Anthony and Fathima Garcia
“We are a Seattle Promise family.”
ABOUT ANTHONY
Seattle Promise Alumnus
Associate in Business Graduate, South Seattle College
Bachelor in International Business Graduate, North Seattle College
Cleveland High School Graduate
IN THEIR WORDS
On Seattle Promise being the right choice:
“There were a few clicking points when I realized that I made the right choice when I became a part of Seattle Promise. I think one of the biggest ones for me was really understanding that I was starting to get internships and starting to be connected with really great people in the business world. I got those connections through Seattle Promise. There’s one thing where you make great connections in education like your advisors and your professors, but there’s the other side of the coin – the professional side – where I was fortunate enough that I knew people in Seattle Promise that got me connected to some people at Amazon Web Services and other companies like Expedia for me to get my foot in the door.”
On what graduating college meant for his family:
“It really makes my heart melt having conversations with my parents because this is the type of stuff that they’ve dreamed about. They’re from Central America and they’ve worked really hard to find a living and raise your kids the right way. They’ve left a legacy with me and my little sister who is, of course, part of the program and I’m so proud of her as well.”
“I think they’re super proud of the process and the work they have done and seeing the fruits of raising us in the way they did. Every time we have dinner together and talk about our experiences and the types of stuff my sister and I have gone through, I can see their face light up hearing that both of their kids are college graduates and have high ambitions for themselves; and not only for themselves, but to help out with the community as well. That’s something that me and my sister are passionate about and I think that’s something that makes them smile every time that we talk.”
On Seattle Promise’s impact:
“Having this option for students to figure themselves out for a couple years, make smart decisions, and be guided with the fantastic program advisors that are in the program for the students, is going to help the city and the community. Look at individuals like me and my sister. Imagine that times 100, times 200, and imagine the ripple effect that it can have for the city, the country or the world in general.”
ABOUT FATHIMA
Seattle Promise Alumna
Associate in Business Graduate, Seattle Central College
Cleveland High School Graduate
IN THEIR WORDS
On learning about Seattle Promise:
“I found out about Seattle Promise first through my brother, he was in the first group of students who participated in the program. I was a senior in high school and when the pandemic hit, so I remember all of our counselors were telling us, ‘Please apply to Seattle Promise, it’s a great opportunity, and it can be your safe choice. I remember seeing my brother navigate the financial aspects of it and how he didn’t have to pay tuition, so that seemed like the perfect opportunity for me. The landscape for college changed with the pandemic. I wanted to maximize my opportunity by going to Seattle Central and pursuing an opportunity that wasn’t going to affect me financially in the future.”
On finding the right path for their career:
“I remember being asked what major or pathway I’d like to pursue, so I chose business administration because my brother did that. I wasn’t really sure within business what I wanted to do, but I wanted the broadness of business. I follow my brother’s footsteps a lot, he’s always been a guiding light in my life. Once I started taking pre-requisites for the business major, I fell in love with it and realized the potential for finding my niche within business.”
On the importance of access to education:
“Access to education is really important. Advancing in our careers, especially for Black, Indigenous and People of Color, has been something we haven’t had access to for a long time. I think it’s very important that those barriers are removed and that students in the next generations have access to it. It affects our workforces and creating more diverse workforces, is crucial. Spreading Seattle Promise as the way to get there and the stepping stones to achieving higher education is great. I always tell any younger family members or friends who have younger siblings to do Seattle Promise, because it’s a really great program and [one] we’re really fortunate to have. I’m glad it’s in Seattle, because it’s allowed students who wouldn’t have had the opportunity before to achieve higher education to go far in their education and career journeys.”
On their favorite moment after utilizing Seattle Promise:
“Definitely graduation. Being able to walk the stage was super special and have these two years of my experience as a Seattle Promise student right in front of me, to have all the memories as I walked across, and to see all the cheerleaders across my experience to be there supporting me was really special. I’m really grateful for that and I always think back to it because it got me to where I am today at UW. Thinking about all the people I met through Seattle Promise and how I still constantly talk to them, it has been a really meaningful program in my life.”