My name is Rosa Fernández. I graduated from Wellesley College in 2007, and studied history with a focus on Latin America. After coming to the U.S. at age 14 with my twin sister and mother, I attended Manhattan International High School, a small high school for immigrant students in New York City. While in high school, I developed an awareness of social issues related to education. I lived in the South Bronx and recognized the many challenges that poor communities faced. I was lucky to have a wonderful high school experience that broadened my sense of self in the world followed by an extraordinary education at Wellesley.
My passion for education came from my own experience in high school: I wanted other students to have the same quality education that I had and that led me to college. After graduating from Wellesley, I worked at a small law firm and then as a researcher at Columbia University. I realized that I wanted closure with my community and to help in a direct way, so I left to join the NYC Department of Education where I have been part of unprecedented reform initiatives to improve access to quality education. I have played various roles in engaging with schools, parents, students, and community leaders on turning around underperforming schools. I strongly believe that every child deserves equal opportunities to a good education and that, just like me, they should have the opportunity to attend college.
I am currently in the International Educational Development master’s program at Teachers College, Columbia University. The International and Comparative Education program offers an interdisciplinary and global perspective on issues related to education reform, strategic planning, policy-making, and quantitative analysis. It prepares students for professions in government, research, project design and evaluation, and program management. The program aims to engage students in understanding the complexity of educational systems in an interconnected and diverse world and applying concepts and best practices in the local context. As a student in this program, I have taken courses in sustainability, education reform in New York City public schools, urban and minority education, and educational equality. These topics have introduced me to major challenges in the New York City education system and most importantly, how to analyze such issues and propose potential solutions. In my current role in the Office of Space Planning with the NYC Department of Education, I have the opportunity to analyze issues about school overcrowding, enrollment trends, building capacity and utilization, and building accessibility for mobility-impaired students.
How has your career changed since you originally envisioned it at Wellesley? What other careers did you consider as a student?
I never thought I would work in government and education policy. During my time at Wellesley, my first dream was to become a human rights lawyer and then, in my senior year, I became interested in a career in academia. My first job out of college was at Lankler, Siffert & Wohl, a small white-collar crime law firm in Manhattan. During my two years at this firm, I had the opportunity to work on a human trafficking case. This work made me realize that I wanted to have an immediate impact on people’s lives, particularly women and children. I left law to join a team of social science researchers at Columbia University working on preventing substance abuse among young African American and Latina girls living in public housing. This brought me back to my passion to work towards improving the lives of children in poor communities. I wanted to have direct access to people and see outcomes of the work. This is why I left academia for work in education that dealt directly with improving schools and therefore children. I am happy I have been able to combine my skills and passion. In government, I have the opportunity to engage in policy-making, use my research skills to analyze problems, and interact with schools.
How has Wellesley contributed to your career?
Wellesley has been the most important experience and stepping stone in my life. I am forever grateful for the amazing education I received and the opportunities to become a leader. I am also grateful for the strong women I shared four years of my life with. They have been crucial in both my personal and professional lives. Wellesley opened the doors to the world and I wouldn’t be where I am today without my education. At Wellesley, I learned to be an effective communicator and leader. These skills have served me well every step of the way.
Most importantly, my network of college friends has been instrumental in supporting and guiding me. It is because of my Wellesley network—Kathleen Cushman, an education writer, and Nancy Genero, a professor of psychology—that I have come this far. It is the relationships that one develops at Wellesley that matter most. They have opened many doors for me that I couldn’t possibly image at 14 when I came to the U.S. The academics at Wellesley have also been crucial to my development. I learned discipline and a work ethic that has stayed with me ever since. I felt challenged every day and this is what keeps me going and wanting to make an impact.
What is a typical work day or work week like for you?
Every day is different. I work cross-functionally with almost every major office in the NYC Department of Education. This could entail collecting and analyzing different types of data to inform decisions at the highest-level. I also work, from time to time, with parents and advocates on resolving student issues such as an accommodation for a student with a disability. Other times I am at meetings or on conference calls discussing the status of the construction of health clinics in schools or new science labs.
What piece of advice would you offer students looking to get into your area of interest and expertise
While people advise getting experience after college before deciding on graduate school, I would recommend students to pursue further training at the graduate level. Many young people in my field have been teachers for several years before moving onto graduate school and a career in education policy. This is also a great avenue. People with direct experience in schools have a great advantage. They know how policies impact student learning and school environments on a daily basis. They bring an important perspective to the table. This coupled with a graduate degree in education, business, social work, or public administration goes a long way. It is very important to have professional skills and to bring a professional network to be successful. New directions in education policy focus on data and accountability. Thus, having an analytical background is very important.
What do you wish you had known as a student?
I wished I had done more professional internships. During the summers, I did research fellowships through Wellesley. I wished I had spent some time in a law firm or a government office. I would have had a better understanding of the fields and thus an idea of what preparation I needed during and after college.
If you could come back and take one class at Wellesley what would it be?
I wished I could have stayed at Wellesley for an additional year. I had a long list of courses I wanted to take and I just didn’t have time. In fact, I did not go abroad (though I encourage everyone to study abroad and possibly learn another language) because I wanted to take full advantage of the academics. That said, I wished I had taken a couple of courses in statistics and research methods.