Brianna Moreno-Alcocer

Pitzer College, Class of 2023
​Paly Class of 2019

Updated December 8, 2024

​Q: How did you initially find out about RTE?
A: When I was a student at Palo Alto high school, I first heard about RTE through my counselor, Mrs. Laguna, who was always a great support. She referred me and a few friends to the program as a career development resource. I saw it as an opportunity, not only to strengthen my college applications but also to network and explore future job prospects. Once I joined the program, the support I received was invaluable. We were matched with mentors and offered financial aid for college, making it an incredible resource that has continued to benefit me in many ways.

Q: How has RTE helped you throughout your college experience?
A: Throughout my college journey, RTE has been an essential resource. Navigating the college experience can be stressful at times, but knowing there’s always someone there for support has made all the difference. The periodic check-ins were one of the program’s most valuable aspects, and I have truly come to appreciate them. They kept me accountable, helping me stay on track academically while also keeping me informed about important opportunities. 

While the financial support that RTE provides is only a small part of what they do, it truly eased the financial weight on my family and me. Higher education is expensive, and I am incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to pursue it. The sense of community within RTE is amazing - genuine people who are truly interested in helping others. It’s a network of supportive individuals that has played a key role in helping me reach my goals.

Q: What was your high school experience like? 
A: I had a great high school experience. I was quite fortunate to have teachers that were patient and helpful. Throughout my time in high school, I leaned more towards English and History.However, I did enjoy Science and Math as well. During my last years at Paly, I took a few AP courses, my favorites being AP Research and AP US History. These courses helped me develop strong study habits and taught me how to manage multiple assignments at once. A large portion of my high school years was spent on the bus. I remember rushing after school to catch the early bus, knowing that if I missed it, I'd be stuck in traffic for hours. It wasn't ideal, but it taught me a lot about resilience and gave me a heightened sense of social awareness. On the bright side, because of this experience I met my best friend as we were the only two who took the bus—so, despite the inconvenience, a lot of good came out of it. Overall, I had quite a smooth high school experience all thanks to the support of my family, friends, and RTE. 

Q: How did you decide on where to go to college?
A: I applied to all the UCs initially, simply because California is my home.  But I made sure to include other schools as well. I started off by making a list of my target, reach and safety schools. If I recall correctly, I applied to about 12 to 17 schools. Thanks to the financial support from Paly's funds to help with application fees, I was able to apply for every school on my list. Ultimately, I chose to go to Pitzer College. The school is part of a consortium of seven other institutions including Pomona and Harvey Mudd. Pitzer was perfect. I was able to enjoy the close knit environment of a small school, which allowed me to build stronger connections with both professors and peers, while still being part of the broader college experience. The consortium gave students the opportunity to take courses at any of the participating schools and access their dining halls—truly the best of both worlds. Pitzer College is still quite young, it was established in 1963. The school is building a legacy and I am so happy to be a part of it.  

Q: What did you study in college? 
A: I majored in Political Studies and minored in Anthropology. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to pursue, but I took some preliminary courses, for example, Political Philosophy, American Politics, and Environments of the Global North and South. I enjoyed them very much and that prompted my interest in Political Studies, particularly Comparative Politics. The Anthropology minor supported my understanding of different cultures and how that brings biases and different perspectives to the arena of politics. 

Q: What was your senior thesis about?
A: I wrote a thesis on how economic segregation, compounded with racially discriminatory political histories, affects the development of civic engagement and a healthy civic environment within minority-dense East Palo Alto. I lived across the street from East Palo Alto most of life, I am quite familiar with the area.  My main point maintains that racially discriminatory policies of the past continue to isolate EPA residents by perpetuating low economic and social mobilization, neglect from political leaders, and limited access to essential resources such as education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. All, in turn, producing a physical environment that constrains civic and community engagement, essential for upward mobility. Going to Palo Alto High School completely changed the trajectory of my life simply because it gave me access to important resources. 

Q: How has your college experience been?  
A: I had an amazing college experience but it was atypical due to COVID-19. I was on campus for one semester before we were sent home for three semesters. When I returned to Pitzer, I was a junior. It was a bit difficult to maintain relationships with teachers and new friends simply because we had spent more time away than we were together. Upon my return, I really just wanted a change of scenery so I decided to study abroad in Parma, Italy. It was a complete dream! But it meant one less semester on campus. In total I spent a full year and one semester on campus in person. I wish I had had more time. But it all ended up working out and I have continued to stay in contact with friends and professors. I hope to visit Pitzer soon! 

Q: What are you doing now and what are your plans for the future?
A: I am currently working at Stanford University as a Financial Aid counselor. I work with students by helping them understand the financial aid process and assisting them with any related inquiries. I mainly support the students and the office by certifying loans, processing outside awards and aid, as well as assisting with audits. When I graduated college I was naïve to think that I would automatically get a job, of course that was not the case. I had to really dig deep into my network, trying to find potential connections to organizations that I wanted to be a part of. I knew I wanted to be part of Stanford so I made sure to apply to all the entry-level positions that they had regardless of what it was. I needed to get my foot in the door.  At the same time, I was really interested in getting involved in Human Resources so I took some HR courses on LinkedIn and Coursera and I put them on my résumé. Eventually Stanford reached out to me and after a series of interviews, I got the job. In the future, I am thinking about pursuing Human Resources at Stanford. My intention is to be a Human Resources generalist.