MinerAlert
MinerAlert
November 2025
By Tanya Torres ’19, ’21
Finding Her Voice
Abril Smart ’12, ’20 enrolled at UTEP with quiet determination and a deep sense of responsibility to her family. Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Abril wasn’t accustomed to speaking English, but she didn’t let that stop her. Her parents had sacrificed so much to support her education. Even though the language felt unfamiliar, she was determined to honor them and she did so by showing up to class every day, ready to learn.
“I was very shy and afraid of speaking in English. But within the class, something switched. I realized I liked talking to people and communicating. It wasn’t as bad as I thought,” Abril said.
Discovering Her Calling
A class with a supportive professor sparked her interest in communication, and soon Abril shifted her focus to organizational and corporate communication. She poured herself into her studies, determined to make the most of every opportunity. By her graduation in 2012, she had earned magna cum laude honors and the Outstanding Corporate Communication Major Award.
After graduation, the UTEP alumna found herself in Los Angeles, working at a radio station and assisting in public relations. However, the city’s fast-paced environment left her wanting more. She found herself drawn to having deeper, more meaningful conversations beyond branding and messaging.
“I realized I wanted to help people in a more personal way,” Abril said.
That realization led her back to El Paso, where she began a master’s degree at UTEP in 2017.
Returning to El Paso with a New Purpose
Returning to El Paso to pursue counseling felt right. She worked as an educational coach for Texas Workforce Solutions, helping students with disabilities prepare for their futures. Unfortunately, during this time and while she was pursuing her master’s degree, Abril faced the greatest loss of her life when her mother passed away in 2018.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve gone through,” she said.
Yet even in grief, Abril kept going, driven by the same quiet strength that had carried her since her first days at UTEP. And when the times got tough, her father reminded her to keep going for her mother. Her mother’s memory became both comfort and motivation, a reminder of why she chose to help others, even while learning to heal herself.
Through graduate school, Abril continued to show up. As a practicum Master of Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC) student, she helped clients with traumatic brain and cerebrovascular injuries. She later served as a vocational rehabilitation counselor intern in 2019 and as a graduate assistant at UTEP in 2020.
Her perseverance through grief shaped not just her studies but the person she was becoming.
Facing Loss and Finding Guidance
Despite these challenges, Abril excelled in graduate school. In her final year, she received the Outstanding Rehabilitation Counseling Student Award, the Graduate School Student of the Year Award, the Outstanding Academic Award, and the Graduate School Banner Bearer Award while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. These honors reflected not only her academic excellence but also her compassion for others.
Throughout her time at UTEP, Abril found strength in her father, friends, and professors such as Dr. Veronica Estella Gutierrez and Dr. Chuling Lo. Their encouragement helped her stay grounded through moments of doubt and grief. UTEP became more than a university; it became a place of transformation where Abril learned to trust her voice and embrace her purpose.
“It felt like everything I had gone through meant something,” she said. “Like I was finally becoming the person I was meant to be.”
Building a Career Rooted in Empathy
After years of preparation and growth, Abril entered the professional world with clarity and compassion. Now a vocational rehabilitation counselor, she helps clients navigate loss and uncertainty. She meets each person with patience and understanding, using her own experiences to guide them.
“Sometimes they’re in this mindset of depression, sadness, and anger,” Abril said. “You tell them there are options and resources. There are people and places that can help them find a new path. This isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of something new.”