Blog
Carlos Dreams big
Carlos in front of Bellevue College
Carlos received his Transfer Degree in Arts & Science at Bellevue College in January and will walk across the stage at the ceremony this June.
“I never give up,” Carlos shared. “There were times I didn't want to continue. I wanted to drop the towel, you know. But I kept going forward and forward.”
Carlos, who has worked with two different Education Advocates, including Erra, his current one, said, “It was nice to have someone who helped me see the way of doing things. I swear if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here right now.”
Born in Mexico, Carlos didn’t have the easiest—or the most stable—educational journey, moving between schools often and even having to repeat 5th grade due to struggles in math. “I'm horrible at math. So because of that, I was getting in trouble with the homework and the exams and all that stuff.”
When Carlos was in middle school, his family moved to Canada. He had to restart again, but this time with the added challenge of learning a new language: “It was hard because the language and the teachers and even the principal said like, don't worry about the grades or anything, just worry about the English.” So that's what I did. I started learning the language. Took me like a full year for listening and then speaking and then reading it.”
In high school, Carlos moved to the United States, sharing, “It was difficult. I went to many different schools in different countries.” Carlos graduated from high school as a Super Senior—moving so many times meant he needed an extra year—with the hopes of attending college
After getting connected to Northwest Education Access, Carlos worked with an Education Advocate who helped him get enrolled in Bellevue College and apply for financial aid, and provide continued support throughout his time there. He said, “They always had an answer for me, which I really, really like. And that's something that I appreciate.”
And now, Carlos is waiting to see what the future holds. He’s applied to the University of Washington to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communication in Design with a Minor in Spanish, and hopes to receive an acceptance letter later this year.
“Carlos is such a wonderful person and it’s been a joy being a part of his education journey thus far! I’m so impressed by his determination and all of the hard work he’s put into earning his associate’s degree. I’ve seen Carlos grow so much over the past few years, not only academically but with his confidence and self-advocacy skills as well. He really can do anything he sets out to do and I’m so happy that he sees that for himself. YOU DID IT, Carlos! Next step, UW Seattle!!”
NWEdA Students are dreaming big
“I dream about having a secret library in my forever home. A place for me to have me-time.”
“I would like to become a professional Cyber Security consultant.”
“I want to find a boyfriend and I want to finish a Bachelors degree here in Washington.”
“I’m dreaming big about opening a pen factory in my country after completing my bachelor’s degree.”
“I’m passionate about doing research in the field of Psychology to potentially change how mental health is viewed. The current treatment model incentivizes providers to look at a person’s symptoms, label them with a disorder, and prescribe general treatments to fix that specific disorder. I disagree with this approach because it reduces a person down to a broad diagnosis given to millions of other people, and believe that a more holistic approach should be taken.”
“My dreaming big is that one day I work for Artificial intelligence and make a lot of money in my family. Coding is daunting but I think I can do this.”
“I am dreaming that one day I can graduate college, start a career, and finally be able to afford a home so I do not fear homelessness anymore.”
“I am dreaming big about my career in marketing and real estate and the positive impacts on society that my work will have once I am finished with college.”
“My current achievable goal is to finish my prerequisites and apply for my intended major! Then my big dream in the future is to implement my studies into opening my own practice.”
“I would like to open my own Infusion center and hopefully pretty soon. I’ve worked hard obtaining my credentials. I would like to hit the ground running to ensure my goals and dreams are met.”
“A big dream of mine is to be financially stable and have the ability to spoil my family. I want to graduate with a 4.0 and gain respect in my field of work. I hope to start a nonprofit one day that can give back to my community and help young people of color like myself.”
“I definitely have a passion that am probably working very hard to achieve it, in which I study hard to achieve it. I have always dream of being a teacher so I can create impact in my generation and help to develop the knowledge of our young generation”
“I am dreaming big about right now is starting my empowered inclusive learning center. I am in the works of starting a center for children who are hard of hearing, deaf, and who learn differently. For many years inclusive learning has been trying to incorporate in mainstream classes.”
