Lilyan Prado

Lilyan Prado migrated to the United States from Guatemala when she was four years old. Raised solely by her father, J. Luis Prado, Lilyan has always understood the importance of education. Her father, who often worked two or three jobs to support the family, instilled in Lilyan the examples of hard work and perseverance that ultimately led her to go to college.

Lilyan began working alongside her father at age 11. In high school, she juggled working full time with schoolwork and sports until it eventually caused her to drop out of school during the first semester of her senior year. But, with some encouragement from her family, friends, teachers and a high school guidance counselor, she managed to return to school and graduate with an advanced diploma on time with her class.

Although Luis’ dreams for Lilyan to attend college were always present, making them a reality proved more difficult, as Lilyan was the first in her family to consider higher education. However, through Upward Bound, a program that provides fundamental support in preparation for college, Lilyan was given the direction she needed to pursue a college degree.

Lilyan attended a junior college where she funded her own education costs by working up to 60 hours per week and going to school part time. She later transferred to and graduated from Texas Woman’s University, where she received a full scholarship and quickly became an outstanding student leader and a campus motivator. In 2002, Lilyan was one of 30 students awarded a congressional internship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C.

Since college, Lilyan has worked as an ESL teacher at Calhoun Middle School in Denton, Texas; a second-grade bilingual teacher for Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD in Texas; and an interviewer and selector for the Texas Teaching Fellows, an alternative certification program. In addition, she actively works with the National Council of La Raza through its Líderes program, empowering Latino youth at its national conferences and encouraging them to become active members of their respective affiliate organizations.

Today, Lilyan serves as The Sallie Mae Fund’s national spokesperson for its Paying for College Bus Tour, which includes workshops that give students and parents the tools they need to apply, attend, and pay for college. In this capacity, Lilyan presents to large audiences of underserved, minority, and low-income high school students with the message that college is accessible for everyone. Her hope is to help students realize their college potential, a mission she holds close to her heart.