Meet Ms. Silva, Director of College Access!

Vania Silva joined Invictus in August as our full time Director of College Access. In this role, she is helping to support Invictus in meeting its mission to prepare 100% of students to thrive in a college of their choice. 

Ms. Silva has a Master’s in School Counseling and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Anthropology from Georgetown University. As a first generation college student herself, she knows how important it is to have guidance and support to go to college and is focused on making sure every Invictus student has the resources they need to make their best choice. 

As the first person in this role at Invictus, Ms. Silva is excited to develop a full college program for students. This will include field trips, bringing colleges to campus, assisting students in pursuing scholarships, internships, college access opportunities, researching schools, and - of course - applying! 

A common concern Ms. Silva hears is that college isn’t affordable. She is committed to helping students find ways to access college, but, she notes, it is important to start thinking about it early! She also encourages students to start thinking about getting involved through volunteering, clubs, community organization, sports, and in other ways. 

One of the things that Ms. Silva has enjoyed about working at Invictus so far is that we are a small, close knit community where students get one on one attention. This fall she is meeting with every eleventh grader to discuss college and career goals!