15 years of student impact: Spotlight on María Ureña
With the new year upon us, we have a lot to celebrate––most recently: the work anniversary of CSF advisor: María Ureña.
Over the course of her 15-year tenure, María Ureña has single-handedly supported a thousand 11th and 12th-grade students at Davis and Eisenhower High Schools in Yakima. With CSF, María has cultivated reliable, resourceful, compassion-driven relationships with the students she serves. María’s commitment to student success has enabled Yakima’s youth to break cycles of poverty, be the first in their families to complete high school and graduate college, and achieve their boldest dreams yet.
In honor of Maria’s intergenerational impact, our CSF-Yakima team planned a celebration to remember.
Surprised by students, teachers, friends and family, María was all smiles as she walked into the Davis High School cafeteria with live mariachi music and balloons to create a festive atmosphere. A student from every year of María’s tenure spoke of the transformation they experienced.
One former student reflected on the unique perspective and reassurance María provides to those who are undocumented. “She was so kind and patient, and welcoming in a way that has solidified Davis High School as a home for me since,” they said. “My siblings and I were all first generation, my older brother and I also being undocumented, and I can honestly say that we wouldn’t have been able to navigate the world of higher ed without María.“
Of María’s instrumental role in their development, another former student noted: “From looking over my statements to encouraging me to leave and chase my dream school (UW) when I wanted to chase love [instead]. She knocked sense into me, and I left to chase my dream, which resulted in finding my love of education and finding myself.”
María was a first-generation college student herself. She was fortunate to have parents who motivated her to pursue higher education. But in spite of positive reinforcement, her family didn’t have the knowledge or resources to help María navigate the complexity of the college application process, nor the transition to a collegiate environment.
“I didn’t have as many mentors or as much guidance or support,” María said. “Those that were in my corner were motivating me but didn’t know how to support me. I always make an effort to give back to others and make sure they have all the knowledge and tools they need to be successful and to pursue their goals.”
To cap off our celebration, María was presented with an award for her outstanding devotion to CSF Scholars. We couldn’t be more proud to recognize her tremendous contributions to our mission.
“I feel like things always come full circle,” María said. “If you invest in the youth and people within our community, they will want to come back and give back to others just the same way something was given to them. For me, I just wanted my students to be happy and to have choices, and I want to make a difference in their lives.”
María’s long-term impact has stood the test of time and generations––providing the small agricultural community of Yakima with the level of care and attention its youth so deserve. We hope this story can inspire optimism and faith in incredible people like María, who truly give their all where it’s needed most.
Thank you to Santiago Ochoa at The Yakima Herald for your support in writing this blog post.