Originally published by Guilford Technical Community College on October 5, 2026. Read the full story on GTCC's website (link below).
We're proud to see 2026 LatinxEd Fellow Melisa Garcia featured by Guilford Technical Community College, where she works as a student recruiter.
The story follows Melisa from Puerto Rico, through a childhood spent moving with her family while her father served in the U.S. Army, to 20 years teaching Spanish in North Carolina middle and high schools. In 2024 she joined GTCC, where she now helps students see that high school is not the finish line and that college is within reach.
Melisa first connected with LatinxEd through one of our trainings on postsecondary pathways, then joined us at the Latine Education Summit before being selected for the 2026 Fellowship cohort. In the article she reflects on this summer's retreat: a room full of leaders who share her roots and her commitment to students, and relationships that have stayed strong long after the week ended.
As part of her Fellowship, Melisa will speak in GTCC's TEDx series about representation and how seeing someone who shares your background can unlock a student's potential.
“We are here, we can contribute and we can make a difference for generations to come.” — Melisa Garcia
Thank you to GTCC for telling Melisa's story, and to Melisa for the work she does every day to open doors for Latine students across North Carolina.
Read the full article from GTCC:
GTCC recruiter finds her voice and purpose through fellowship program
