The college access and success field is old enough that classes of
students we’ve supported have graduated and are now creating the change
we want to see in the world. As NCAN marks 25 years of progress in the
effort to close equity gaps in higher education, our Alumni Spotlight
series will feature the stories of outstanding alumni who have come
through our member organizations over the years.
At a time such as this, we believe it’s still important to share
the success stories of the students our members serve. We hope you enjoy
the series and this week’s alumni.
Twins Cindy and Richelene Cesar grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, and joined the College Crusade in the third grade. Cindy currently practices veterinary medicine at Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatments and Specialties in Massachussets, and Richelene
is working on her doctorate in clinical psychology.
Read more about the Cesar twins’ story below.
Note: The responses below have been lightly copy edited for clarity.
Tell us a story of how a mentor or counselor helped you on your journey to earn your postsecondary degree/credential.
Cindy: To recall one story would be profoundly difficult when it comes to exemplifying all that Dwayne Clement has done for my journey to veterinary school. He was always there for me and the other Crusaders when we needed him the most. Many of
us lacked a solid foundation at home, so being able to come to school and have someone who supported us and lifted us up with no boundaries was priceless. It meant the world and got us through when we really wanted to quit.
Richelene: I had a male, White professor who also worked as a forensic psychologist; my dream job. Though he and I were culturally as different as can be, he was always honest about the obstacles I would face as a woman of color trying to make
it in a field that was made of and for predominantly White men. He helped me find opportunities and became a strong ally for me throughout my educational career. He made it clear that even though it would be hard, he believed that I could do anything
I put my mind to.
As a student, what hurdles did you face while getting your postsecondary degree/credential?
Cindy: It was certainly difficult being among the only minorities in such a large class. There were days when I felt I wasn’t good enough, that I didn’t belong, and that I didn’t truly deserve to be there. It was a struggle that I faced daily,
and putting that on top of a very trying curriculum, I constantly felt like I was always 10 steps behind.
Richelene: As a Black woman, the obstacles to attaining any degree were plentiful. However, they increased substantially as I pursued my doctoral degree because the higher I climbed on the ladder of education, the less people I encountered who
looked like me. As such, I had to work twice as hard as my White counterparts because of institutional racism and biases, as those forces actively worked against my growth and my success.
Many of the opportunities I sought for myself, whether it be an externship or a teaching assistant position, required my ability to deal with supervisors who harbored dated ideals about women and people of color, and treated my accordingly. Luckily, my
resilience and my strength allowed me to not only survive these unruly and abusive conditions built to destroy me, but these attributes also helped me to change these systems so that women of color entering them after me would not have to face the
same tribulations as I had to overcome.
Why was it important for you to get your postsecondary degree/credential?
Cindy: It was important for me to get my veterinary degree because I knew that it meant something much bigger than me. The veterinary field is notoriously predominantly white, and I must admit that even my journey was made all the more intimidating
because I didn’t see people who looked like me doing it. It made me want to make it all the way so that I could show young brown and black children that it is possible because they had seen someone do it.
Richelene: My lifelong goal has always been to live life on my own terms, while also contributing meaningfully to society. I felt the only way to do that was to attain a doctoral degree because doing so would allot me more opportunities to become
an entrepreneur in the field of psychology. Specifically, I hope to work with underserved and marginalized populations by conducting forensic assessments and evaluations, becoming a consultant to educate people working with underserved populations
about best practices, having my own private practice in which I can provide adequate and informed treatment to people who need it and lack access to it, and becoming a professor at a doctoral institution so that I can impart knowledge about diversity
and trauma-informed care.
Without a doctoral degree, the world for me would be much smaller, but with one, I can take opportunity into my own hands while doing the work that I know is necessary and that I know I love.
What inspires you to work in your field?
Cindy: The veterinary field is ever-growing, and each day presents a new challenge as I attempt to determine the best way to care for my patients. I enjoy the constant innovations associated with the medicine and learning more about myself as I
work through each difficult case. It allows me to grow and contribute in ways unlike what would have been possible in another field, and that within itself is inspiring.
Richelene: Much of the work I do involves working with and advocating for the adequate and competent care of individuals who are forensically involved. Incarcerated men and women are literally marginalized by society, as they are thrown into prisons
and forgotten about. I recognize that not all, but many of these individuals’ fates are decided on by a system that chooses to criminalize mental illness, as opposed to prioritizing rehabilitation efforts that target mental health issues.
I do the work that I do so that those individuals who are victims of the system I’ve described can get the help they need. Just because they are imprisoned does not mean that they are not human beings deserving of adequate care. I do this work because
I want them to know that I see them and their struggles, and that recovery is for them, too.
In light of COVID-19, it’s important for students to hear words of encouragement from those who were in their shoes not long ago. What advice would you give to students right now?
Cindy: Never take no for an answer. And that means making sure you aren’t saying “no” to yourself. If you want that opportunity, go for it, and never back down. If you find yourself continuing to be knocked down, find a support system so strong
that they will need an army to knock you out again.
Richelene: My advice is to keep those who believe in you close, but to make sure to believe in yourself more. Your well-being is the most important aspect of your existence, and if you don’t take care of yourself then you can’t effectively live
your life or accomplish your goals. You may want to be rich someday or to change the world, but none of those dreams can become a reality if you don’t exist and if you don’t exist well. So, take time to get to know yourself. Take time to reflect about
yourself. Take time to rest yourself. Take time to love yourself. The rest should come naturally.
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