Finding Her Place: Rosa Gonzalez Granados Reflects on Her Student U Journey

For high school graduate Rosa Gonzalez Granados, Student U has never been defined by how often she has walked through the doors of the W.G. Pearson Center. Instead, it was the people who consistently checked in and adapted to her schedule.

Balancing academics, athletics, and college applications is no easy task. Yet Rosa Gonzalez Granados did all three while graduating as her class valedictorian. This fall, Rosa will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she plans to major in Business Administration while exploring the possibility of adding a second major in sports management. As she prepares for this next chapter, she looks back on the relationships and support that shaped her journey from sixth grade to high school graduation.

Behind every accomplishment, Rosa says, is a family that has supported her every step of the way. When asked who has had the biggest impact on her journey, she did not hesitate to name her family, calling them her “biggest cheerleaders.” Whether she was balancing academics and soccer or preparing for college, Rosa knew she always had people encouraging her to keep going.

Support That Met Her Where She Was

Rosa joined Student U in sixth grade, but balancing school and extracurricular activities meant she was not always able to participate in person. She attended middle school in Chapel Hill, which made it difficult to participate in Student U programming regularly.

“At first, my journey was a little complicated,” Rosa said. “I didn’t have too much time to be involved with Student U, but they were always so supportive.”

Although she could not always attend after-school programming, Student U found ways to stay connected. Staff members checked in by phone, text, and in monthly meetings, making sure Rosa continued to feel supported no matter how busy life became. Later, when she returned to Durham for high school, she continued playing soccer, which again limited how often she could attend programming. Still, Student U continued to work around her schedule.

“I feel like that’s where I, in a way, got so used to Student U being in my life because even though I had so much stuff going on, I was always able to stay engaged somehow.”

Finding Community

One of Rosa’s favorite memories came during the summer she served as a Student U intern. She described it as one of the best experiences she had because it allowed her to reconnect with teachers from previous Summer Academies, spend time with staff members, and build friendships with other interns.

“I really felt in place,” she said. “I felt like I didn’t miss anything because of all the connections I had with the staff.”

Throughout the summer, the interns participated in field trips together, creating memories that strengthened friendships Rosa had worried she might lose because she could not attend Student U as often during the school year.

“I really felt connected with all those friends that I thought I was going to lose.”

Preparing for College

As Rosa began planning for life after high school, she connected with several Student U staff members who helped guide her through the college process. She shared that her advocate, Ms. Crystal, was one of her biggest sources of support. 

“She was probably the biggest support I had transitioning out of high school into college,” Rosa said.

Rather than telling Rosa what decision to make, Ms. Crystal helped her think through each option.

“She supported me with all my decisions in the sense of not imposing, ‘Oh, you have to choose this college.’ Rather, she was giving me the pros and cons.”

Rosa also expressed appreciation for Ms. Megan, who helped her navigate scholarship opportunities and provided support throughout the college application process.

“I feel like talking to her really helped me a lot,” Rosa said.

Looking Ahead

As she prepares to begin college at UNC-Chapel Hill, Rosa is excited for what comes next. Reflecting on her journey, she hopes younger Student U students know that even if life becomes busy, they can still stay connected and ask for support when they need it. Her experience showed her that meaningful relationships are measured by the people who continue to show up along the way. For Rosa, those relationships made all the difference, and they are something she will carry with her long after graduation.

We are excited to watch her continue pursuing her goals. Congratulations, Rosa! We cannot wait to see all that you accomplish in this next chapter.

By: Amy Hyde, Communications Intern

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