From Thrift Store to Accounting Firm

Rosaura Cardenas is now enjoying the fruit of all her hard work and effort. On May 12, 2006 , Rosaura graduated from Phoenix College with an Associate in Business and Accounting, not only with Highest Distinction, but also as co-valedictorian of the 2006 graduating class. She finished with perfect scores in both of these challenging majors. What makes her accomplishment even more remarkable is the fact that she did not even know English until just a few years ago. 

 In spring 2000, Rosaura was an ESOL student at the Rio Salado Adult Learning Center Seventh Avenue in downtown Phoenix . Having just arrived from Sonora , Mexico , she worked her way up through the ESOL program and then took advantage of the Transition Program to help her get started at Phoenix College . She used the Transition Scholarship in her first semester there, and then used the Project Success scholarship to finance the rest of her education along with books and supplies.  “Rio Salado really opened the door for me. I don’t think I would have gotten this far without the support of the Transition Team and teachers at Rio . They were a huge help for me,” comments Rosaura. 

 Ms. Cardenas remembers the old days when she was working at a thrift store and earning minimum wage. She was also getting up at 5 every morning in order to take the first bus from the far west valley into central Phoenix to come to Rio . With no car and almost no money, she had big dreams. She said, “The thrift store was OK for me back then, but not for my whole life. I wanted to have a better job. I didn’t want to take 2 or 3 jobs just to have a higher standard of living. I needed to satisfy my dream of working as a professional.”

 Rosaura is now a professional accountant specializing in taxes at a local accounting firm. She is the only Spanish speaking accountant in the office and has brought in a lot of business for the firm. Upon graduating, she was rewarded with a big raise and promise of a bright future if she stays with the firm. She plans to continue her education at ASU with the goal of getting a master’s in taxation some day and becoming a CPA. No doubt the extra money will help her in achieving this dream.

 She has advice for the new students in light of Proposition 300. “Don’t give up. Some doors have closed, but some are still open. Be active and stand up to look for all opportunities. Everything starts with English to improve communication, understand the culture and integrate into the American mainstream. If you can do that, you will access other opportunities.”

 Rosaura in spite of her many obstacles was able to overcome the odds and achieve the American dream. “If I can do it, you can do it, too,” she says. “There is no difference at all.”

Tom Kowalczyk from Rio Transition Team