Atiana at QuickStart to College 2023
Atiana, a valued member of the FuturesNW team, will be moving on to pursue her next journey in Seattle. She filled the very important role of Support Services Program Coordinator, and needless to say, she did so wonderfully. Atiana first started with FuturesNW as a QuickStart to College mentor in Summer 2022 and was later hired as a Program Assistant in Fall 2022. She has been with us for the past two years and has left a tremendous impact.
Her knowledge of financial aid expertise spans far and wide– we know her new job will be so lucky to have her. She has been a true asset– demonstrating her excellent communication skills, problem-solving skills in times of stress, and genuine compassion when working with students and their families.
Atiana’s unwavering grit and persistence in tackling the complexities of the FAFSA form were truly impressive. Her exceptional organizational skills, meticulous data tracking, and adaptability shone through, especially when navigating the challenges of the new FAFSA process.
“I, of course, could not do any of this without the support and guidance of Ashley, but together we worked to add on an extra county and almost largely increase the amount of students we were able to support”
Mentors Atiana, Victor, and Tiffeny at QuickStart to College 2024
Atiana and Board Member Suni
Atiana shares that her lived experience as a first-generation homeless youth has been a powerful driving force behind her academic journey and passion for this work. One of the things she will miss most is the meaningful connections she’s built—with students, community partners, school staff, and the FuturesNW team. She says there’s nothing quite like witnessing the unexplainable joy students feel when they complete their financial aid applications, bringing them one step closer to achieving their dreams.
Atiana shares laughter with students and mentors at QuickStart to College 2024
“I could not have survived this year in the Financial Aid trenches without Atiana’s incredible determination, flexibility, hard work, organization and friendship. We cheered each other on, supported each other’s work and made sure we got through these wild card challenges/form errors intact, and on our best days with a lot of dark humor. Atiana has so much to be proud of on our team and we will miss her dearly! Her next team is truly fortunate to have such an incredible person. Cheers to your beautiful future in Seattle Atiana!”
Atiana, we will miss you so much, but are so excited to see where you go, knowing it will be somewhere truly extraordinary.