Two women are leading a quiet revolution grounded in empathy, action, and student
empowerment. Meet Hope Pacheco, Assistant Dean of Student Advocacy & Assistance, and
Cynthia Parra, Assistant Director of the Basic Needs Center. Together, they form a powerhouse of support for UHD students navigating college
life while facing real-world challenges.
Pacheco and Parra aren’t just administrators. They are lifelines, storytellers, advocates, and, for many students, they are the difference between giving up and getting through.
Still relatively new to UHD, these two professionals are building on UHD’s legacy of a culture of caring while elevating it to new heights under the leadership of Assistant Vice President of Student Life & Dean of Students Kira Gatewood, Ed.D. From food insecurities, housing struggles, and childcare issues to unexpected medical bills, Pacheco and Parra are not just responding to emergencies: they offer life skills, emotional support, and a safety net woven with dignity.
Their work centers around two vital programs across two departments housed in the Division of Student Success and Student Life: the Gator Emergency Fund, operated out of the Dean of Students Office, and the Basic Needs Center, which includes the Gator Mart. Both are designed to help students stay enrolled and finish strong, no matter what life throws at them.
The Gator Emergency Fund, partially supported by a federal grant, offers up to $500 in emergency aid to students once per academic year for pressing needs like housing, transportation, and childcare. What makes this aid program different isn’t just the money, it’s the human approach. “The student is the expert in their experience,” says Pacheco, a trained social worker with more than 25 years of experience. Her goal is to build relationships, provide compassionate communication, and remove the shame often tied to asking for help.
Her partner in purpose, Parra, is the Basic Needs Center’s force of nature. The shelves
of Gator Mart are stocked with fresh produce and toiletries. The workshops she coordinates
teach students how to budget, how to lease their first apartment, and how to find
affordable healthcare. Parra is always on the look-out for partners: realtors, nutritionists,
and organizations that can expand services for students who are often balancing school
with survival. Together, their efforts drive the focus that ensures students don’t
just survive college; they learn how to thrive.
One of the Basic Needs Center’s latest initiatives involve collaborating with a local realtor to help students navigate affordable housing and leasing—a skill new for many first-generation students. This summer the team is also gearing up to plan for nutrition and cooking classes, volunteer opportunities, and new programs to promote resiliency and self-advocacy.
Yet beyond the services, it’s the philosophy that sets Pacheco and Parra’s work apart. Both women lead with the mindset of servant leadership. Parra puts it plainly: “We’re in this partnership with students to get them to the finish line.” Whether a student needs groceries, guidance on speaking with faculty, or help budgeting for a first apartment, they’re met with open arms and real solutions. Pacheco and Parra are instilling a culture where asking for help is brave, not shameful. Where resources are not just available, but accessible. Where students don’t have to choose between feeding their families and finishing finals.
Their message to students? It’s simple, powerful, and unforgettable: “We got you.” Maybe, more than anything else, that’s what makes UHD so extraordinary.
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