Kathy Zarate
Fellows Coordinator
Texas OnCourse
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I applied to Baylor early and was accepted by October of my senior year of high school. As a first-generation college student, I was excited to begin my educational path.
I was accepted for a competitive paid internship my junior year of college. I had no relevant work experience and no connections, so I didn't think my chances were that great.
I took a year off after college to serve in an AmeriCorps program focused on education. This experience led me to want to focus on increasing access to education.
My first semester of law school was so hard that I wanted to quit so I applied to graduate school as a backup plan. I got in and decided to get a joint degree.
I was accepted into fellowship for recent graduates of law / graduate programs in Washington, DC. I was able to rotate to different city agencies and gain invaluable work experiences.
After 4 years in DC, I moved back to Texas and spent a year free-lancing while applying for jobs. I eventually was hired for a position working with a college readiness program at a nonprofit.
I accepted a job with a statewide organization and I was excited to take my work to a higher level. However, I felt disconnected from the work I really wanted to do at a more local level.
I found a position that allows me to collaborate with a variety of stakeholders and is directly tied to improving access to education.
Education
High School
San Marcos High School
San Marcos High School
Career
Fellows Coordinator
I manage a two-year fellowship program for high school counselors and advisers.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Government
Upholding a Cause and Belief
Day to Day
My job requires that I provide information, resources, and other support to the fellows participating in the fellowship program I manage. This means I am responding to inquiries from fellows via phone and email. I am usually planning professional development opportunities for them like in-person trainings or webinars. I explore potential avenues for the fellows to share their expertise in furthering the goals of my organization. I also create policies and guidelines to support the fellows.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"Why go to law school if you aren't going to practice law? Why put yourself through that? I heard this from a variety of people."
Challenges I Overcame
First-Generation College Student
