We were thrilled to welcome three new interns to our team this fall! Diana Ortiz, Maria Sosa Ramos, and Rosa Colin Vasquez help support our Communications, Philanthropic Planning, and Community Impact teams and are learning a ton on the job. This internship program was launched with support from 10,000 Degrees, a college success organization supporting students from low-income backgrounds to succeed in college and beyond, with scholarship and career supports. 85% of 10,000 Degrees students are first-generation college students. Thanks to comprehensive wrap-around support that includes near-peer coaching, college advising, financial aid counseling, access to scholarships, career development opportunities, and financial aid management until graduation, 10,000 Degrees students graduate with 85% less loan debt.

Success in college often means success in the classroom, but when students find on-the-job learning opportunities, they’re able to bring their coursework to life in whole new ways. With our internship program, we’re excited to offer learning opportunities and access to the field of philanthropy, which too often can be exclusive and hard to break into. Please join us in welcoming Diana, Maria, and Rosa to our team!

Diana Ortiz

Communications Intern

What’s your story? 

I was born and raised in Marin County, and I’m the youngest of 3, and now a proud Aunt to my baby nephews. I’m a first-generation college student and am grateful for the opportunity to have an education, which my parents didn’t have access to. When I’m not working or in school, I really like to paint, go on walks, and try new foods.

How would you describe your role at CFSC?

I think the biggest thing I’m learning is how our work impacts the community and how we partner with so many nonprofit organizations. Currently, I’m in charge of running our social media pages, where she shares about our partnerships with nonprofit organizations, our grants, and other important community information. I’ve also just led our launch on Instagram! On our website, I’m responsible for keeping all information and data up to date for nonprofits and donors, and I’ve been learning a lot about WordPress and online publishing.

What drew you to this internship program?

I applied for this internship after I learned from it through 10,000 Degrees. Growing up in challenging financial situations, my family needed help from nonprofit organizations sometimes, and 10,000 Degrees has been helping me in my college journey, so I know how big an impact nonprofit organizations can have on families. I was really excited to get to work in a place that connects with so many different organizations and helps so many people.

What are your future career goals?

I’m studying to get my bachelor’s degree in communication, focusing on media studies at Sonoma State. In the future, I’d really like to be a journalist and work for a broadcasting company. Because I’m bilingual, I’d like to report to the Spanish speaking community, ensuring that they have access to the same knowledge and information broadcast in English-speaking news sources.

Maria Sosa Ramos

Philanthropic Planning Intern

What’s your story?

I come from a low-income community background, and my first public education experience failed me. My parents, neither of whom held a college degree, knew the value of education in this country. Before heading out to work in the early mornings, my dad would lean down by my bed, give me a kiss on the cheek and say, “Echale ganas a la escuela mija,” which translates to “give it your all in school, my little girl.” These words were a constant reminder that no matter how hard the journey may be, I held the strength and capabilities to succeed because my parents believed in me.

I’ve faced financial barriers and obstacles in my educational journey, but I learned to get back up stronger after each setback and to find help where I needed it. Thanks to programs like Upward Bound, Meritus, and 10,000 Degrees, today I am pursuing a college degree and will even be graduating early.

My family and God are my strength. I thank every experience and everyone who has helped me become the person I am today. I love my younger siblings, and I always remind them they are capable, worthy, and loved. I am proud my younger siblings have a tutor, mentor, and college application helper in me, their older sister.

How would you describe your role at CFSC?

I’m similar to a liaison—I get to research different nonprofit organizations and talk to them about their needs and plans. I’m also attending webinars and reporting back to our team to help us learn how to improve our community impact and donor experience. For nonprofit organizations that haven’t yet worked with us, I contact them to exchange information about potential funding opportunities and community impact. My role is to ensure that both our internal team at CFSC and nonprofits have the information necessary to guide future philanthropic decision making.

What drew you to this internship program?

I found this great opportunity through the Meritus network. It sounded like a great way to meet and learn from professionals and sharpen my skills while serving the community. My parents did a lot of volunteer work growing up and taught my siblings and me to give back and help those in need. They encourage us to view ourselves in others’ shoes and never judge the person we’re helping. In the past, I’ve volunteered with local youth advocacy groups that fight for causes like immigrant rights and affordable housing. I’m drawn to supporting and serving the community in any way I can, and I saw this as a way to continue doing that work that I enjoy.

What are your future career goals?

In the short-term, I really want to expand my small chocolate-covered strawberry business. It all started when I needed to buy a textbook for a class, and now is one of the ways I support my education financially. In the longer-term, I want to become a lawyer focusing on immigrant rights and supporting children and families that have been separated or re-unified. I am also interested in creating a nonprofit of my own, focusing on helping middle and high school students from low-income underrepresented backgrounds learn about college and helping them access tutoring, counseling, housing, food, and other resources.

Rosa Colin Vasquez

Community Impact Intern

What’s your story? 

I’m a first-generation college student, and I just graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College with three associates degrees—sociology, natural science, and social and behavioral science—and my goal is to continue at UC Berkeley and pursue a degree in social work. My parents got divorced when I was 8, and my mom raised my siblings and me in Petaluma on her own. She really taught me about hard work, and I’ve always tried to help out where I could—like watching my younger siblings while my mom worked. I’m still really close with my family, and with shelter in place, one thing I’ve loved to do is go on walks with them.

How would you describe your role at CFSC?

I feel really connected to helping in the community, and I think I bring a new perspective to the foundation, with a different lens to look at things. I try to provide fresh input and feedback and help us connect with organizations we haven’t worked with before. In addition to my internship here, I am also working at Adopt-A-Family of Marin, where I’ve had the opportunity to work with families that are struggling. I think it’s given me a helpful perspective because I get to see both sides of grantmaking—the giving and receiving.

What drew you to this internship program?

Honestly? College wasn’t even on my radar until I was a junior in high school, and I first learned about 10,000 Degrees. They helped me so much, and I have a lot of trust and faith in them, so when I heard about this internship through 10,000 Degrees, I was really interested. I’m always curious, and I really want to understand how things work, so I was curious about gaining experience in philanthropy and learning how decisions are made in a community foundation.

What are your future career goals?

I’d really like to go into Social Work, especially because there are so many paths within that field that I could go down. I’d like to be able to connect families with the resources they need and would love to be able to help immigrant families, especially families that have experienced loss due to deportation. Eventually, after becoming a licensed clinical social worker, I think I’d like to start my own nonprofit organization.