From EPAA to Brown University and Back!

Meet Dulce, a proud EPAA Class of 2021 graduate, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Analysis and Research and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Brown University in 2025. Today, she is working full-time as an academic advisor with College Track, supporting young people from East Palo Alto and the surrounding communities as they prepare for college.

Her journey began at EPAA.

Dulce chose EPAA because it is a small school where students looked like her, a place where she felt seen and supported. In this close-knit environment, she learned how to advocate for herself and seek the academic guidance she needed to succeed.

At EPAA, Dulce took dual enrollment courses at Foothill College that accelerated her college path. A Sociology of Gender class sparked her passion for sociology and ultimately shaped her decision to apply to Brown. She entered college with credits already completed, giving her a head start and confidence in her abilities.

Financial support made the difference.

“There is a different way to experience and thrive in college when you’re not worried about money.”  

As a recipient of the Tyrone Lampley Dream Scholarship, one of the distinctive scholarships administered by EPAAF, the financial burden of attending college was eased. She still remembers the kindness of her donor, who personally ensured she had a winter coat and essentials to prepare for the East Coast cold. That gesture made her feel, in her words, cared for and prepared.

Dulce hopes to pursue a master’s or PhD and work in educational data analysis—helping shape decisions that impact students like the ones she now mentors. She understands first-hand how access, opportunity, and belief can transform a life.