Ashley Rosales tosses her cap in front of the Apollo Fountain.
The Class of 2021 graduates are all about the business of breaking barriers, challenging norms, and disrupting old ways of doing things. We salute their success and are proud to share a few of their stories.
Latin American Student Organization (LASO) President Alan Rosales ’21, a double major in criminal justice and Spanish, arrived at GCU as a first-generation college student who was undeclared. And that was just fine.
Alan was already a high achiever. He came to GCU with enough credits—acquired before he graduated from Lakewood High School—to graduate college early. He gravitated toward criminal justice classes and decided to major in the field. Additional time spent with Drs. Jaime Rivera and Kathryn Quinn-Sanchez led Alan to choose a second major, Spanish, alongside his concentration in global justice and society. Doing so allowed the TRIO scholar to blend his passion for human rights and the law, among other subjects. Along the way, he stepped up his participation on campus with GCU’s Council for Diversity and Inclusion.
Achievement is important to Alan.
“Every semester I’ve been either on the President’s or Dean’s lists. I was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma, Chi Alpha Epsilon, and Alpha Phi Sigma honor societies,” adds Alan. “I attribute my success at Georgian Court to my hard work and dedication and the support I received from Danielle Staten Lamb and the TRIO-SSS staff, my professors, and my family.
“After graduation, I plan on being a paralegal,” he says. “Eventually, I plan on attending law school and study either criminal or constitutional law.”
Perseverance Personified
Alan’s drive for success mirrors that of his cousin, Ashley Rosales ’21, who is the walking definition of perseverance.
Ashley, a Lakewood High School graduate and the oldest of four children, wanted to set an example for her younger siblings. While she was not sure what major to declare initially, she gravitated toward medical imaging sciences and a minor in biology. Ashley eventually changed her focus to education, seeking her degree in natural sciences with a minor in biology.
She faced personal challenges while maintaining a full-time job in addition to school and family obligations. Still, Ashley took advantage of tutoring opportunities. and through dedication and hard work, she persisted and reached her goal of graduating from GCU with a degree in natural sciences.
Beyond classes in science, education, and psychology required in preparation for teaching, Ashley took art and music classes to de-stress and expand her creative endeavors. Now, the aspiring elementary school teacher wants to keep it moving and keep learning by earning a master’s degree in education.
Photos by Russ DeSantis.
