Rosa D. Salmeron was born in El Salvador. At a young age, she was brought to the US and raised in Bakersfield, California. Being a first generation immigrant meant encountering many challenges in the school system including the language barrier. She became a teenage mom at 16 and dropped out of high school. Rosa decided to return to school in her early twenties and received a high school diploma and an AA degree in administration of justice from Bakersfield College. In her 30s, she received a second AA degree in communications from Bakersfield College before transferring to Fresno State. Rosa graduated from Fresno State with a bachelor’s of social work in May 2018. Rosa is the first of her eight siblings to graduate from college.

Rosa realized that she wanted her daughter to have a better future, much like her parents and older siblings wanted her to have a better future. She had to lead by example. This was her drive to go back to school and obtain a bachelor’s degree, even if it took 15 years. Her daughter is also a student at Fresno State and will graduate next year with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. It's never too late to follow your dreams and the struggle to pave a new path for future generations. Education is worth the effort and any sacrifice. Rosa believes that adults at any age can set an example for others in pursuing education. Rosa’s life motto is alone we can help a few, but together we can help many.