Thursday, May 2, 2013
Born in Cuba but raised in Costa Rica, Jorge Prieto had a unique set of challenges when he first arrived in the Valley. One of those challenges was figuring out a way to pay for college in the United States, which is significantly more expensive than in Costa Rica. Once he heard about the Maricopa Community Colleges and its affordable tuition, he was quick to enroll at GateWay Community College.
After initially testing into ESL in 2011, he quickly progressed through the class and was out of the developmental classes. When it was time to set a career path, his interest and talent in math was a big factor in his decision to pursue accounting.
Shortly after enrolling at GateWay, he looked for opportunities to make the most of his student experience and began working as an assistant in the health science and nursing department. He also began volunteering for community projects, such as a neighborhood-cleaning day around GateWay. He volunteers at St. Vincent De Paul, where he helps feed those that are less fortunate.
Prieto knows the challenges that come with enrolling in college and the transition that takes place after finishing high school. When a peer mentor group was created at GateWay, Prieto was quick to sign up to offer students an inside look into how to navigate college life.
His volunteer work, 4.0 GPA, and character helped him be named as part of the All-Arizona Academic Team. This award comes with a scholarship to cover his next 60 credits in college.
“I was impressed when I got it. I was jumping around GateWay the whole day,” he says. “That day I had to tell my boss I could not focus on work, I am so excited.”
Prieto will be graduating from GateWay in May and will be transferring to Arizona State University to attend the W.P. Carey School of Business. This is a bittersweet process as he has enjoyed his experience at GateWay.
“If it wasn’t for GateWay, I would have not known how to apply for scholarships, or do resumes, write essays; the workshops offered are very informative,” he says. “I’m grateful to GateWay for all the opportunities and chances I have been given me.”
Find out more about GateWay Community College's university transfer program.