Martha Noyola faced many obstacles to earning her bachelor’s degree, including being the child of immigrant field workers and the first in her family to go to college. So when she’s out recruiting students of color for St. Cloud State University, she knows that sharing her story of success with teenagers from similar backgrounds can inspire them to earn a higher education.
That means a lot to Noyola. She likes to help Latinos and others from diverse communities get on the road to achieving their dreams. “There is no bigger reward than helping someone, whether they thank you or not. It’s a really great feeling,” she says. “At the end of the day you really feel like you’ve accomplished something.”
Noyola already has accomplished a lot. She first had to persuade her family that she should go away to the University of California–Berkley, where she worked 40 hours a week at three jobs to put herself through college. When she came to St. Cloud to be near her sister, Noyola brought years of nonprofit experience. Previously, she worked as a project coordinator on a National Latina Health Organization program for battered women; as a community organizer for the United Farm Workers union; and as a community liaison for Catholic Charities’ low-income clients.
Though she hasn’t lived in St. Cloud very long, Noyola already has made her mark in the community. In addition to her job as assistant director of admissions and student of color outreach at St. Cloud State, she serves on the board of the Multicultural Center for Central Minnesota; volunteers for the Latino Coalition to further unite Latinos in the area; and works on housing issues with the Community Development Coalition.
At the same time, Noyola is earning a master’s degree from St. Cloud State in social responsibility and is expecting her first child. Her long-term goals include leading a nonprofit organization and becoming an immigration attorney.
