Theresa Yvonne (Ovalle) Espinoza
Theresa Yvonne (Ovalle) Espinoza (CAS’00) of Austin, Tex., is one of only eight college counselors in the country to be given the 2015 Counselors That Change Lives Award by the nonprofit Colleges That Change Lives. The award recognizes Yvonne’s work to increase college access for underserved populations. Previously, she was a counselor at Lyndon B. Johnson High School in Austin, which has served African American and Hispanic students as well as housing the premier magnet school in the city. According to the award citation, colleges would go to LBJ to visit the magnet students, but Yvonne would reach out to them and remind them not to forget her students. She now works at Gonzalo Garza Independence High School, a solution-focused school that works with students to complete their degrees regardless of their circumstances.
From the Summer 2015 issue.