On the Dean’s list and being months away from graduation are two successes Adriana Arzola couldn't have imagined years ago.
“Actually, I didn't even think I was gonna finish the high school diploma,” Arzola explained.
Yet, at Gateway Technical College, not only has she gotten her GED, but Arzola is following a longtime dream. After years of working in security, she’s taking steps to advance her career, studying criminal justice.
She credits Gateway Technical College, which has campuses in Racine and Kenosha counties, for going the extra mile.
“I tried a couple of other places and this is the place that helped me get to where I'm at now,” she said. “I felt like they really cared. I felt the initiative from the tutors. They really made me feel at home."
Gateway's Hispanic Student Programming Director Elizabeth Rosiles told TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin that stories like Arzola's don't happen by accident.
Watch: Hispanic students increase enrollment, find success at Gateway Tech College
Rosiles said the school is intentional about making students feel respected and valued through campus support services, an effort she said has paid off.
Earlier this year Gateway was named a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, meaning at least 25 percent of students enrolled are Hispanic.
“It's a big commitment,” Rosiles said. “It's a great responsibility and we're very proud of it."
It also means as an HSI, Gateway is eligible for additional funding to expand support services throughout the community, like their existing partnerships at area high schools.
"During one of their events the Yo Puedo [I can] college fair, I saw that it was an option for me,’ Gateway student Kimberlyn Marquez said.
An option that offers help beyond the classroom and one campus leaders hope will make higher education more accessible for everyone.
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