Raquel Alvarado was born to do her job.

She began hanging around the English as a Second Language department at City College when she was only 5 years old because her mother used to work there.

Now she considers the entire department her extended family, and the feelings are mutual. This is only one of the reasons why she was named Classified Employee of the Year.

“Raquel runs the department. She knows everything about anything there is to do here. Whether it’s ordering books, keeping us alive in regards to deadlines. She does a few things she doesn’t have to do,” said Roberto Roblado, English as a Second Language department chair.

Alvarado started working at City College February 2006, the same year her daughter was born.

She created scholarship workshops to help ESL students familiarize themselves with computers and the application process. She often spends time late into the night with brand new students, helping them through the orientation.

“She’s a mom, she has kids but she comes back because she’s so committed to our students and the department,” said Roblado.

Alvarado attended Santa Barbara High School. She is now majoring in business at City College, and hopes to transfer to Cal State Channel Islands.

“Even as a child she was very bright. I got to know her better in 2001 when she went on a study abroad trip to Malaga, Spain. Even though she was a high-school student, she did better than college and university students that went,” said Roblado.

Alvarado’s main goal is to assist students in the moment, without making them wait or sending them on an arduous egg hunt just to register for classes.

“I definitely had a couple students come to me so angry and so frustrated because they had no idea where they should go. When I finally help them through the process they are so happy. I can see it in their faces,” Alvarado said.

One of the students she helped, Ruth Salcido, quickly became a friend and soon after, a roommate. When she first arrived, Salcido could barely speak English, but she achieved fluency at City College then moved on to study at UCSB.

“She came here and she was angry. Ruth said, ‘they sent me here, they sent me there and I just want to take classes,’” Alvarado explained. “I helped her and she finished up here and now she’s graduating from UCSB with a degree in linguistics.”

On a daily basis, Alvarado schedules classes, orders books for teachers, talks one-on-one with students, and manages deadlines.

“We do everything they do in admissions, just on a smaller scale,” Alvarado said.

She has a seven-year-old daughter, Elise, and a nine-year-old son, Ruben. Her mother continues to work at City College in financial aid.

“I was very proud. I think of all the work that she does both personally and professionally. She works very hard,” said Ana Jimenez, Alvarado’s mother.

Alvarado hopes to continue working at City College for a long time.

“Sometimes I look at other places that may pay more, but it’s not worth it. To me liking your job is so much more than what you get paid to do because that’s what really will make you a good employee and make you happy at work and at home,” said Alvarado.

“In this department it’s definitely because I get to work with my family. I’ve known them all since I was very little so being here is like being home.”