Foundation
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Opening Doors to Higher Education.
We support students and families in navigating the path toward college and career success.
Services include:
• FAFSA and WASFA workshops
• College and career readiness support
• Information sessions on higher education programs
• ELEVATE Program (Access to Adults 25+ to College and Higher Education)
• Guidance for students and families unfamiliar with the U.S. education system
We believe that every student deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams through education.
Born in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, daughter of Rafael Pulgar and Elba Carcamo, and sister of Rafael, Dedriz, and Beky. Mother of Gaby and Gail.
She graduated as a psychologist from Universidad del Norte and specialized in Psychology for Autonomous Learning. During the first ten years of her professional career in Colombia, she developed extensive experience as a professor, lecturer, and learning facilitator in university, business, and social settings.
At the administrative level, she led student recruitment and admissions processes, coordinated business internship programs, and served as Director of Student Wellness, where she successfully implemented programs that promoted integration and interaction within the educational community, holistic development, entrepreneurial leadership, and the creation of life projects grounded in human values and social responsibility.
In 2010, she moved to the United States, living in Kentucky, Florida, and Washington. She is currently employed at Everett Community College, where she works as a Financial Aid Evaluator. Her passion is supporting students, families, and the community in exploring different options to finance their college education.
As an immigrant and someone familiar with the barriers that prevent many students from completing higher education in Washington State, she decided to join efforts with a group of professionals to create the nonprofit organization Keep Dreams Alive. Through this foundation, she seeks to support and serve the Snohomish County community, especially the Hispanic population, in achieving their educational, professional, and social goals.
Patricia was born in Chicago, Illinois, where her father, originally from Mexico, and her mother, born in Colombia, met after immigrating to the United States in the 1970s. As the daughter of two immigrants, Spanish became Patricia’s first language.
Thanks to the encouragement of her parents, the educational system, and her own determination, she eventually became fluent in both English and Spanish. This was one of many challenges she viewed as necessary to break through barriers that would ultimately lead her to become an interpreter and advocate for her family. Over time, her drive for self-improvement was fueled by the inspiration of teachers and mentors who helped guide her path to college.
In 1989, Patricia, her younger sister, and her parents moved to California due to financial hardships. In 2002, Patricia graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Child and Adolescent Studies and minoring in Human Services. Early in her career, Patricia gained professional experience in retail management, the food industry, healthcare, and social work.
In 2011, Patricia moved to Washington, where she now lives with her husband and son. During her time in Washington, she has gained additional professional experience in property management, case management, and most recently in education, where she serves as a Student Support Advocate for the Mukilteo School District. In 2015, she was appointed to a four-year term on the City of Everett Diversity Advisory Board. There, she learned to promote diversity within the community with the goal of creating greater opportunities and a more welcoming environment for marginalized individuals.
Patricia believes that having strong faith and personal determination are the two main elements needed to overcome any obstacle in life. Through Keep Dreams Alive, she hopes to plant these seeds so future generations can continue to thrive.
My name is Maria Noemi Behrens.
Born in Mexico, María earned her higher education degree from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and emigrated to the United States in 1996 with her family, making Washington State her home, where she raised her two children.
After gaining more than 14 years of experience working with Head Start families in positions of increasing responsibility at Edmonds Community College and United Indians of All Tribes Foundation in Seattle, María realized that families lacked knowledge about how to support their children in pursuing higher education and were unaware of the resources available to help students achieve their educational aspirations. She made it her mission to change that. María provided social services to low-income families in one of the most impoverished and high-risk areas of the city of Everett for 10 years. Her professional experience includes working with families from diverse backgrounds, including Latino and Native communities.
While working at the Center for Diversity and Equity at Everett Community College, she established partnerships with Snohomish County high schools and community organizations to build capacity within the Latino community to access higher education and advocate for diversity and equity issues on campus and in the community.
The achievement María is most proud of is the support she provides to nontraditional students returning to school. Before the pandemic, she helped 80% of the GED graduates from Connect Casino Road begin their college careers.
María’s passion and commitment are to support students and their families in reducing the equity gap in education by intentionally addressing the systemic barriers in their educational experiences that make it difficult for students to graduate from high school prepared for college. María firmly believes that education is the pathway through which families achieve economic progress and intergenerational economic mobility.