GTCC recruiter finds her voice and purpose through fellowship program

“Coming into student recruitment opened up doors, and thanks to LatinxEd, it unlocked potential I had hidden for a really long time.”

When Melisa Garcia talks about her journey in education – she does so with strength that comes from lived experience, cultural pride, and a deep commitment to opening doors for others.

Garcia is one of 39 individuals selected for the 2026 LatinxEd Fellowship, a network of educators and advocates working to expand opportunities for Latino students across North Carolina. For Garcia, the fellowship has become more than professional development. It has become a community, a catalyst, and a reminder that her story matters.

“I feel like LatinxEd has given me a powerful moment,” she said. “We are here, we can contribute and we can make a difference for generations to come.”

Garcia was born in Puerto Rico and came to the United States as a young child when her father joined the U.S. Army. Her early years were spent moving from base to base – Germany for kindergarten, then back to Puerto Rico, and eventually to Fayetteville, where she graduated from E.E. Smith High School in 2000.

Education was always her calling. She enrolled at University of North Carolina at Greensboro to study Spanish and pursue teaching, supported by both the N.C. Teaching Fellows Scholarship and the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship.

“I always tell students there are scholarships out there and you can really go to school debt free,” she said. “I was very privileged to not have to take out money to go to college.”

For 20 years, Garcia taught middle and high school Spanish in Randleman, Asheboro, Concord, and finally at Southwest Guilford High School in High Point. She loved the classroom and her students, and she loved the connection that came from teaching a language tied to her identity.

Her inspiration came from her own high school Spanish teacher, also Puerto Rican.

“She spoke the same language that was spoken in my home, and she was so kind and lovely,” Garcia said. “I wanted to become a high school Spanish teacher because of her.”

In May 2024, after lingering challenges of post-pandemic teaching, Garcia found herself at a crossroads and looking to expand her career opportunities.

She joined GTCC in September 2024 and immediately felt at home.

“It was just meant to be,” she said. “It’s been the best couple years of my life, and the work I’m doing is making a difference.”

In her role, Garcia sees herself not only as a recruiter, but as a guide, helping students navigate the path to higher education.

“I can show students high school is not the end. You can do this. And that makes me feel really good.”

Shortly after joining GTCC, Garcia began searching for organizations that supported Latino students. That search led her to LatinxEd, where she attended her first training focused on helping students access post-secondary pathways.

“I was fascinated with what LatinxEd was doing,” she said. “I went to their summit last year, and when they explained the fellowship program, I thought, ‘Man, I would really like to join that network.’”

In May 2026, Garcia was invited to be a part of the 2026 fellowship. The cohort gathered for a weeklong retreat in July, which she described as transformative.

The retreat focused on identity, advocacy, leadership, and the power of personal narrative. Garcia and the other fellows lived in small casitas, building deep connections that continued even after the retreat ended.

“Those folks have become like family,” Garcia said. “We have a group text thread and stay in touch. It feels like an extended part of my family now.”

For Garcia, the fellowship offered something she had never experienced in her career: a room full of leaders who had similar backgrounds to her.

“For the first time, I’m surrounded by people with my cultural roots, my identity, and the same passion for students,” she said. “Having people who share your cultural history is powerful.”

Part of the fellowship is a public-facing speaking engagement which Garcia will fulfill as part of GTCC’s TEDx series.

Her talk will center on representation – how seeing someone who shares your background can unlock human potential.

“Teaching was a meaningful path for me, and over time I began to recognize new ways I could grow and contribute in education,” she said.

LatinxEd helped her see herself differently.

“Coming into student recruitment opened up doors, and thanks to LatinxEd, it unlocked potential I had hidden for a really long time.”

Garcia’s work, and her fellowship, are driven by a clear mission to ensure all students have equitable access to education.

According to LatinxEd, Latino students make up 21% of North Carolina’s K–12 enrollment, yet only 16% of community college students and 4% of university students.

“Many students aren’t quite sure how to access those pathways,” Garcia said. “There is a need to change that.”

For Garcia, the fellowship is not a temporary experience – it is a lifelong commitment.

“It just doesn’t end here,” she said. “We’re stuck with each other for life. We’re going to make sure our students have access to education here in North Carolina.”