Ana Escobar

Six years ago Ana Escobar was a junior at San Rafael High School who wasn’t sure where she was headed. Today, she’s a college graduate.

As the first in her family to graduate from college, Ana wasn’t even sure college was a possibility before attending Marin Education Fund’s Summer Application Institute. There, she worked with trained Marin Education Fund advisers and mentors who taught her how to write her college application essay, how to succeed on the SATs and, perhaps most importantly, how to access the money she would need to pay for college. The experience gave her hope and made her realize that college was a real possibility for her.

“I wasn’t prepared at all. Marin Education Fund believed in me and was there with me through the whole process,” she said.

With financial support from generous supporters who contribute through Marin Education Fund, Ana pursued a double major at Sonoma State University. “As a Latina, my college success sets a good example for my community. I want to be a role model for kids in the Canal District, and I want to help others,” she said.

Ana recently graduated with degrees in psychology and Spanish and has now been accepted into a masters program in counseling.

“My personal message to students is that I think anything is possible. It’s easy to give up, but there are organizations like Marin Education Fund. If you’re really determined to go to school, there are people who can help you do it.”

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