pursuing internships and other professional opportunities due to their immigration status,” Monge said. “These uncertainties can stem from various factors including fear of discrimination uncertainty about legal work eligibility and general sense of not belonging in these opportunities same way as their peers.”

But Monge counters those fears by sharing triumphs of others that come through the program.

This summer Danna Hernandez Cardenas interned for USA Baseball in Valley.Cardenas soon landed an internship at USA Baseball helping with athletic safety at spring training venues Peoria Surprise during its national tournaments focusing on seminars coaches harassment bullying proper player privacy contact athletes

While making contacts at USA Baseball heard about internship Arizona Cardinals which will do during upcoming senior year

“I thank God opening doors Not lot people have these opportunities feels blessing” she said “It shows keep reaching goals should never stop chasing dreams even despite obstacles feel always light end tunnel anything possible”

Cardenas often thinks how far mother have come Karla Cleaning Services thrives works aside scholars professional athletes

“My mom always tells Spanish – what are words? – She thanks God we are reaching dreams now”

Grand Canyon University senior writer Mike Kilen can be reached at [email protected]

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