“I am dreaming big about getting a full time job on wall street. I’m graduating this quarter, and after a 1-year master’s degree, this is my goal.”
“Everyone wants to be successful and rich. I also dream of becoming successful although I’m still indecisive about the career path I will choose but I know whatever I choose I will work hard.”
“I am currently dreaming big about my future and the impact I can make in the field of criminal justice. My first step towards achieving this dream is to complete my criminal justice degree and pursue a master’s degree in the same field. By furthering my education, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the criminal justice system and equip myself with the necessary knowledge and skills to make a difference.”
“I am dreaming of graduating with a degree in Healthcare IT and learn new skills in the healthcare IT field to be able to bring back into the community and help underserved population who don’t have accessible and affordable healthcare.”
“I probably have a very big dream ahead of me in which I definitely want to be one of the best business men in the world.In other to achieve this I basically need to work hard on my academics, study hard so I can definitely achieve my dreams”
“My biggest dream right now is to achieve stable and good economic stability. I have a few options available to me to make that happen, and I plan to try out the ones that are necessary. I worry a lot about my future, and I would love to not have to worry about money anymore.”
“My goals in life is to be one of the successful women in the world in which I can inspire the next generation. But to achieve this I basically need to work hard,study hard and definitely, I need people who can motivate me, and always advising and teach me on how to achieve this goals together”
“I want to go out of state to a university and finish my computer science bachelors degree and get a job as a software engineer at a tech company.”
“I am dreaming about getting into nursing school hopefully by fall of this year at university of Washington which has been my dream university ever since I moved to this country,”
“My dream is to give back to my mother in full and double, to make good on and bear the fruit of her sacrifices. I ever endeavour to make sure she and my sister prosper.”
“My big dreaming is to continue with the school for get a the job that always want”
“I had my daughter a year ago. As a First Generation Graduate student, I really thought that all the goals I had for my education were over. As a daughter of a Mexican Immigrant, it was truly hard to believe that my dreams, which were also my single mother’s dreams, were still obtainable. What I have realized this past year is, as long as you still have that burning fire in your soul to keep persevering on, you will still reach them. I now have another reason to keep going. I do it for my daughter”
“I’m dreaming big on working two jobs while being a full time student to pay of my car that I bought and my student loan debts. Other than school, I dream to be able to move out on my own, provide for my own, and to build a safe and secure home for myself to focus on my mental health and happiness.”
““Right now I dreaming about be one of the best mechanic in Seattle W.A to fix and custom my own car. I been dreaming about be mechanic since the first time I see the Toyota supra 2jz and 4jz which are both the best creations in the world made it by the men. I will like to have a supra some day in the future. My dream is be a mechanic to fix my supra when I get it.””
“I currently am dreaming of building a STEM based school back in mom home country once I graduate from college and establish myself in the tech industry. I would like to pass along the knowledge I acquired in America back to my community in Kenya. With this school, I hope to provide a more attainable access to a field in Kenya that would’ve otherwise been difficult to get.”
“I’m dreaming big about being rated Seattle BEST top Chef. Also starting my own Private Chef Business.”
“I am dreaming of getting a high position making $90K a year and finishing my degree in May.”
“I want to be happy and find a career and lifestyle that will make me think back on my life with pride.”
Northwest Education Access Receives $2 Million Gift From the Yield Giving Open Call
MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Northwest Education Access as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. Northwest Education Access was among those to receive the highest award amount of $2 million, and one of only 10 organizations in Washington to receive the award.
In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.
“We are so thrilled to receive this incredible news,” said Jeff Corey, Interim Executive Director of Northwest Education Access. “To be included on a list with so many other organizations doing such important work is an honor. The generous award is truly a reflection of the amazing work our staff, students, and volunteers have been doing for years, and we are so excited to see how it helps us expand and grow these efforts.”
The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount. ."
