Ashley Fassell (34) is pursuing a Master of Science in Administration at Trinity Washington University. She is expected to graduate in December 2021.

Hailing from Baltimore Maryland, USA, Ashley studied at James Madison University where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Finance in 2007 and will now became the first person in her family to earn a graduate degree. Ashley currently works for Nuna Consulting, LLC-, a private sector communications firm -which supports Native American-lead organizations, and serves as its Chief of Staff. She previously worked for a financial technology start-up that structured no-collateral loans for DACA recipients and international students studying in the US and Canada.

Inspired by her experience as a low-income student, she launched a scholarship fund at her Patapsco High School alma mater called “We’re Behind You” for other -need-based young women. “We’re Behind You” candidates have to show not only need, but leadership qualities and evidence of community service. Five women are already receiving financial aid from this fund in their first years of college.

In addition, Ashley began mentoring young women who were preparing to enter the job market in resumé preparation, interviewing techniques, and salary negotiations. She also began volunteering as a Trainer at Suited for Success, a non-profit that provides business attire to low-income women who are joining the office workforce.

These experiences convinced Ashley to shift her career from finance and business to teaching 21st Century skills at the community college level in order to more directly benefit low-income and first-generation college students. At Trinity, her area of concentration is in its “Dynamic Leaders and Organizations” program. She has an interest in developing social impact entrepreneurial frameworks for high-potential students with limited resources.

Ashley’s goal is to continue advancing pathways out of poverty for children, with an emphasis on offering education to women, especially since a mother’s education is a major factor in influencing a child’s likelihood of success.

Andrea Lopez (27) is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Trinity Washington University. She is expected to graduate in December 2020.

The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Andrea was born and raised in a multicultural neighborhood in Washington DC, where she attended its public schools and entered the workforce at age 15. In this environment and due to the efforts of her parents, the Spanish language and her Mexican heritage have been treated with utmost importance and value.

A heart wrenching visit to Mexico in 2014 to see her ill grandfather inspired her to become a registered nurse. The general lack of knowledge surrounding her grandfather’s care made her determined to incorporate healthcare education as one of her main professional goals.

In 2015, Andrea, a first-generation university graduate, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Promotion from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. Since then, she has worked at the Virginia Hospital Center where she currently serves as a Clinical Nurse Technician II.

At this hospital, where she now works part-time while completing her training to become a registered nurse, she performs many technical tasks, in addition to serving as a bridge between the hospital and the sizable Spanish-speaking populations who do not always have access to the same amount of resources as native English-speakers. Andrea recognizes the social impact she is making with her ability to alleviate the language barrier between patients and medical staff.

Andrea’s professional goal is to ultimately become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and a Nurse-Midwife because her passion lies within the area of women and infant health. She wants to provide health services to women in post-natal care, specifically within populations of low socioeconomic status who are non-English speakers. Andrea is a woman on a mission to provide exceptional and compassionate care.