Texas State student named Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers fellow

By Ann Friou
University News Service
January 30, 2012

Gabriella Corales, an English and communication studies major at Texas State University-San Marcos, is among 25 students nationwide to receive a 2012 fellowship from the Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund for Aspiring Teachers of Color.

Each Fellow will receive a $30,000 stipend to complete a master’s degree in education. The fellowship also includes mentoring support throughout a three-year commitment to teach in a high-need public school. Corales, who will graduate from Texas State in May 2012, hopes to attend graduate school at the University of Massachusetts, Boston University or Stanford University. After obtaining her degree, she plans to teach English in middle school.

Corales, a graduate of Luther Burbank High School in San Antonio, is the daughter of Michael A. Corales and Laura Elizondo, and the granddaughter of Delia Corales, all of San Antonio.

At Texas State, Corales has been president of the campus’ First Generation Student Organization and a big sister through the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program. She has also been a motivational speaker at area schools, with a special focus on speaking to students about overcoming obstacles and persevering.

“I am very passionate about teaching,” she said. “My career plans have always been to be an educator and to impact and inspire others, especially individuals who come from backgrounds similar to my own. I am entering a new chapter in my life, and I am eagerly anticipating what lies ahead.”

The 25 WW-RBF Fellows were chosen through a competitive selection process. Each Fellow was nominated by one of the program’s 48 nominating institutions.

Established in 1992 by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color were created to help recruit, support, and retain individuals of color as public education teachers and administrators. Since the program’s inception, it has awarded nearly $8 million in grants and financial assistance to 400 Fellows. In January 2009, RBF transferred the program to the Woodrow Wilson Foundation following a national review of potential host organizations.