What’s next? Our Finance Committee will meet to decide our spending, savings, and investment strategies for this incredible gift so we can best put it to use to support low-income young people, ages 16-29, build their own path to higher education and beyond.
In the meantime, we hope that you will join us in basking in the happy news!
More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at www.leverforchange.org.
Dr. Anil K. Mody Fund
The Dr. Anil K. Mody Scholarship provides college scholarships to Northwest Education Access enrolled women of color in the King County region. Since 2015, the Dr. Anil K. Mody Fund has supported 46 women of color on their postsecondary journey! Each Mody Scholarship recipient receives free academic advising, career counseling, tutoring, books, technology access, and mentoring. In addition, each student is paired with an Education Advocate who is physically located on the student’s college campus. These Advocates work with students to identify potential barriers to their academic success, address those barriers, and achieve their goal of higher education and overcoming poverty and adversity.
Dr. Anil K. Mody, the father of board member Simmone Misra, believed in the transformative power of education. He grew up at the time when conditions in his home country of India were not conducive for higher education, so he studied and lived in Germany for over eight years to pursue a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Stuttgart and followed with some work experience at German pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Mody then returned to his home country, where he set up the first manufacturing facility for industrial strength adhesives in India.
Even though he returned to India, his global perspective and passion for education was one of Simmone’s favorite memories of her father. He instilled the value of education, the importance of curiosity and joy of learning in Simmone, always ensuring there were enough books to read, including books from the US and Europe. Rare at the time and place, especially for a father, Dr. Mody always reminded his daughters they could be whatever they wanted.
Unfortunately, Dr. Mody passed away at the very young age of 42. His wife and two daughters survived him. He had the foresight to invest in a fund for education for his daughters. With the loss of the main earning member of the household, the family faced some difficult times. However, his daughter, Simmone, was able to complete her higher education thanks to the investment her parents had made and on her own fortitude.
When Simmone celebrated her 50th birthday - recognizing 8 additional years of life than her father - she and her husband, Ashok, wanted to give back to other young women what her father had inspired in her. While Simmone’s journey was long and winding, she & Ashok wanted a much shorter journey for other women. On her path to higher education, Simmone faced many, many hurdles navigating the convoluted steps to and through the higher education system. For the Misras, getting scholarship funding for school is not enough—it's just the beginning, so partnering with NWEdA so students get additional navigation support felt right.
The joy of learning and opportunity for financial stability is what drove Simmone & Ashok to create the Anil K. Mody Scholarship Fund for young women of color, hoping to help others like Simmone who are driven to improve their lives and circumstances through education. As Simmone shared, "I have an incredible husband with similar values and for us to combine forces to do our tiny part in making gigantic changes in the lives of a few other women feels absolutely phenomenal."
Meet Volunteer Raj
Meet our volunteer, Raj
“I am passionate to help [students] get their high school or GED and help them start their careers. I completely understand their situation as they have lived through a very difficult childhood, and they are looking to get out of the “spiral of helplessness,” and they are trying to turn their lives around.
I feel their pain as I came to this country over 40 years ago, and I had no money or any contacts, and I went to school while working through numerous menial jobs, and I worked hard to graduate and develop a successful career.
My wife and I have raised two outstanding young men who are enjoying their excellent careers. As I work with these students, I try to use all that practical experience and knowledge to genuinely help them. I try my best to be flexible when I set up tutoring sessions because they students have a number of other needs, including taking care of families.
I am seriously committed, and I sincerely hope to help many students, but I will consider my great fortune even if I can help just one student. I feel very blessed, and I would love to return back to the society because I received a lot of help from many good people when I was going through similar challenging situations in my earlier life.”
Hats in the Air: A Time to Celebrate
Recent UW Graduate Dafne shares her educational journey.
From Northwest Education Student Dafne:
Last month, I received my Bachelors in sociology with a minor in gender studies at UW as a first-generation college graduate.
