Alumni Profile - Esther Costillo '06
A little-known fact about the College is the large number of international students we play host to each year. Currently, there are 201 international students from 51 countries who are working toward their educational goals. One of those former students has parlayed her experiences into a professional role, now looking to help future international students attend Delaware County Community College and pursue their part of the American dream. Esther Castillo ’06, originally from Macau in the People’s Republic of China, has created a new company along with another alumna, Sindy Cheung '06, to help international students navigate the American college experience.
What year did you graduate from Delaware County Community College and with what degree?
"I graduated in 2006 with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, and then I transferred to Temple University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2008."
Did you pursue further academic goals?
"I went on to graduate from New York University with a Master of Arts in 2010, and I am currently enrolled in Temple University’s Ph.D. program in Sociology and expect to graduate in 2015."
Where are you now? What are you doing?
"My business partner, Sindy, and I have started a company, Advance College Consulting (sites.google.com/site/advancephilly/). Our goal is to utilize our language skills and educational experiences to serve the Asian community at large. We look to help local and international student immigrants who would like to study at Delaware County Community College and eventually transfer to continue their education. We have been operating October 2011 and have already hosted two seminars in Chinatown to provide a better understanding of what students need to do in order to attend the college of their choice."
What is next for you professionally?
"Once I complete my studies at Temple, I see our work continuing so we can help international students abroad who would like to come and study at one of the various schools in the Philadelphia region. Eventually, we would like to expand to help students in New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland using our current model of service."
What advice do you have for your fellow alumni or current students from the College?
"The key piece of advice that I can give is to network, network, and network. The experience of going to college provides many new relationships both academic and social, so you should take the time to stay in touch. These relationships can lead to many new opportunities if you communicate with your friends and former teachers from time to time rather than only when you need something from them."
For more information about Advance College Consulting, please visit sites.google.com/site/advancephilly/, “like” them on their Facebook page facebook.com/advancephilly or send an email to advance.philly@gmail.com.
