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Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca was a stellar student in high school, regularly earning recognition for her academic achievements and involvement. She was on the honor roll, and her teachers loved her.

But when it came time to start thinking about next steps, her counselor discouraged her from applying to college, saying it would be futile due to her status as an undocumented student. Believing what she was told, Espinoza Salamanca graduated without pursuing higher education.

“It wasn’t until later that I discovered I would have qualified for  in California, which provides in-state tuition for undocumented students,” she said. “While scholarships were difficult to find, they were out there.” 

After a 17-year journey that involved attending community college, getting married, and becoming a mother of two, Espinoza Salamanca earned bachelor’s degrees in ethnic studies and sociology from Santa Clara University in June. Along the way, she drew from her personal experience to create  nine years ago, a mobile app that helps undocumented students find scholarship opportunities.

“The biggest win for me is that I was able to use my story to open the door of access and help people believe in themselves,” said Espinoza Salamanca, who is now a master’s student in the GSE’s Policy, Organization and Leadership (POLS) program.

As a POLS student and member of the 2024 cohort of the  program, an interdisciplinary community of graduate students addressing complex challenges facing the world, she hopes to grow as a nonprofit leader, community organizer, and advocate.

“I’ve always been really interested in education, but I haven’t tapped into education policy and the history behind it,” she said. “I’m here for personal growth and to learn how to do things from people who have already done it, so I can better serve my people and do right by them.”