CWU helps immigrant move her life and career forward

Throughout her life, Conchita Chinchilla has recognized the importance of higher education. When she relocated to the United States 18 years ago, she made it a priority to pursue a career that would help her create greater opportunities for her future.

The 2024 Central Washington University graduate immigrated from Guatemala in 2006 and has spent the past 12 years working in the Everett public school system. But she couldn’t help feeling as though she could do more to advance her career.

In 2020, she decided to take the next step in her professional development and began the process of applying to CWU in hopes of pursuing a Psychology degree. She was admitted in 2021 and began taking online classes while she started a new job as a specialist at the school district’s Family Resource Center.

But just as she was starting to build some momentum, Chinchilla was laid off in 2023 due to pandemic budget cuts.

“When I got laid off, I had to figure out what my options were,” said Chinchilla, who earned dual degrees in psychology and Spanish from CWU this winter. “It’s hard to find a job that pays a livable wage these days, and it’s even harder when you don’t have a college degree from a U.S. institution that shows your capacity. I decided that if I wanted to keep growing as a professional, I had to learn how to sell myself better. That’s what led me to apply to Central.”

When Chinchilla worked as a paraeducator and on-time graduation coordinator at Cascade High School, she remembers seeing the joy on her students’ faces when they got accepted to college. She specifically recalled the admissions materials from CWU and how they made her feel like it was a place where people of color were welcome.

Witnessing her students’ happiness helped Chinchilla decide that CWU would be the perfect place for her to pursue her degree.

“I didn’t even apply anywhere else,” she said. “Central always felt like the right place for me.”

Chinchilla, who also earned a degree in Guatemala before moving to the U.S., started taking online classes in 2021 while also working full time at the high school. She was also raising her youngest son, not leaving much time for anything else — including sleep.

“There are moments where you feel like you’re not going to make it, but you just find a way to keep going,” said Chinchilla, who earned a 4.0 GPA at Central. “I expect a lot from myself, and if that means I don’t get to sleep or do anything besides work, then that’s what I do. I’m very proud of what I have accomplished, but it hasn’t been easy.”

Just as Chinchilla was about to wrap up her Psychology degree in 2023, her advisor, Professor Andrea Herrera-Dulcet, recommended that she stick around for one more year to complete her Spanish degree.

She was enjoying college life so much that she figured, “why not?”

“My advisors encouraged me to keep going, and I’m so glad I did,” Chinchilla said. “I gained so much from this experience, and everything I learned at Central has helped me advance my career.”

A few months before completing her CWU degrees, Chinchilla was given an opportunity to return to the Everett School District as a coordinator in the newly opened south region center. She knows that if it weren’t for her CWU education, she may not have met the academic requirements for the position.

“In order to keep growing and improving, you need to have a degree. There’s no way around it,” she said. “I’m so grateful to the school district for investing in me, and I believe a big reason why they did is because I went to college.”

Charting Her Own Path

Before moving to the U.S. in late 2006, Chinchilla was working as a corporate translator in Guatemala when one of her clients asked her to help launch a new business in North Carolina.

The single mother decided to take a chance, moving to the U.S. with three of her four children (her eldest remained in Guatemala). After Chinchilla’s initial business opportunity failed to materialize, the family made their way to Washington state — a place she grew fond of during her teenage years, when she spent a year as an exchange student in Wenatchee.

“My host family said they would help me get started if I moved here, so I decided it would be worth a try,” she said. “I just love Washington, and I always knew I wanted to come back someday. I’m so happy that it has worked out the way it has.”

Once she got situated in Marysville, Chinchilla operated a small translation business and worked for a bank before transitioning into the Everett public school system. She has worked in the district for the past 12 years in elementary school, middle school, and high school settings, as well as the Family Resources Center (twice).

Although she had to take an intermediate job in the district due to budget cuts, she feels reinvigorated now that she has returned as a center coordinator. A lot has changed since Chinchilla’s first stint at the north region center two years ago, but the personal rewards she has gained in her position since returning last fall have been immeasurable.

“We help families with challenges like housing insecurity, food insecurity, job losses, with a goal of helping their children be academically successful in spite of those challenges,” she said. “We try to remove barriers for students and their families by providing and connecting them with available resources. Our goal is to empower them to take ownership and control over their actions and decisions to succeed in challenging situations. It’s not always easy, but we know we are making a difference.”

Through it all, Chinchilla has remained true to her passion of helping other people improve their lives. Even when the going has gotten tough, she has always found a way to persevere.

“I’m proud of who I am and what I have accomplished,” she said. “My message to other people would be to always keep learning. It truly does make a difference.”

Chinchilla also encourages students of all ages to take advantage of the resources provided by the state. If you don’t explore what’s out there, you will never know what opportunities await you, she explained.

“I had to pay for college, but I also got some help from the state,” Chinchilla said. “They want to invest in you, and you shouldn’t take that for granted. Going to college encourages personal growth and allows you to unlock your true potential.”

She believes higher education helps people sharpen their critical thinking skills and prepares them to become strong contributors in society.

“I will forever hold a deep gratitude to Central Washington University and to all my instructors, advisors, and the staff for their invaluable support and guidance throughout my journey,” she said.

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Conchita Chinchilla was born in Guatemala and feels blessed to call both the USA and Guatemala home. She enjoys family, nature, and God's teachings, and she says those are the key elements that give her life balance. Living a healthy lifestyle is one of her priorities, and the Pacific Northwest has helped her achieve many of her life goals.