Since she was 15, Cecilia Rios Aguilar has been involved with social programs aimed at helping the poor and illiterate in her native country of Mexico. At a young age, she even created and became an active member of a foundation to help poor Mexican children.

This past summer, Rios Aguilar, who earned a master’s in educational administration from Warner in 2003 and is currently working on her doctorate in the same area, had a rare opportunity to impact policy that affects Hispanic American families.

Through a highly competitive process, Rios Aguilar was selected as a graduate fellow in the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. The Initiative supports the Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans and advises the Secretary of Education, Rod Paige.

In her Washington, D.C., position, Rios Aguilar conducted research for Initiative projects, attended conferences and presentations that are relevant for education of Hispanic Americans, and helped establish contact with other researchers and institutions interested in Hispanic issues. Her efforts ultimately will contribute toward the goal of creating policy and initiatives that will close the educational achievement gap of Hispanic Americans.

Capitol photo by James Pauls

“Working for the White House Initiative gave me the unique opportunity to make concrete contributions that can change the lives of Hispanic families,” says Rios Aguilar. “I was able to conduct research that may contribute to the design of more effective policies.”
Rios Aguilar says that learning about policymaking at the federal level and understanding how policies can impact individual lives has inspired her in personal and academic ways.

“It has changed my perspective and strengthened my research interests and skills,” she says. The internship helped Rios Aguilar narrow the question that she will attempt to answer in her dissertation. She is interested in knowing if Hispanic family involvement has an influence on the educational outcomes of Hispanic students, and if so, how big this effect is.

“Changing the ‘status quo’ of Hispanic education in the United States will contribute to increasing the quality of life for millions of Hispanic Americans and, of course, Mexicans. Knowing that I can make a difference has really strengthened my passion for education.”

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