EDUCATE ME
Women on the Verge of a Breakthrough
J
acqueline Rocco and Elizabeth
Pettus are two women of color
who are on the move. They both
have overcame obstacles and
circumstances that has empowered and
driven them to be Pennsylvania’s next
21st Century Powerhouse Women!
Jacqueline Rocco, Founder and President
of EduGroup of PA, is an Adjunct Professor at Cheney University. She holds
two Master’s Degree, one in Multicultural
Education and Organizational Leadership
from Eastern University (EU); she earned
her under graduate degree in Secondary
Education from Temple University (T.U.),
and an Associate Degree in English Secondary Education and a minor in Spanish
from Community College of Philadelphia
(CCP). She has over 60 credits from
Temple University in African American
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Studies and Urban Studies. Currently,
enrolled into Bryn Mawr College she is
taking course in French and beginning
Spring 2015, she will be taking courses
towards Principal Certification at Eastern
University EU in Pennsylvania.
Reflecting on her educational experience,
Jacqueline was a product of the public
school system. Unfortunately moved
through the school system, Jacqueline did
graduate with her class and immediately
entered a four (4) year college, Penn
State University (PSU). As she began her
freshman year, she quickly learned that
being academically prepared was very
different from being college ready. After
several setbacks, she decided to enroll
into Community College of Philadelphia,
where she excelled and acquired learning
skills similar to students being educated
in higher social economic communities.
Later she transferred to Temple University
where she earned her undergraduate
degree.
Understanding cultural differences,
being Afro-Latina can with its own set of
obstacles within the Hispanic community
and outside as well. Finding acceptance
was difficult. Through education, Jacqueline Rocco has been able to develop
resilience, leadership skills, and educational training in both Latin American and
African American studies.
While she did receive encouragement
and support from her parents, they did
not have the experience and point of
reference to guide her footsteps. Jacqueline’s parents’ education was a dream
countered by the reality of putting food
on the table and maintaining the roof over
the family’s head. This meant that dreams
often took a back seat to the reality of
growing up in the Barrio.
Jacqueline has been able to utilize her
personal and educational experiences
working both in the Pennsylvania’s Public
Schools System, Charter schools, and
now EduGroup of PA with the vision of
empowering, educating, and equipping
youth and young adults to become lifelong learners and future global leaders.
Elizabeth Pettus, Vice President of
EduGroup of PA has a background in
Education, C-Level Administration, Organizational Leadership, and Development.
Elizabeth is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education Degree in Organizational
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