Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathaleen Acosta.
Hi Kathaleen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Today, I am a proud member of the education industry with over three decades of experience. My curiosity about education as a career option began shortly after graduating high school. I had always loved school, learning, and being around people. My mom and sister had promising careers at Dallas ISD, and as a young adult, I took a leap of faith and began my career in education. At this point in my life, I had completed a few college courses but no degrees. I instead opted to take the traditional route, influenced by my upbringing, and became a wife and mother and continued working full-time. Life was moving fast, and I finally realized that I needed to make some changes for the future of my son and myself. I am not sure where I heard it, but it was etched in my brain: If you want to change your life, you need an education. I am unsure who said it or where I heard it, but I believed it. I wanted to change my life, and I utilized the power of an education to do so.
After making decisions that complemented changing my life, I became fully invested in attaining a formal education. I had completed my associate degree but needed more to change my career and financial life. I found my “career home” in education and needed additional credentials. My commitment to my son and my future motivated me to pursue my education persistently. After carefully evaluating my life, I decided to complete both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Feeling the need to compensate for lost time as a non-traditional student, I was determined and unstoppable. In 2017, I initiated #OperationDoctorates, aiming for the highest level of academic achievement: a doctorate. Now that I have completed my doctorate, I often hear that most believe a doctorate is unattainable and too difficult. On the contrary, my most challenging degree was my bachelor’s. It was not the content; it was all the classes I needed to complete because I was eager to get to the next phase of my education and career. Nevertheless, I hung in there and kept going.
Now that I have the time to reflect, I realize that each degree marked a new phase in my life. With my associate degree, I thought I had life figured out. With my bachelor’s, I was clear: I did not have life figured out, and getting an education would help me. With my master’s degree, I was extremely enthusiastic about life and career. Lastly, with my doctorate, I was in a space where anything was possible. I had a career, credentials, and clarity in my life. Unknowingly, these phases were a significant part of my journey to self-discovery.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would have appreciated a smoother road. It was a road with sharp turns and potholes. But then again, as they say, “Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy.” I can smile now when I think back on everything I was juggling. Balancing the impact on my family, advancing my education, building my career, and managing a full-time job was sometimes daunting. Nonetheless, when you have faith and couple it with desire and commitment, the journey is worth it.
Some of my challenges included being a single mother and the pressure I felt to position myself to give my son a chance at a better future. I was always cautious about who or what I exposed him to. As a single mother, I worked hard to meet his needs while balancing my career and education. I aimed to create a safe and secure environment where my son could thrive and have good childhood memories. I was a protective Mom, and he might even say I was overprotective. I aimed to give him access to the best schools in Dallas and equip him with the life skills necessary to navigate the world confidently. It was important to me that he grew up knowing he was loved and supported in every aspect of his life. My son did something like no other person in my life has; he taught me what unconditional love was. Never in my life was a human so important to me. The love I have for my son is unmatchable. My every move and decision was made considering how it would impact him; well, I guess I was overprotected😊.
My journey undoubtedly had its challenges. However, reflecting on this question, I know that His grace guided me, that I dared to push through my difficulties, and that the support from my village impacted me in a way that I was able to transform my life completely; and it was by using education as the catalyst that made all this possible.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Another aspect of my life that I am proud of is being a member of the Dallas College leadership team. Dallas College has been part of my life since my twenties, first as a student and then as an employee. I have a solid sense of loyalty and profound belief in the college’s mission, “to change lives and communities through higher education,” because I was the very student we aimed to support by providing educational opportunities.
It is not by chance that I have dedicated my career to education. Experiencing thirty years of my life in the education industry has shaped who I became and the accomplishments I earned.
I started my career with Dallas College at the Richland campus and then went to the West Dallas Center, where I have served for over fifteen years. During my time at Dallas College, I have held several positions, from department assistant to administrator. My positions have been rewarding, and I have learned a lot. To date, my most fulfilling role was as the executive director of the West Dallas Center. This role allowed me to impact all aspects of education. One of my proudest moments was working with leaders of Dallas ISD to launch several P-Tech- Early College High School programs for students from South and West Dallas. I believe that if you want to foster positive change, you should also focus on empowering youth with the necessary resources, and this program did just that. I vividly recall a meeting that included executives from a local Airline, Dallas ISD, and the West Dallas Center; one of the executives from Dallas ISD passed me a note that read, “Let’s seal the deal.” At that moment, I fully understood the privilege of serving, utilizing my voice and experience, and the tables I sit at to impact change in our communities. Yes, the deal was sealed, and it was a collective effort and agreement of three organizations invested in supporting and providing access to our communities.
I am invested in the West Dallas community. While employed with Dallas ISD, I worked in West Dallas at Lorenzo De Zavala Elementary School for eight years and have worked at the West Dallas Center since 2009. My son received a stellar education in West Dallas from Pre-K -8th grade and then transferred to a magnet high school. The West Dallas community taught me what community engagement was and why it is so necessary and impactful for an organization like Dallas College to be embedded in the fabric of the communities we serve. When you work with and empower community members and non-profits, you begin to scale the impact of change in our neighborhoods. Currently, I serve as senior director in the division of Advancement & Innovation, focusing on community relations and strategy. Through my work with communities, I have developed and facilitated initiatives to support community-based organizations with resources available through Dallas College, including events, no-cost training, and programming. Over the years, I have developed meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals who also want to impact change in our neighborhoods. I believe, Together, We Are Stronger!
Dallas College has been a part of my life for a long time, and I am grateful to several individuals who have been my champions. I am immensely grateful to Bao Nguyen for giving me my first opportunity at Dallas College in 2004 and opening the doors to the world of Higher Education. I am also grateful to Dr. Karen Stills for entrusting me with my initial administrative role in 2014. Dr. Stills has been a mentor and a constant source of encouragement. Dallas College’s support has been pivotal in my career, and I cherish their invaluable contributions to my growth as a professional in the ever-changing world of education.
Thank you, Dallas College!
What makes you happy?
I am the kind of person who wakes up happy and loves to laugh. Being happy comes easily to me; I relish the simplicities life has to offer. Like sitting and taking in nature, I love a good storm. When my son was young, we would grab a blanket and sit on the porch to enjoy a good thunderstorm. I am happy with my:
Family: when we are laughing, dancing, eating our traditional Puerto Rican foods, and enjoying the presence of each other, makes me happy. A good karaoke night with my family also makes me happy.
Career: when I am working with organizations and individuals that embrace diversity of thought and when we intentionally join forces to impact change and access for our communities makes me happy.
Friends: when I am surrounded my trusted village that loves me for who I am and what I bring to the table, makes me happy.
Of course, Tic Toc and Netflix make me happy😊.
I leave you with this, “Happiness is a choice, so go find it; it is waiting for you!”
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/livelovelaughacosta
