What We Do Success Stories

From Montana Vista to a Nursing Degree—A Journey of Perseverance and Purpose

Rosa Alvarado’s story is one of courage, determination, and the transformative power of opportunity. At just seven years old, Rosa and her family immigrated from Juárez, Mexico to El Paso, Texas, settling in the Montana Vista area. Life was difficult—language barriers, extreme poverty, and the daily struggle to make ends meet were constant realities.

One of Rosa’s earliest memories is of needing just one dollar to buy a scholastic activities newspaper required for her first-grade homework. Her mother searched their small home for pennies each week to make that dollar. “Many might think, what’s a dollar?” Rosa recalls. “But when you have nothing, a dollar is a dollar.”

Despite the odds, Rosa graduated from Mountain View High School in 2003. At 19, while pregnant with her first child, she earned a Medical Assistant certification. But without work experience, she struggled to find employment, taking whatever jobs she could to support her growing family. Eventually, she found a position at La Fe Clinic, where she worked for nine years and met mentors who encouraged her to pursue further education.

It was during her time at Centro San Vicente that Rosa learned about Project ARRIBA. She had already been accepted into the nursing program at El Paso Community College and decided to apply. “I thought, well, I have nothing to lose.” Nursing school was another mountain to climb—filled with academic and personal challenges. But Rosa’s resolve never wavered. Her daughter’s words, “Mom, how many times have you told us to never give up?” reignited her determination.

With the support of her family, her mentors, and Project ARRIBA, Rosa became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning her Nursing Degree from EPCC. Today, she is a proud mother of three, a wife, and a role model for perseverance and success.