Higher education helps single mom unlock potential 

Maria Torres Arrez sees herself as someone who has the power to inspire. But, just a few short years ago, the senior business administration major didn’t know what her future might look like. 

Like many first-generation college students, Torres Arrez didn’t have anyone to show her what she needed to do to create a better future for her and her two children.  

She did know one thing, however: She didn’t want to work in the fields like her parents, who immigrated to Wenatchee from Mexico when she was 8 years old. 

“I told my mother how much I respect her and how proud I am of her, but I also told her this is not something I want to do for the rest of my life,” Torres Arrez said. “I knew I wanted to provide a better life for my kids, and the only way to do that was to go to school. So, I applied to Wenatchee Valley College in 2020, and now I’m on track to earn a business degree from CWU.” 

Ever since she discovered the College of Business in 2022, everything has fallen into place for her.  

Torres Arrez, 30, is specializing in general business and is pursuing a minor in Human Resources management. She has an internship with an accounting firm in Wenatchee, and has gotten involved in the CWU chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). She also joined the national Apple Valley Human Resource Association (AVHRA). 

“I’m hoping my involvement in these associations will pave the way for me to have a successful career right after graduation,” Torres Arrez said. “I’ve been able to grow my network and meet a lot of people outside of school. My mentors in the College of Business helped me understand how important these connections are.” 

Torres Arrez points to the mentors at CWU and WVC who have guided her to this point. Now, she’s ready to take what she has learned and build a prosperous future for her and her family. 

“Being part of the College of Business has set me on a path that I never expected just a few years ago,” she said. “I don’t want to go back to the way things were. I want to keep going forward, and I know the College of Business has put me in that position.” 

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This story appears in the latest edition of Voyage Magazine. The annual College of Business publication came out in April 2024.