A warm welcome to Valerie Olivares, our new Educational Opportunity Program advisor!
Valerie Olivares (she/her/hers/ella) was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Valerie earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico in Business Administration: Management in 2019. Soon after she graduated, she moved to the Midwest for graduate school. Valerie is the first in her family to earn a Master of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE) from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 2021. She previously served as an Academic Coach for the Rinella Learning Center at Miami University. Through academic coaching, she provided guidance as students navigated the university system, developed and monitored progress toward appropriate goals, and made thoughtful decisions about their education. Valerie is an active member in the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), a professional student affairs association committed to racial justice, decolonization, and boldly transforming higher education, and is serving as a Presidential Intern from 2020-2023. Valerie is dedicated and committed to the success of EOP students at Sonoma State University. As a former EOP student herself, she is eager to provide guidance, support, and opportunities for growth to all EOP students at SSU to reach their academic, personal, and career goals.
We are so pleased to have Valerie join our team and look forward to working with her in support of our EOP students.