Rosa, Alumni, EPAA (2005) B.A. in Latin American Studies, UC Santa Cruz (2009)

“I’m really proud of everything that I have accomplished, and cherish being an EPAA alumni. Everything that I have achieved in my life so far is because I had the support of people who really cared about me.”
-Rosa Ayala Guillen

Separated from her family at a young age, Rosa was raised by her grandmother in El Salvador until she was 15, when she immigrated to the US and rejoined her mother. But despite finally being reunited, she struggled to fit in and find her place in this new country. In school, Rosa was challenged by learning English. She felt sad, frustrated, and alone, often crying because she couldn’t understand what was going on around her. Fortunately, Rosa was able to enroll in EPAA, where her advisor Rebecca Altamirano made every effort to ensure that she received the support she needed through tutoring and classes for English language learners.

Rosa’s dream of finishing high school and going on to college suddenly became more real, just as her fear of never becoming fluent in English gradually subsided. Rosa found EPAA to be a very supportive environment where students and teachers share the same goal of getting every student to college, and the community works hard to help students overcome challenges by providing individual attention and opportunities to grow. Rosa also credits EPAA for instilling a positive work ethic that helped her overcome being placed on academic probation during her first year at UC Santa Cruz. "I didn’t pass an Intro to Psych class, which put me on academic probation. I had to talk to my college counselor and find resources to help me pass my classes, get back on track, and increase my GPA in order to graduate." She powered through to get her grades back on track and eventually graduated with honors and a 3.3 GPA—an accomplishment that she is extremely proud of.

Rosa’s extended family in El Salvador looks to her as an inspiration and role model, and she continues to be motivated by her desire to give back to the community. For Rosa, being an EPAA alumna is a unique experience not to be taken for granted. As a current Attendance Clerk at EPAA, she encourages current students to stay the course and finish high school, take advantage of the opportunities that come their way, and keep working hard to achieve their dreams—anything is possible when you work for it! Rosa is always grateful for the support she received, and sees herself in the students that she supports through her previous participation in AmeriCorps and her ongoing involvement with the Aim High summer program. And with her translation and interpretation certificate from the National Hispanic University, Rosa is able to provide specialized support to English Language Learner students.

EPAA is incredibly proud of—and thankful for—Rosa as she continues to inspire and support the next generation of EPAA students!