A doctor in the family

Russvel Perez is pursuing his dream of becoming the first doctor in his family.

It's a future St. Vincent de Paul has invested in through its First-Generation Scholarship Program, which helped support Russvel as he completed his bachelor's of science degree in kinesiology at Arizona State University. The 2024 graduate is now studying at Midwestern College in Chicago, where he's already achieved white coat status and is now working on his doctorate degree in physical therapy. 

But more than financing his future, the First-Generation Scholarship program gave Russvel the opportunity, confidence, belief and support he needed to not only have such a big dream, but also overcome a challenging path to achieve it. 

Russvel grew up with a mother who set the example of grit and commitment. Mayra Millan was a single mother throughout most of Russvel’s life, and she worked hard to provide for him and his siblings.

“My mom probably worked a minimum wage job her whole life,” he said. “We never really had money to go on school field trips or have new shoes or clothes… She tried her best. I'm in the position I am now because of what she did for me.”

She pushed Russvel and his siblings to seek higher education so that they could have better lives. That’s why after graduating from high school, he followed his siblings’ example and started taking classes at South Mountain Community College while working part time. 

It was during this time that tragedy struck the family. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Russvel’s entire family came down with the virus, and his mother passed away due to complications related to her illness.

“My mother was essentially both of my parents… so just having somebody like that in your corner was huge — your parents are your number one fans,” he said. “And then just not having that anymore was a big challenge.”

Despite the awful circumstances, Russvel pushed forward and didn’t give up on his education. As he was completing his needed courses and preparing to start classes at ASU’s College of Health Solutions, Russvel knew it would be increasingly difficult and time-consuming to be working at the same time as attending university. That’s when he heard about SVdP’s First-Generation Scholarship Program.

Looking for any aid to help his academic journey, he applied and was ecstatic to find out he had been accepted. The scholarship gave Russvel $3,500 per semester for two years — just what he needed to complete his degree in that time frame.

Getting the scholarship felt life-changing,” he said. “It pretty much meant that I didn't have to work during school, which gave me the opportunity just to be a full-time student.

The financial support came at a critical time, but Russvel will tell you that the First-Generation Scholarship Program is much more than a check.

The program is known for its comprehensive, relationship-driven model designed to meet scholars where they are and support them through one-on-one mentoring, access to SVdP’s wraparound community services, and connection to opportunities through individual donors and community partners.

An integral part of that relationship-driven model is that each of its students is paired with a mentor, a local working professional who can help guide the scholar through the intricacies of secondary education. Russvel's mentor, Debbie Castaldo, had as much impact in Russvel's life as the financial part of his scholarship. Russvel was paired with Debbie Castaldo, the Senior Vice President of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Executive Director of the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation.

Not only is Debbie the Senior Vice President of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Executive Director of the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, but she is also a seasoned mentor, having had two mentees in the program before Russvel. And notably, her own son is in medical school.  

Debbie helped walk Russvel through all the practicalities of college and undergraduate studies. She was there for him to bounce ideas off of as he worked on projects and to witness his growth. And maybe most importantly, she was also there to guide him through moments of doubt.

"I think the biggest way I've seen him grow is his confidence. I think that he when he started spending time with me, he struggled with his confidence," she said. "So I would look into his eyes and say, 'You have everything it takes. You have the integrity, you have the passion, you are a great communicator, and you're a phenomenal leader.' I think little by little, over time, he could look in the mirror and see himself in those roles."

Helping Russvel believe in his own potential was one of the key pieces to Debbie's mentorship and Russvel continuing to strive toward his dream. Debbie has made such an impression on Russvel's life that she's even become close with his siblings and become a de facto part of the family.

I feel like having a mentor kind of gives you a guardian angel, in a sense, especially the one that I got,” Russvel said. “We kind of joke every now and then that Debbie is like a second mom that I got to have, just because of the relationship that we have.

Debbie attended Russvel’s graduation from ASU. Her advice continued to guide Russvel as he evaluated next steps for his career. After graduation, he quickly found a job as a physical therapy technician, which gave him the experience that inspired his goal of becoming a physical therapist. 

After a year in that position, Russvel decided to apply to medical school. He filled out the application without telling anyone, and got to share the news with Debbie and his family that he had been accepted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Midwestern University in Chicago.

That’s where Debbie got to attend another special milestone of Russvel’s: 
“I flew to Chicago with his sister and brother and his family and friends to have a huge celebration when he received his white coat… That’s when you officially transition into the clinical side, which was super special,” she said.

Russvel has already completed his first semester of medical school and is on track to finish his program in just over two years (the Doctor of Physical Therapy program is a three-year track). While he’s home sick and misses his family every day, he’s excited to become a licensed physical therapist. He plans on going into sports medicine and wants to work with professional athletes.

"I told Russvel many times that he is destined for greatness," Debbie said. "The opportunities for him are endless. He has the personality, he has the skill, he has the drive, he has that fire, he's likable. And that is a combination that will set him up for tremendous, tremendous success."