Cochise Newsroom

The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition is dedicated to setting a standard of excellence for supporting student transitions and facilitating educational success for a diversity of students in the 21st century. The Center's efforts in this regard are inclusive of several national recognition programs that honor the outstanding achievements of higher education professionals from different sectors of higher education. Each year, presidents of American higher education institutions are invited to nominate one educator on their campus who is an outstanding first year student advocate involved in high-impact practices for first-year student success.

 

In collaboration with Penguin Random House Publishing, the National Resource Center for The First Year Experience and Students in Transition is pleased to recognize Marie “Angie” Castillo as one of the recipients of the 2026 Outstanding First-Year Student Advocates Award. Marie “Angie” Castillo currently serves as the Lead Academic Advisor at the Douglas Campus, where she has supported students for nearly nine years. She began her journey in higher education as Scholarship Navigator in the Financial Aid Department, which helped her understand how academic and financial guidance go hand in hand. In her current role, she focuses on advising first-year, non-traditional and transfer students, helping them navigate their educational pathways with clarity and confidence. As a first-generation college graduate and single mother, Castillo knows firsthand the challenges that many students face. Her personal experience as a college student helped support her advising philosophy. She is student-centered; she knows how it feels to want to earn a college degree in hopes of creating a better life for herself and her children. Castillo's service strategy is relationship-driven and grounded in trust and consistency. She strives to create a space where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to reach their goals. Her commitment is to continue to support equitable access to all students while also focusing on student support success and retention and ensuring that students feel like they belong at Cochise College and can thrive here.

 

All award winners will be recognized on the National Resource Center’s website, social media channels, and in the spring issue of Insights for College Transitions.

 

For more information about this award or award recipient, please contact the Conferences and Continuing Education Team at fyeconf@mailbox.sc.edu

Credits

• Writer

  Cochise College News

• DATE

  February 23, 2026

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