Alejandra Danielson Castillo had attended the College of St. Catherine for two years on a government scholarship from her native Nicaragua when the government changed, her funding disappeared, and her parents lost their jobs. Castillo had to take out loans and work nearly full time to pay for school and help her parents. It wasn’t easy but she ultimately met her goal of earning a college education.
Now as assistant director of admissions at St. Kate’s, Castillo is trying to convince other Latinas that they, too, can go to college. “Particularly for young Latinas, higher education is something you don’t think much about,” says Castillo. “I feel that I have a responsibility to talk to young women about the fact that it might be difficult but you can get there. Sometimes they just need someone to say ‘I can do it, so you can, too.’”
Before joining the staff of St. Kate’s Castillo worked as a marketing manager for the St. Paul-based Riverview Economic Development Association where she helped organize its Cinco de Mayo festival, the largest in the state. This summer, Castillo seized the opportunity to work at St. Kate’s, drawn to its new focus to recruit women of color and support them with financial aid.
Castillo aims to honor her parents’ sacrifices and their message to always push forward despite life’s obstacles. Growing up in Nicaragua, her parents stressed learning other languages so that she could leave their unstable country. So Castillo attended an English immersion school and worked hard to master the language.
Since she was 10, Castillo has shared her English skills with others by serving as a medical translator. She has volunteered locally and for doctors throughout Central America, helping them set up clinics in rural areas where access to medical care is limited.
