If you want to go to college, score a scholarship, find a job, write a resume, or land an internship, then you’re in luck, because Selma Gutierrez is your person.
Selma is the College and Career Program Coordinator at Santa Fe High, a position where she guides students in figuring out their post-high school plans.
“I help kids one-on-one with scholarships or college applications,” said Selma. “We’ll sit down and fill it out together.”
Selma’s motivation to help high school students find their own track comes from her personal experience. She specifically wanted to help kids of color: “I wanted to help kids who look like me achieve their goals,” she said.
A graduate of Capital High School, Selma was a first-generation Hispanic college student.
She said she faced discrimination during her high school years because Capital was considered “a ghetto southside school,” and there was a negative stigma around its students. She recalls people referring to Capital High as the place where “all of the beaners” went. This helped awaken her passion for helping students of color succeed in making decisions about their futures.
Selma has helped many a student in their college application process. One of those students is senior Himaja Sunkara. “Going to Selma has alleviated a lot of the stress that college and scholarship applications bring,” she said, adding that Selma provides a safe space in her office for kids who are seeking guidance.
Another student who greatly appreciates her work is Gyurmay Digkhang. “Selma has been very helpful to me because she has a different perspective on learning,” he said. He added that she can look at a piece of writing and show him alternative and more elaborate ways of conveying his point.
Selma started working at Santa Fe High in 2021, after her AVID teacher recommended the position to her. During her own high school years, Selma was part of the National Honor Society, Interact Club, Model Legislature, and AVID. She says she also had a lot of internships.
Outside of school, Selma spends her time “watching action anime, currently Jujutsu Kaise.” She enjoys hiking at Hyde Park with friends. She also mentioned, “I would like to travel to Puerto Rico and South Korea because that’s on my bucket list.”
Selma is currently working on her master’s degree in public administration with the intention of working for the state or federal government. She would like to do community service such as volunteering for the International Folk Art Market or with local non-profit organizations and being involved in community outreach programs.
