College Access and Success Manager | esantiagolopez@northcarolina.edu
As College Access and Success Manager, Estefane oversees GEAR UP NC’s partnership with eight community colleges and four-year public institutions, develops statewide and post-secondary initiatives, oversees financial transactions, and supports GEAR UP programming, outreach, and evaluation efforts. Prior to her role with GEAR UP, Estefane served as a College Adviser for two high schools in Davidson County, North Carolina as part of the Carolina College Advising Corps. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Peace, War and Defense from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2018). Estefane identifies as a multilingual indigenous woman from a low-income, single-mother household and a first-generation college student. Her identity and previous experience fuel her passion for increasing college access for underserved communities. She believes that obtaining a higher education is fundamental to closing the opportunity gap in North Carolina.