College Access & Success Ambassadors (CASA)

Bethany Carter

Freshman | Redford, Michigan

Area of Study

Film, Television, and Media major (screenwriting sub-major) with a double minor in creative writing and peace and social justice

What is your Outreach Why? 

My outreach stems from knowing that education is one of the most powerful tools and assets one can have in this world. It is something that cannot be taken away from you and helps you in any field. Due to the fact that I identify as a Black woman in America, there has not always been a time where people that looked like me and identify like me had a chance to get a good education. This is what makes it more important to me that I use my platform wisely. I want to help other students get the higher education of their dreams (if that is part of their dreams) and let them know that it is possible for anyone to achieve no matter your background.

Photo of Khyle Cross

Khyle Cross

Senior | Lake Odessa, Michigan

Area of Study

Political Science

What is your Outreach Why? Being a first-generation student, coming from an under-resourced and rural community, I feel as though I have a duty to give back and help students like me who came from nothing to get to a place where they have limitless opportunity to do something. Knowledge is power, truth is power, and in order to unlock the potential we have in ourselves and our communities we must facilitate access to the knowledge necessary to do so.

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Maria Fields

Junior | Detroit, Michigan

Area of Study

Industrial and Operations Engineering, minor in Computer Science

What is your Outreach Why?

I want to pass it forward. Many people have offered me their time, advice, and thoughts which had been invaluable to my development and success – both personally and academically – and I want to continue to pass the knowledge along. There are moments when I wish I had someone like my future self to help my past self, so I am eager to encourage people in any way that I can. I believe in Nelson Mandela’s words: “As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

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Marisa Jordan Galarza

Freshman | Ann Arbor, Michigan

Area of Study

Undecided

What is your Outreach Why?

Higher education was always presented as an attainable option in my household, but I was never certain if college was for me- I wasn’t sure what my interests were or what I wanted my future to look like. I began applying to colleges hesitantly, and I’m happy to say it was the one of the best decisions I could have made. My dedication to educational outreach is rooted in hopes of being a resource to students like me who might not know the details of their future, but still want to pursue a bright one.

Jeimy Lopez Garcia

Senior | Detroit, Michigan

Area of Study

Organizational Studies, minor in Education for Empowerment

What is your Outreach Why?

The motivation behind my involvement in educational outreach is the appreciation I have for the organizations that filled a gap in my trajectory to higher education that my advisors and family couldn’t. Furthermore, it is the recognition that the work plays a pivotal role in the nurturing of future generations of leaders in arts, academics, and life.

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Robert “Robbie” Hudzinski II

Sophomore | Taylor, Michigan

Area of Study

Business Administration/Film, Televisión, & Media

What is your Outreach Why?

As a first generation college student, post secondary education was a giant question mark for my family and I. As I was applying to colleges, I did not realize how much about the admissions process I was never taught about. So now, I hope to help bridge any gaps of knowledge for high school students while supporting and guiding them in any way possible.

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Kamika Kaur

Sophomore | Livonia, Michigan

Area of Study

Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Asian Studies (MCDB) and Asian Studies Double Major on a Pre-Med or Pre-Law Track

What is your Outreach Why? 

Outreach is such a powerful tool to encourage and empower students to pursue higher education. Coming from an immigrant household, there were many gaps in my journey to college that I had to work to fill in through external resources. This process was, at times, very draining. Sometimes there was too much information and sometimes simply not enough. I am eternally grateful for everyone who supported me through this process and I want to be able to play such a role in other students’ lives. I want to help ameliorate the barriers that many students face in exploring higher education and alleviate, to some extent, the frustrations associated with the process. This is my “Outreach Why”.

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Leslie Washington

Sophomore | Southfield, Michigan

Area of Study

Business

What is your Outreach Why? 

I absolutely love mentoring and giving back to my community. Seeing young people become successful is a wonderful thing and I will help them get there by any means necessary. Whether it’s college or trade school, it is essential that students find the best fit for them. I want to share my experiences with others to help them find their fit and support their dreams and goals.

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Karis Rivers

Sophomore | Detroit, Michigan

Area of Study

Political Science

What is your Outreach Why? 

To me, education is one of the most important tools in our modern society. While there are many flaws in the education system in the US that need to be rectified, my goal is to ensure that students understand the options available to them. Too often, students have no idea how to get to the places they want to be. Educational Outreach is so important to me because we bridge the gap at hand for students of color in low income communities. Giving them the opportunity to understand what education is, why it can be useful and how to think about their future is important because they often don’t get that. I view outreach as trying to help level the playing field for the communities that need it the most. 

Photo of Vincent Sposato​

Vincent Sposato

Senior | Passaic, New Jersey

Area of Study

Business Administration

What is your Outreach Why? 

I am a proud Latino and first-generation college student who wants people from all walks of life to find purpose and meaning in their individual lives, whether that be in Michigan, or somewhere else. As someone who grew up in an environment where resources and opportunities were hard to come by, I want and need to find ways to use my experiences and expertise to help students who may feel overwhelmed, like I was, during the college application process.

Natasha Zake

Master’s Student | Simi Valley, California

Area of Study

Educational Studies Concentration: Educational Equity, Justice, and Social Transformation

What is your Outreach Why? 

My family immigrated from Uganda when I was about 2 years old. I grew up in the US Public Education system, but I was unaware of the various tools that I would need to succeed as my parents and I tried to navigate the extensive system. Entering outreach is a way for me to demystify the many things that had overwhelmed me as a first generation student as well as provide clarity and confidence for those who are navigating familiar paths and lead them to a place where they have the tools to succeed in higher education.

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