November 2017 Spotlight — Josephina Galvan
Ensuring Success
Josefina Galvan is the student services coordinator for our University’s ATLAS (Aspiring Teacher Leadership and Success) initiative and provides help advising and event planning for many disadvantaged students at WSU. ATLAS works with 140 first generation, low income, and disabled students, providing opportunities for academic development, assistance with college requirements, and motivation toward degree completion. Josefina works directly with many of the students providing additional student advising and identifying “what success looks like to them,” and finding the resources available to help them achieve their goals.
Fully funded through U.S. Department of Education’s TRIO Programs, ATLAS works within the College of Education to help improve graduation rates for these disadvantaged students through individualized services, financial aid, and support resources. The program also provides advocacy for underrepresented populations. ATLAS is identified under our Provost’s Student Success Initiatives as an important collaborative project to help ensure the success of future educators.
Josefina has now been with WSU for several years making big impact where ever she goes. She started out at WSU with College Assistance Migrant Program, then Student Financial Aid Services, before working on several projects within Department of Chemistry, finally finding a home in the College of Education. Josefina is used the joys of small-town life hailing from Rigby in Eastern Idaho, eventually finding her way to Moscow to study in the Department of Sociology, now she and her family have become Pullmanites here on the Palouse.
(left) 2017 ATLAS student graduation (right) ATLAS WSU tour for Nations Upward Bound students