GoGirl! Grant Recipients
Alejandra Castro
Ohio University Online Program studying for BSN
Anticipated Graduation date: Spring 2025
Alejandra is the oldest daughter of immigrant parents and a single parent to three amazing children. Her parents came to this country to give she and her siblings a better life and opportunities.
Her current goal is to obtain her Nursing degree. She will then continue to study for her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner in Family Medicine in the Coachella Valley.
She wants to focus on helping Spanish speaking patients with chronic conditions, taking the time to properly educate them and advocate for them while encouraging them to actively participate in their health. She would like to continue to do her part in making a difference and consistently do her best for our local community.
Karla Gonzales
College of the Desert/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2024
Karla was born in the Coachella Valley and continues to reside in La Quinta along with her husband and five children. She has been in the medical field since 2008 and has worked in various medical sectors, including pediatrics, orthopedics, family care and urgent care. Karla is proud to come from a long line of public servants.
Being awarded a GoGirl! Grant will enable Karla to continue her education full time and realize her goal of becoming a nurse. She wants to continue to serve her community and the Coachella Valley, which she loves and cherishes.
Cheyla Higareda
California Desert Trial Academy/Juris
Anticipated Graduation date: 2026
Cheyla was born in Indio, California. She is the oldest of four sisters. Her parents fled the poverty that surrounded them in Mexico and came to the United States. Witnessing the sacrifices her parents made daily encouraged Cheyla to make their sacrifices count. Therefore, at the age of fourteen she decided to become an attorney because she realized that unlike them, she was fortunate enough to have citizenship, knowledge of the English language, and two parents who supported her dream of obtaining a higher education.
Her long-term goal is to become an established attorney within the Coachella Valley. She wants to make a positive and genuine difference within her community.
Ariel Lorenzen
Grand Canyon University Online Program studying for BSN
Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2025
Ariel was born and raised in California and has thrived on fostering her love of learning.
After graduating from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science in Global Environmental Science, she realized that she has a passion for helping others that she needed to pursue.
Ariel feels there is nothing like witnessing and facilitating a positive change in someone’s health.
She is striving to become the best nurse and the best version of herself she can be.
Jasmine Nichols
CSUSB/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2025
Playing pretend hospital with her sister was always Jasmine’s favorite childhood game. Her childhood dream was to become a nurse and that still hasn’t wavered – not once.
Jasmine is proud to have overcome impossible odds as a single mother while supporting her daughter. She is fighting to become the woman she can be proud of, and it is more important than ever to show her daughter that girls can do hard things.
She’s learned that a kind heart is usually what people need, rather than the ‘perfect words.’ Jasmine is looking forward to pursing her career and to give back to the Coachella Valley.
Maria Elena Pantoja
CSUSB/BSN
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2025
Maria Elena has raised her son as a single parent while working and going to school.
Her first experience in the medical field was in 2001 when she was hired as a receptionist at an Ophthalmology Clinic. Her admiration for health care workers increased as she began to assist as a scrub technician for certain eye procedures. She knew then, that she wanted to be in the operating room as a nurse, not as a technician.
She knows her life would not be the same without the challenges she’s encountered throughout her life and is thrilled to be a resident of the Coachella Valley, an area she started visiting over twenty-five years ago.
Victoria Perez
College of the Desert/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2026
Victoria began pursuing her dream career as a nurse right after graduating from high school in 2016.
Financial hurdles and the loss of Victoria’s mom forced her to pause her education. Losing her mom at such a young ago was very hard on her, but it also compelled her to re-enroll in school and finish her education in honor of her mother.
It was a challenging time, but Victoria soon received the news she’d been working towards; College of the Desert offered her a seat in the RN Program in February 2024.
Her goal is to become an RN in labor and delivery.
Xylica Anne Olea
College of the Desert/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2024
Xylica’s passion for nursing began when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She regularly interacted with her mother’s care team and watched the nurses combine their clinical expertise with their heartfelt compassion while caring for her mother.
She has earned her Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide Certification, her license as a Vocational Nurse and is now on the path to complete her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. Her family motivates her to succeed in everything she does.
Pursing her goal as a registered nurse will open more doors for her family and for her own self-advancement.
Rafaela Ballardo Medina
CSUSB/Spanish major
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2025
Rafaela is a first generation college student whose family immigrated from Mexico. She is married and the proud mother of two sons.
Completing her education has always been a priority for Rafaela. She’s worked hard over the years and most recently received her Associate’s Degree in Spanish. She’s also extremely grateful to be part of the Dream Act which has helped to cover some academic expenses.
Rafaela’s primary goal is to be a Spanish teacher in the Coachella Valley and would ultimately like to continue studying for her Master’s Degree in Education.
Traisa Josephson
College of the Desert/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2025
Traisa is a forty three year old wife, mother and student. She has been married for thirteen years and she and her husband have two daughters. Her girls are her greatest accomplishment in life.
Traisa has wanted to be a nurse for as long as she can remember. She is now in her second semester in the Nursing program at COD. She is working, caring for her children and maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She plans on excelling in school and will graduate from COD in December 2025.
Traisa’s goal is to work for one of the hospitals in the Coachella Valley.
Cinthya De Luna
College of the Desert/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2025
Cinthya is working to obtain her degree in Nursing.
Cinthya is motivated by her supportive husband and four wonderful daughters. They have been a great support system to help her reach her goals. Her educational goals are to complete the RN program, receive an Oncology certificate and complete a BSN program.
She wants to continue working at Eisenhower Health in their Oncology Department. Cinthya realizes this is her greatest desire and she knows that her accomplishments, sacrifices, late night study sessions and sleepless nights will make this possible.
Maricela Carranza
College of the Desert/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2025
Maricela was born and raised in Indio. Her passion is in the health care field, and specifically Oncology.
She is now employed full time at Eisenhower Medical Center while going to school full time. She’s working towards her RN degree and ultimately her BSN degree in Oncology and volunteers with Street Medicine. Years passed until Maricela realized that should she never have given up on her dream of going to college.
She hopes to inspire her daughters and they continue to motivate her. They remind her on a daily basis how proud they are of their mother.
Melissa Martin Del Campo-Apodaca
College of the Desert/Nursing
Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2025
Melissa is a 34 year old mother of three who grew up in the Coachella Valley.
Since returning to school she has graduated with High Honors, was placed on the Dean’s List on five different occasions for her high GPA and was granted a seat in the College of the Desert’s RN program on her first application.
Currently, Melissa would like to specialize in the NICU ward or cardiology.
She wants to give back to the community she grew up in and strives to be the best she can be for herself, all who support her, but also her Dad who passed away in 2018. She knows he would be so proud of her.
Jessica Colella
Grand Canyon University (online), BSN Program
Anticipated Graduation date: May 2025; BSN Program
As a child, Jessica’s parents were both addicted to drugs and alcohol and she grew up living in fear. She feared that she would never amount to anything and that she would inherit their drug and alcohol addiction.
In reality, what happened was the opposite. They ignited a spark in her that yearns for success. She has developed a love of nursing and has never felt better about the difference she’s making in people’s live daily.
Jessica’s ultimate goal is to become a Nursing First Assistant at Eisenhower and work in the operating room assisting with surgeries.