What comes after graduation? For a UMD psychology graduate, it was brain surgery.

Written by: Ashley Neyra 🇵🇪

Headshot of Ashley Cortez. (Emelyn Gomez)

Many graduates often fear what comes next: where they will work or whether they want to continue their education. But for Ashley Cortez, her next goal was to undergo brain surgery. 

Cortez, a psychology major with a minor in public leadership, graduated in December 2025. She was born in Boston to Salvadoran parents and, at an early age, moved to Prince George's County. 

With ambition and determination to pursue higher education, especially as a first-generation student, Cortez applied to college without guidance, relying on her family’s support as motivation. 

She first attended Salem State University in Massachusetts to learn more about the state where she was born but later decided to transfer to the University of Maryland a year later. 

Cortez was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 14. Over time, she became resilient as she adapted to the new challenges that came with her diagnosis. But bravery didn’t come easily at first. She recalled a moment when the reality of it all hit her, and she broke down in McKeldin Library, overwhelmed by shock and fear.

She started medication for it, but after the failure of more than five anti-seizure medications, her diagnosis evolved to drug-resistant epilepsy. 

In order to make the epilepsy go dormant, she realized she needed brain surgery. She saw it was not only for herself but for the people she wants to help in her career. 

“I just want to help people. It's my life's purpose,” Cortez said. 

Cortez is determined to work in community psychology, focusing on helping low-income and marginalized communities, people with disabilities and women to create a path for the next generation. 

Photo of the Cortez Family. (Courtesy of Ashley Cortez)

Even though Cortez and her family are concerned about her safety and the effects of epilepsy, Cortez has faced it bravely, striving academically regardless of doctors' appointments and the physical exhaustion it could cause her. 

Cortez dedicated time to spreading awareness of disabilities at UMD and became the co-president of DICE, which stands for Disability: Identity, Culture, and Education. With DICE, she helped plan the first disability graduation ceremony in 2025. 

Through this organization, one of the biggest things she learned was to be more empathetic. She aims to inspire others and make the world a better place, one person at a time. 

One of her biggest motivations is her 17-year-old sister, Bryana. Cortez leads by example and often tells her sister that sometimes, things can seem unachievable, but that she can push through it.

For Cortez, the path forward is not defined by certainty, but by purpose—a belief that pushing through adversity can open doors for those who come next.

" Ashley is not just a sister to me but a role model. By simply being her she has taught me how to be more empathetic and shown me that hard work and perseverance take you a long way.” - Bryana Cortez