During the 2025-26 school year, the Richmond Promise College Access Team will be joined in its work by Near-Peer Ambassadors. These members of our team are current RP Scholars who assist in the execution of in-classroom programming in local high schools. We are pleased to introduce you to one of our 2025-26 Ambassadors, Josue.

Q: First, some basic info. Tell us your name, current school, the high school you graduated from and your major (or intended field of study):

A: Hi all! My name is Josue Rivas. I was born in El Salvador and migrated here at the age of 10 and have lived in Richmond ever since. I am currently a sophomore at Contra Costa College and I’m pursuing a bachelors of science in nursing. I graduated from Leadership Public Schools-Richmond in 2024.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about being an RP Near-Peer Ambassador and what are you hoping to get from the experience?

A: As a RP Near-Peer Ambassador, I am looking forward to the opportunity to give back to my community by providing guidance and support to underrepresented individuals who may face barriers in pursuing higher education. I hope that my personal experiences inspire others to achieve their goals. Simultaneously, I hope to improve my communication and collaboration skills by actively listening and providing feedback to mentees and others, whether through one on one meetings or group projects.

Q: If you were going to give advice to a high school senior about going through the college application process, what would it be?

A: My biggest piece of advice to students going through the college application process is to not be afraid of sharing their personal story. It can be scary to open up and be vulnerable about your life story, but these experiences are necessary to understand your values and uniqueness. Additionally, I would say that applying to external guidance programs can be highly beneficial to navigate through this process. I personally was a part of UC Berkeley’s Nav2Cal and HYPHEE programs during my college application process.

Q: What’s the best part about being in college/what should a high school senior look forward to?

A: I think the best part about being in college is the freedom and flexibility you get with your schedule. In contrast to high school where you have a fixed schedule, in college you have more flexibility to choose your unique schedule that works for you. Likewise, you can also explore different pathways with many courses that are of interest to you. However, with more freedom comes more accountability, and having strong time management skills are necessary to succeed.

Q: What are you most looking forward to after college?

A: After college, I am looking forward to making a positive impact in my local community through excellent care and guidance in the medical field. I will take great pride in supporting a community that I was raised in and helping individuals feel safe and healthy.