Class of 2025: Serena Perales Soto makes dedication, inspiration and education an art form

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When Serena Perales Soto says, "Believe me, it was extremely exhausting" … well, believe her.

It was through sheer will, framed by the spirit of her grandmother, that the 38-year-old is graduating this month with her bachelor's degree in art education from Virginia Commonwealth University's School of the Arts - all while raising two children single-handedly, taking care of her ailing and disabled parents, and working up to four jobs at any given time.

Exhausting, for sure. So after three years of various jobs on campus (VCU Athletics, the Commons and Ram Pantry) and off (the pet care service Rover.com, three funeral homes, DoorDash and Uber Eats), Soto sharpened her focus.

"My senior year, I decided to leave the athletics department and work for VCU's fiber arts department because it became home for me," she said. "Everyone embraced me with open arms and supported me to strive harder at my craft. I found my passion there, and I gained an entire family. Doors opened and I flourished. I am humbled and grateful for everything that the fiber arts department has done for me."

Art has been an important part of Soto's life since high school, when her art teacher became an influential figure and saw so much potential that she encouraged Soto, a Richmond native, to attend VCUarts.

"Art had become my therapy, I guess you could say," Soto said.

Still, it took her more than 15 years to enroll at VCU. At various points, Soto worked at a funeral home full-time and hosted online painting classes on weekends to save money to apply. It was her grandmother who convinced her she was ready for college.

"My grandmother never finished the 10th grade. I am her legacy, may she rest in peace." Soto said. "She was alive my first year here at VCU, and she died from breast cancer my second year. In my last conversation with her, I asked her, 'Grammy, what am I supposed to do without you now?' She replied, 'What do you mean? Girl, you go to school like you're supposed to! And learn everything you can, then bring it on back home and teach the children how to get up out of here, sweetie!' - 'here' being the projects. We were below the poverty line all my life."

Soto's grandmother raised her, and helped raise many other kids from the public housing neighborhood, and Soto is proud to carry forward her legacy.

"And now, I find myself doing the exact same thing but with a higher education because VCU gave me an opportunity of a lifetime," Soto said. "All the times I swore that I was going to quit, I had my advisor, Christine Hoffman, motivating me and pushing me to keep going. She always knew just what to say: 'What would your grandma think if you gave up now?' Those words always made me weak because, once again, there wasn't anything that I wouldn't do for her. And now here I am doing what I love, and I have no regrets."

After graduating, Soto hopes to secure a teaching job and eventually start a nonprofit after-school arts organization for youths.

"I want to give them a safe place to go and get out the streets," she said. "There's nothing good out in these streets. I want to give them the opportunity of a lifetime."