Empowering Newcomers: How Ximena Helps Others Leverage Their Education for Success

After experiencing the challenges of adapting to a new country firsthand, Ximena Velez became passionate about helping others navigate the same journey. Her work is dedicated to sharing valuable information and resources to support newcomers—not just for finding jobs and settling in the United States, but also for leveraging their education to pursue career and academic goals. Through her work, Ximena empowers others to turn their qualifications into meaningful opportunities.  

Ximena works full time as a communications officer at a national non-profit, volunteers as Vice President of the Queens Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and uses social media as an influencer to support newcomers to the U.S. In each of these roles, Ximena collaborates with various communities, and most importantly, shares essential information to all professionals and Latino migrants to guide them toward achieving career success in the U.S.  

To expand her education and employment opportunities, Ximena also had her Colombian bachelor’s degree evaluated through WES. With her WES evaluation, she secured a full-time job and used her evaluation again when applying for a graduate program at the City University of New York (CUNY).

We asked Ximena to share more about her experiences as a newcomer, how she developed a passion for helping others, and the importance of receiving a credential evaluation. 

What were some challenges you faced when you moved to the U.S.? 

One of the main challenges I faced was misinformation, and there weren’t enough resources to guide me on what to do with a degree from my home country. Another challenge was the language barrier, since most resources were available only in English. This made me feel like I had to take it step by step—first learning the language and then moving forward with my career. But naturally, I wanted to do everything at once. 

What motivates you to share information with other newcomers? 

As a communicator, I believe that information is a key component in achieving your goals. To make decisions in life, you need accurate and reliable information. You can’t base your decisions on something you just heard minutes ago—you need to have a solid background. That’s why I’m passionate about helping Latino professionals and newcomers get the information they need to succeed. 

How did getting a credential evaluation with WES help you achieve your goals? 

Since I decided to stay in the United States, my main goal has always been to work in communications. It’s a great feeling to work in a field you’re passionate about, and getting my degree evaluated helped me do that. It validated my credentials and allowed me to pursue my master’s degree in New York. Having the credential evaluation was definitely a boost to my résumé and opened doors for me to get this job. 

The credential evaluation from WES also made the process so much easier when I applied for my graduate program at CUNY. They asked for all of the required documents. With WES, once I had all the paperwork ready, they sent everything directly to the university. It made the entire process more streamlined—once you’ve completed the initial steps, WES handles the rest. 

Why is a credential evaluation important? 

It validates all the years of effort you put into earning your degree in your home country. It opens more opportunities for you while you’re living in the United States, or in any other country where you might want to work or study.

Do you have any final thoughts to share with us? 

As an immigrant with a bachelor’s degree from my home country, I want to thank WES for making this process easier. I’m also trying to encourage others to see that there are opportunities available with their degree. It’s [WES is] an organization that supports us, even when we’re unsure of where to start.

Ximena’s story is a testament to the power of having your international education validated and evaluated. You can find her content and resources on her website or Instagram account. WES is ready to help you take the next step, whether you are pursuing career or academic goals in the U.S. or Canada. Learn more about credential evaluations and how WES can support you!