Rossa is an Improvement Coach within the CARPE College Access Network, working with several Southern California High Schools on College Access. Passionate about higher education for low-income students of color, as a first generation Latina immigrant raised in the United States, she has seen the benefits that come with attaining a higher education; not only for an individual, but their families as well. This experience shaped her passion and commitment to College Access for low-income students of color.
Rossa was a counselor at Environmental Charter High School for over 6 years. Over that time she played a part in ensuring over 95% of seniors completed their financial aid applications, submitted at least one college application, and received the financial aid they were entitled to. Particularly, she worked diligently with low-income students that were eligible for CalGrant, and created a calendar for achieving college milestones.
Rossa participated in the CARPE network for three years prior to becoming an Improvement Coach at the GSE. As a leader for her school site, Rossa was able to share resources and information from her experience with the network and eventually joined this amazing team.
She hopes to continue to learn from different school systems, push for equitable college access for low-income students of color, and use continuous improvement in the process.