Marisol Sosa
San Diego College of Continuing Education
Nominated in 2025
Marisol Sosa, born in Morelos, Mexico, is a remarkable woman whose resilience, determination, and compassion make her an ideal candidate for the OTAN Student Succeed Award.
When Marisol was 12, her father left the family, and her mother couldn’t afford the school expenses, forcing Marisol to drop out. She worked as a babysitter, but soon realized it wasn’t enough to support her family. At 13, she convinced her mother to help her get a job in a restaurant, where she quickly became a full-time manager.
At 19, Marisol moved to Ramona, California, where she got a job at Wendy’s despite not speaking English. She enrolled in ESL classes. After nine years, she requested a transfer to San Diego, hoping to enhance her English and management skills.
In 2004, Marisol moved San Diego and began ESL classes at San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE), but soon lost her job at Wendy’s. She started a house-cleaning business with a friend. When her partner left, Marisol faced the challenge of running the business alone. She reduced her clientele to continue school while keeping the business afloat.
In 2019, she earned her ESL Program Certificate of Completion, then began the High School Equivalency (HSE) program. The pandemic hit. Marisol lacked digital skills, devices, and, internet. Again, she thought she’d have to give up her education, but with the help of SDCCE, she applied for the COVID Emergency Relief Fund, and used the support to purchase a smartphone, tablet, and WiFi. SDCCE’s free digital literacy training helped her build the skills needed to continue learning remotely.
Tragedy struck in 2021 when Marisol’s mother and brother died of COVID. Despite her overwhelming grief, she persisted and passed her HSE exam on May 31, 2023. She was elated at her achievement, but heartbroken not to be able to share her success with her family. Instead of falling into despair, however, Marisol continued with her education.
Marisol’s education has transformed her life and business. With her digital skills, she has expanded her client base and improved service. Once, when a client's sprinkler head burst, she immediately photographed the damage and sent it, saving the client time and money, something she was not able to do before she learned to use technology. She has many similar examples of how technology has improved her communication and customer service.
Marisol is also a mentor and leader in her community. She helps classmates with Canvas, Google, Microsoft tools, assists with online registration, and provides cleaning jobs to struggling students. She offers free services to neighbors in need and cares for her 93-year-old neighbor, cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping for her.
Marisol’s journey is far from over. She is currently taking Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes, working toward her dream of becoming an accountant, while continuing to run her business. Marisol’s resilience, educational achievements, and dedication to helping others make her an outstanding candidate for the OTAN Student Succeed Award.