My 7 year journey to get here was not easy. In 2016 I graduated high school, knowing community college was my best option. Without any guidance to navigate this new system, I struggled. At this time, a student at Bellevue College overheard my situation and connected me to a Northwest Education Access Advocate partner with the college.
I had many advocates over the years, but they each welcomed me with open arms. With immense support from my advocate, I got enrolled at Bellevue College, and during my second year, one of my Sociology professors asked me to be a tutor for the department. I was just discovering my passion for sociology. After a year of tutoring, I learned that helping and advocating for others was what lit the fire inside me that I didn’t even know I had.
By 2020 I was ready to transfer to my dream school, the University of Washington. My advocate held my hand throughout the whole process—and I got in! But the joy didn’t last too long because covid hit and the transition from a community college to university was rough to say the least. My first quarter at UW was probably the hardest of all my journeys. I had the biggest imposter syndrome during this time, I felt like I wasn’t on the same level as the rest of my peers and that me getting in and even applying was a mistake.
During this time I was also diagnosed with major depressive disorder as well as anxiety. I contemplated giving up and just dropping out of school completely. The only person other than my therapist who I could talk to about this was my advocate, who supported me and helped me with the paperwork to take some time off school and told me to take care of myself and continued to check in on me.
By fall of 2021, I was back in school and ready to finish and slowly build a community again at UW, and my advocate was there through every step of the way. They helped me connect with people that were NEA students who were also attending UW, and they suggested that I apply to join the Student Advisory Board.
Being part of the Student Advisory Board here at NEA has been one of the most fun and rewarding experiences, as I can help the organization to better serve students. This year, we created a scholarship for students, and we participated in advocacy day to advocate for the right to education for everyone.
And I really could not have done it without all my education advocates. Here at NEA we have a saying that students are the ones in the driver seat and that NEA is just here to help with extra support, but in reality they are much more. Yes, we might be in the driver seat, but they are our navigation system that always has our back in case we need redirection.
Now that I’ve graduated, I’ve decided to take a small break to recharge before the fall when I will be looking for a job. In the meantime, NEA is still helping me prepare with my transition from school to work life. The job prep bootcamp that was put together by the organization prepared me and is helping me with my resume and interviewing process, and my advocate is still actively keeping in touch to further assist me when I finally start applying to jobs. The future is bright!
Q + A with new board member, Clarissa!
New board member and student alum, Clarissa, shares her thoughts.
Why did you want to join the board?
I wanted to join the board because I wanted to continue to contribute to the organization that helped me through some very challenging and successful times.
Is there something you‘re looking forward to doing on the board? If so, why?
I am looking forward to providing my expertise on the student experience as well as a continued push for diversity and inclusion on the board. I am also excited to help with looking into policy that will benefit students so we can have more lobby days as part of the advocacy committee.
What are you doing professionally?
I am currently a claims processing senior agent at JND Legal Administration.
Any thoughts you have for students interested in leadership?
Talk with your EA about getting involved with the Student Advisory Board or how you can get more involved with the organization as a student.
20 years. 240 months. 1,040 weeks
20 years. 240 months. 1,040 weeks…you get the point—this is a big milestone!
20 years. 240 months. 1,040 weeks…you get the point—this is a big milestone!
Jeff Corey, Program Director
I have been a part of the team with NW Education Access for over 10 years (520 weeks) as an Education Advocate and now as a Program Director. I could not be more thrilled about where we are as an organization. The values that drive us are the same as the day I started, but we continue to find creative new ways to support students, staff members, and our community. One aspect of this growth that has me really excited is our capacity-building efforts through community partnerships.
While we are very proud of the direct service we provide, we also recognize that we are not experts in supporting all populations of students. There are countless community-based organizations doing great work throughout the region, often specializing in specific cultures or linguistic groups. Our goal is to share best practices and tools so organizations that have already built strong relationships with specific communities can help young people successfully transition to postsecondary programs.
With our amazing community of donors, we have developed a series of workshops, an education planning toolkit, and a follow up protocol to ensure that organizations we partner with get the support they need to implement programming to fit the needs of the communities they serve.
