2023 Lucero Scholar: Teresa Rocha-Ruiz

Born in Sonora, Mexico. MA in Pastoral Ministry: Hispanic Ministry Concentration, and MEd in Educational Leadership from Boston College. BA in Accounting from Sonora Institute of Technology (ITSON).

Hola and hi to everyone! My name is Teresa Rocha-Ruiz, and I was born in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México. When I came to the USA twenty-three years ago with my $750 savings and the moral support of my family, I knew there was a mission for me in this country. I am deeply grateful and honored to be the recipient of the Dr. Cynthia Lucero scholarship this year.

As a former volunteer interpreter and Eucharistic minister at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Spanish teacher at Pope John XXIII (Everett, MA), a former supervisor of student teachers at Boston College, and a bilingual in-class tutor for Latinx immigrant students at Medford High School, I became aware of the health disparities immigrants experienced.  My former job supporting new arriving students from Latin American countries confirmed my call to support women who were held back by gender inequalities and to help adolescents and young adults, who strive for their emotional balance and their identity when straddling two cultures.

This scholarship and the Lucero Latinx Mental Health community will allow me to fulfill my vocation of supporting immigrants −like me and my former students− as a mental health provider.  I am thrilled to receive the necessary skills to provide unconditional positive regard to individuals from my Latinx/Hispanic community, in their language, and to become a culturally sensitive therapist. I am also hoping to share this training with other providers in the future. Moreover, this scholarship empowers me to be a role model for my community: like my former Latinx students, my daughter and son, and other members of my family in Mexico.

I want to express my gratitude to William James College and to the awards committee for believing in my potential, decreasing financial restrictions, and enabling me to focus on my work to pursue a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology. Additionally, I would like to thank my family, friends, and mentors for their encouragement and support as I embark on this journey.

As the 2023 Lucero Scholar, I will work diligently with the community of faculty and students to increase culturally sensitive and linguistically capable individuals serving my Latinx and Hispanic community as a continuation of Dr. Cynthia Lucero’s work, during my graduate studies and beyond.

Entering Class of 2023