We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Livan, a current student at Seattle Central and an NWEdA Alumni & Student Advisory Board (ASAB)* member. Tell me about your educational journey. I come from an unconventional background. I have worked as a service assistance operator and logistic operator in Italy and France. While in France, I began studying software development, as I have always wanted to work in IT but never had the opportunity before. Since May 2023, I have been working part-time at a hostel where I currently live, while pursuing an associate degree in Software Development a ..read more

“I am really thankful and grateful for Northwest Education Access and Erra for everything they have done for me!” Israella first connected with Northwest Education Access (NWEdA) in 2022. She had finished high school, as well as running start, and was continuing her education at UW Bothell. However, a difficult family situation pulled Israella away from her educational journey.  No longer able to afford her tuition, she decided to take a gap year to figure out her next steps.  During this gap year, she found NWEdA, and got connected to Erra, who is one of our education advocates.&nb ..read more

Nathaniel moved to Seattle during middle school following a hurricane in Miami. He attended Madison Middle School, but his eighth-grade year was cut short by the pandemic. Even though he struggled with online learning, he was able to attend classes online and in person during his freshman and sophomore years of high school. Nathaniel eventually stopped going to school. He shared, “I was having some trouble with staying in the loop with it.” After some time away from school, at 16, he enrolled in the Interagency Academy to work on his GED while also participating in trade programs. He earned h ..read more

Nathaniel moved to Seattle during middle school following a hurricane in Miami. He attended Madison Middle School, but his eighth-grade year was cut short by the pandemic. Even though he struggled with online learning, he was able to attend classes online and in person during his freshman and sophomore years of high school. Nathaniel eventually stopped going to school. He shared, “I was having some trouble with staying in the loop with it.” After some time away from school, at 16, he enrolled in the Interagency Academy to work on his GED while also participating in trade programs. He earned h ..read more

My name is Joshua Mironyuk, and I just graduated with an IT degree from UW Tacoma. I have worked with NWEdA since before my graduation from High School, and I would love to share with you how this organization has inspired me to face my hopes and dreams and to fully realize my potential.  But first, a little background on me: I grew up here in Washington, with parents who moved all the way from Soviet Ukraine to start a new life in the states. I grew up balancing everything that the States had to offer, while still holding true to my culture. I don't remember much from pre-school and kin ..read more

“I actually made it. I’m doing hair at a fast paced salon and am able to interact with the community in a positive way. I’m somebody and I’m great.” — Janet Janet shared that she didn’t have the easiest upbringing: “It all started back in elementary school. From second grade all the way up to my senior year I had an IEP for social emotional. I was going through foster care, getting tossed between different family members. It was so unstable, which just followed me my entire life.” Despite the challenges Janet faced, she persisted, determined to finish high school. She shared, “Right before my ..read more

This Spring, Northwest Education Access student Silvia will graduate from Renton Technical College with her Associate in Pre Nursing degree with the goal of starting nursing school this Fall. Silvia became interested in nursing while being her grandmother’s caregiver. At one point her grandmother was hospitalized. Silvia shared: “I was there with the nurses, and I asked how many people they take care of in a day, and one of them was like you can take a walk with me, and I can show you around. And that really sparked my interest so much, and I was like how do I learn how to do this, and they s ..read more

Mahder immigrated from Ethiopia to the US in 2020. She wanted to start college but needed her green card before enrolling. At that time, immigration offices were closed due to Covid, and the green card process was taking longer than anticipated. Additionally, Mahder found it hard to navigate the US education system, which was substantially different from the one she was used to in Ethiopia.  She started her education journey with ESL classes. That’s where she met one of our Program Managers, Hans, who was giving a workshop about FASFA. Unfortunately, she wasn’t eligible for FASFA at that ..read more

Carlos in front of Bellevue College Carlos received his Transfer Degree in Arts & Science at Bellevue College in January and will walk across the stage at the ceremony this June.  “I never give up,” Carlos shared. “There were times I didn't want to continue. I wanted to drop the towel, you know. But I kept going forward and forward.” Carlos, who has worked with two different Education Advocates, including Erra, his current one, said, “It was nice to have someone who helped me see the way of doing things. I swear if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here right now.” Born in Mexico, Ca ..read more

“I dream about having a secret library in my forever home. A place for me to have me-time.” — Natalie “I would like to become a professional Cyber Security consultant.” — Alejandro “I want to find a boyfriend and I want to finish a Bachelors degree here in Washington.” — Ricardo “I’m dreaming big about opening a pen factory in my country after completing my bachelor’s degree.” — Youhani     “I’m passionate about doing research in the field of Psychology to potentially change how mental health is viewed. The current treatment model incentivizes providers to look at a person’s symptom ..read more