Bridgett Ramirez was born and raised in Houston, the oldest of three children. She began her formal education at Harvard Elementary School and is now attending Harvard University in Boston. She is the first in her family to go to college after graduating from Lanier Middle School and Heights High School.

Ramirez credits the HISD EMERGE program with helping her get into Harvard U. “EMERGE gave me the mentorship that my parents were not able to provide. The one-on-one relationship that I built with (EMERGE Program Manager) Esau Molina was so valuable. He made sure I was prepared for the college-application process, and he helped me get SAT prep.” 

Ramirez went on a college trip to the northeast with her fellow EMERGE students while in high school. “After that visit, I stepped up my game even more, because I knew I wanted to go to one of those top schools.” She is studying Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology and plans to go to medical school.

Ramirez said that her parents were always supportive. Her mother would tell her, “This is not a trial run; do your best in everything.”

Ramirez was in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in elementary, middle, and high school.

“Our classes at Harvard Elementary were inquiry-based, and we were always working collaboratively. I remember working on projects of our own choosing in middle school, where we were encouraged to think outside the box. My IB background is also helping me in college, as we are expected to participate in class discussions and complete extended projects. The IB program gave me a global perspective that has been helpful in the real world.”