Our hope is that we can all partner to scale this important work and give students the opportunity to achieve their postsecondary educational and career goals.
Every student deserves this support and we can only make it widely available by working together.
Best,
Jeff Corey
Program Director
20 years
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240 months
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1,040 weeks
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20 years 〰️ 240 months 〰️ 1,040 weeks 〰️
Meet Cam Tu: Volunteer Services Manager
I have worked in direct service all my life with first-gen students across various non-profits throughout Pierce and King country. With the new volunteer manager role, I’ve thought about how my experiences have influenced me to take on developing the volunteer program at NW Education Access and where I envision it to be.
By: Cam Tu Nguyen
July marks my four months as the Volunteer Services Manager at Northwest Education Access and I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a fun, professional, and supportive community.
I have worked in direct service all my life with first-generation students across various non-profits throughout Pierce and King country. With the new volunteer manager role, I’ve thought about how my experiences have influenced me to take on developing the volunteer program at NW Education Access and where I envision it to be.
My first major volunteering management project dated back when I was an AmeriCorps member out of college working as a tutor at a community center in the Hilltop area of Tacoma. I created a formal dinner event aligning with the high school’s homecoming to create a special evening for our students. There were over 30 volunteers from the church and partners who took on roles to make it happen. The chemistry teacher at our high school partner site was a part time florist and organized boutonnieres and collages making. Members from the church made a delicious three course meal. I joined forces with a student’s mom to provide manicures for students. A professional photographer volunteered her time to take beautiful pictures of our students dressed up in their formal best. It was quite a memorable experience for all staff and students.
Fast forward to other jobs, I have taken on mentoring pairing and career exploration events. I remembered at Rainier Scholars over twenty professionals from different backgrounds attended in-person resume reviews and mock interviews for our college students. At College Success Foundation, I paired up volunteers to be Hometown mentors and have recruited many of my former students who were very eager to give back. The biggest project I’ve taken on was a Families Belong Together fundraiser for a friend and his family with Century Ballroom. The event had over 80 volunteers including performers, with every latin dance studio in the city and two major churches of Seattle. There were over 500 attendees that night all wearing red to show solidarity. All the DJs volunteered their time and performers put on two shows for the night. It was an amazing event and reinforced my beliefs in the power of community and purpose.
My strength is in providing space and logistics for people to congregate, but after that I just sit back and watch the power of the community. A mentor of mine told me that people are happiest when they have purpose:communities thrive when there is a reason to come together. The bouquet of these magical memories have attracted me towards opportunities that allow me to organize. The Volunteer Services Manager role is a great fit to explore my interest in program development and events.
As I get to know Northwest Education Access more, it is the perfect workplace to take my experiences to the next level as the organization is very mindful in its work towards equity and justice. I’ve come to realize that volunteer coordinating is not merely assigning everyone tasks, but it’s important to dig deeper to think about the why of volunteering and how to be helpful in a constructive manner.
The panelists of our recent healthcare career event emphasized for students to “find your why” in choosing their pathways and this very much applies to volunteerism as well. When does helpfulness mask a savior complex that reinforces structures and systems that created barriers for our students? What does it mean to stay in the “zone of helpfulness” so volunteers can cultivate authentic relationships without compromising the task at hand? I am very much looking forward to having these discussions with volunteers as we begin to hold space in our diversity equity inclusion meetings. In my short time so far in my role, I already came across amazing individuals ready to lend their expertise and invest in the time to ensure a successful experience. Volunteers give me creativity energy and I can’t wait to see what we can build together this coming year!
Building unity through latin dancing at the #FamiliesBelongTogether and #KeepJaimeHome Fundraiser, Century Ballroom 2019
Gaining Momentum
Due to a neurodivergent brain, I have found myself dropping out of college after the first quarter or month. This is not only about understanding where to go for classes or following the work, but even simple things like finding where to get my ID card or who to talk to about what. I learn differently, and to succeed I need support constantly. I don’t always know what I need even when there is a problem, but with an advocate on my side, like NW Education Access, I am less likely to give up now.
