Maestros Alumni

The program of Maestros Para El Pueblo has played a crucial role in my education. Before being part of the program, I dreamed of becoming an educator, but I didn't know how to achieve my goal. I didn't know how the education system worked because I am a first-generation student, and I had only been living in the country for a few years. When I joined the Maestros program, I received support and guidance from knowledgeable people. Being a member of the program also allowed me to meet other students with similar goals and experiences as the ones I have. Through this program, I learned the importance of having support in place and the impact that this can have on people. The guidance and support I received from the program allowed me to complete my educational program, and now I can support my students in the classroom. I don't just see Maestros as a program. I see it as a community of people helping each other and overcoming the obstacles that prevent them from achieving their goal of becoming educators. 

To learn more about Azucena's work, visit their article in Western Today.

Azucena Zavala Montalvo

Being an active participant of the Maestro Para el Pueblo program has opened the door to a community of Latinx teachers and educational leaders spearheading the charge to actively transform the way we view education and teaching.

Ranulfo Molina

This pathway program has made a huge impact to me. As a first-generation student, this program has taught me how to stand up for myself in the face of the inevitable adversity one can face when being a Latinx queer male within the educational system. It has also taught me that I am a beautiful, worthy teacher that has every right to educate and change the world one student at a time.. Because of this pathway program, I was able to graduate with an associate degree from Skagit Valley College, then transfer to Western Washington University to receive my Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and with a minor in Education and Social Justice. While at Western, MPeP helped me achieve my goal of being accepted into the Master’s in Teaching program at Western. As of now, I have graduated with my Master’s in Teaching with an endorsement in Spanish teaching back in March and have accepted a position to teach in la Comunidad Valencia in Spain for a year. This program has done so much for me and I can not wait to return from my year away to help mold and educate my community’s students into the people they want to become!

Jose Cervantes-Aguilar