If the goal is to help students succeed, then we need data to understand where gaps exist. We need data to inform what policy solutions should look like. We need data to evaluate if those policies are making a difference once they’re implemented. Without data, we can’t know what’s working, what isn’t, or where we need to do better.
As a Senior Associate of Policy and Advocacy at DQC, Rosario works across research, policy, and advocacy to help advance policies and practices that make data more useful and actionable across education and workforce systems. Rosario contributes to DQC’s work to strengthen the ways data can inform decisions and support student success.
Before joining DQC, Rosario worked at the Institute for Higher Education Policy, supporting research and policy analysis related to postsecondary data and transparency, need-based aid, equitable college admissions, and strong outcomes for all students. Prior to that, she served as a Senior Government Relations Associate at the Association for Community College Trustees, where she helped shape and advance federal policies that promoted student access and strengthened community colleges’ ability to serve their students.
Rosario earned a bachelor of arts in political science and international studies from the University of South Florida and her masters in higher education with a concentration in public policy at the University of Michigan.
As a first-generation college student, Rosario believes that higher education can be a true equalizer for students. She is committed to advancing evidence-based policy solutions that promote access and persistence for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Outside of work, Rosario enjoys reading historical fiction, traveling, trying new recipes, staying active, and spending time with her family.
Why do you do this work? Education changed my family’s trajectory, giving us the economic stability to build a different future. However, I recognize that my ability to benefit from education depended, in part, on not falling through the countless cracks in our education system. I believe education can be a great equalizer, and I want to help make that true for every student. No student should have to rely on luck, circumstance, or knowing how to navigate the right people and systems to access the opportunities education can provide. I want to help build systems where those opportunities are equitably accessible to all students.
Who are your education superheroes? My grandma! She is a retired 4th grade teacher in Ecuador.
Who is the most inspirational person you’ve heard speak? I had the privilege of hearing Malala speak at the University of Michigan in 2025, where she was promoting her latest book. I was struck by how thoughtfully she spoke about putting less pressure on yourself, finding motivation, and pursuing happiness despite the chaos around us. It was incredibly moving!