By: Sheen H
I started my quest for higher education back in 2010 when I aged out of Rhyther Child Center. I lived at shelters such as ROOTS, Orion Center, and the YMCA. There were always different people from community organizations around and sometimes they would be cool enough to talk to. I was told to visit a small office called Seattle Education Access (SEA) that could help young adults with understanding the college process. I met with Polly, the executive director at the time, and she helped me understand what college was for and assigned me an advocate who helped make school go more smoothly. All I knew was I wanted to go to college like all the other people my age.
At the time, I was a homeless foster youth and nothing in my life was stable. My mom is mentally and physically disabled, and my dad was always in prison. The relatives I knew of had no college experience or ever talked to me about higher education. I worked with two different people that helped me get into Seattle Central. Even though I was a part of the disability office there, the office was not helpful and I soon got lost and gave up.
In 2018, I met Cooper, an education advocate at SEA, now Northwest Education Access (NW Education Access). She is this hip chill lady who helped me apply for a scholarship to go back to school, taught me about FAFSA, and researched other avenues of education for me. She also helped me get into Seattle Central again and North Seattle College, although their traditional education system didn't work out for me. I ended up joining a non-profit film school. I used to meet Cooper at the library and drop-in centers. She helped me apply for a scholarship that covered software that I needed for film school, so I could work on projects from home rather than weird hours with more commute.
Cooper worked hard with me to find opportunities with other young people striving for higher education. She guided and pushed me to do better, all while not giving up on me, unlike most of the other systems I've been forced through as a youth. NW Education Access has found opportunities for me to connect with other students and be acknowledged as young adults trying to elevate their lives with a better education for a better financial situation. With Cooper’s support, I have attended Microsoft interview panels and group discussions about educational gaps that others might not be aware of.
I have not been afforded the luxury of having a college savings. I come from a family that never made it past Junior High, let alone college. On top of this, I attended 14 different schools from the 1st through 12th grade that I did not fit into well. Summer school was never enough to help, which I did every summer in high school. I had to move a lot and nothing was something I could count on. I now see I kept falling through the cracks of a broken system that pushes people through until they are adults left on their own.
I was born with ADHD, a learning disability called dyscalculia, and a sensory processing disorder that makes it difficult for me to work in a disorganized environment without reasonable accommodations.
When I was younger, I was in special ed for many years because of my issues that even today I do not fully understand what makes some things very easy and others very hard. Due to a neurodivergent brain, I have found myself dropping out of college after the first quarter or month. This is not only about understanding where to go for classes or following the work, but even simple things like finding where to get my ID card or who to talk to about what. I learn differently, and to succeed I need support constantly. I don’t always know what I need even when there is a problem, but with an advocate on my side, like NW Education Access, I am less likely to give up now. I have dropped out of five community colleges since graduating high school and have made it through three technical programs, but I have yet to get a degree.
My dream college is currently Landmark College on the east coast. They focus on working with people that learn differently, rather than trying to push them into a standard system that most other colleges use. Currently, I am really excited that Bellevue College now offers an alternative learning program called Neurodiversity Navigators. As of last year, they were recognized as the best college in the U.S. for students with neurological differences. My plan is to attend this program for three years and transfer to Landmark for my fourth and final year. I finally feel confident enough knowing that this experience will not be like my last college attempts. I'm so lucky and grateful to have NW Education Access nurture and help me grow through my ups and downs while finding something that works for me.
Someday, I will stand up at a podium and accept my degree. I will turn around and be able to provide support to people like me.
I am really proud of seeing SEA grow into Northwest Education Access and the staff that has been sweet and thoughtful throughout the years inviting me back to events and checking in on me. That means a lot when I lose courage and momentum because of discouraging situations blocking me from my dream of getting a BA and making a livable wage.