Contact Proyecto Pa'Lante

Dr. Rivera is a first generation college student who has served as Director of Proyecto Pa’Lante for three years.  As Director of Proyecto Pa’Lante she has taught the Proyecto Pa’Lante Seminar and oversees the recruitment, admissions, retention, advising and programming of her program.  

William “Will” Escalante is a bilingual (English/Spanish) educator with over 10 years of experience in post-secondary education.  He began his career at Nevada State College where he worked in College Admissions, Recruitment and Academic Advising. The interactions and experiences that he had with students in the Las Vegas area motivated him to pursue graduate education in order to better understand the historical and social contexts in which students live and pursue their education.  Prior to Proyecto Pa’Lante, Mr. Escalante worked for the TRIO SSS program as an Advisor as well as an Admissions counselor in the NEIU Admissions Office as an Admissions Counselor and Recruiter. These experiences reinforced his dedication to working with students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in U.S. Higher Education. 

Suyapa Velasquez is a first-generation college student, Proyecto Pa’Lante alumni, and bilingual (English/Spanish) professional with more than eight years of experience in post-secondary education. Her mission is to be able to connect with students from various cultural backgrounds in all aspects of their education through holistic advising and support that empowers them as they pursue their academic and professional goals.  

Suyapa’s professional career began here at NEIU when she worked as Recruitment Specialist in the Proyecto Pa’Lante. Her most recent experience working as an Academic Support Coach at Saint Xavier University allowed her to put into practice her knowledge gained through her Master’s program not only in providing academic support to students who were struggling academically but also as an instructor for a Student Success Academic Support course where she assisted students to develop the necessary skills for advanced learning at the college level.