When Cinthya Bates got the news she’d been accepted to Harvard University, she was ecstatic.
“I’m still speechless,” she said.
For Bates, a Social Sciences major at Virginia Peninsula Community College, this is not just a personal achievement. She counts it as a win for her entire family.
“I’m the first one to finish high school. Now, I’m the first one to finish college,” she exclaimed. “So, this is really big, and it’s more than just me. It’s my mom. I feel like I’m doing this for not just me, but for her, too.
“My mom couldn’t believe it. She thought I was joking at first,” she added.
Bates and her family weren’t the only ones excited. The good news came while she was heading to a community service project at a food bank with one of her mentors, Sophia King of the College’s Single Stop program.
“She’s like, ‘This is my Harvard girl! This is my Harvard girl!,’” Bates laughed, stressing her appreciation for King’s support.
Bates is on track to complete her VPCC studies – about three classes – this fall. She will head to Cambridge, Mass. in July for a summer semester at Harvard in the meantime to spend four weeks living on campus, finding out if the university is a good fit should she “officially” transfer there in the spring.
It’ll give me a feel of what the campus is like, the environment, everything,” she said, noting George Washington University is another transfer option she’s considering for a bachelor’s degree in political science.
She’s putting a lot of energy into preparing for the summer experience.
“Right now, (I’m) fundraising, making sure my grades are good, doing lots of volunteer work, trying to make sure I’ve got everything well rounded, squared away,” she explained, noting she’s most excited about the exposure to so many diverse cultures and languages.
Languages fascinate Bates given her experiences growing up in Charleston, S.C. when her family relocated there from Michoacan, Mexico in the early 2000s, leaving hardships behind. She was nearly three years old then and started primary school at age five. Bates remembers the language barrier – the angst of being unable to ask for something as simple as going to the restroom. She credits a caring ESL teacher for the patient guidance that stoked her passion for learning new languages.
“I still remember my first ever ESL teacher, Miss Cruz, helping me in between classes practice my English,” said Bates. “She told me, ‘You’re not just learning a language. You’re opening a new world. You’re opening a new personality of yourself.’”
From kindergarten to her graduation from Charleston’s Riverpointe Christian Academy, she knew becoming a translator would be ideal. With a particular interest in working for the government, Bates is choosing political science for undergraduate studies as the path to her dream career.
“I love language learning,” she said. “When I moved to the U.S., somebody who could speak English to me was such a big thing, like bridging that gap … I want to be that for somebody else. I know firsthand how important it is not to have that discrepancy. We’ve had family members pass away because there was not a translator available in time.”
“My goal is to be a polyglot someday. I picked up Portuguese growing up in Charleston … and this past year, I did a year of Russian. And over the summer, I’ll start American Sign Language,” she added.
While a love for learning different languages inspired her career choice, a VPCC professor was also a huge influence. She said Political Science Department Chair Leo Kenneally connected the dots, showing political science as a gateway.
“I didn’t quite know what I wanted to do yet. I had Prof. Keneally for International Relations. He was a big help. He showed me that this is a path I could take. I could actually make a job out of it,” she said, adding when it came time to apply to Harvard last fall, she was also inspired by Hannah Powers, who teaches history at the College.
Reaching this peak wasn’t easy. In 2022, she suffered the tragic loss of her daughter, Alani, who was born prematurely. The “extremely dark time” strengthened her resolve to work harder toward her goals. The military spouse enrolled at VPCC in 2024 after moving to Hampton from Norfolk.
“I always knew I wanted to go to college … (Alani) one of my biggest motivations. I’ve always thought God gave me a second chance for a reason, and I don’t want to waste it,” she said. “I’m doing this for her, for us.”
Bates admits she has a lot on her plate, but she’s up to the challenge. Her faith keeps her grounded and influences everything she does, from on-campus volunteering to serving as president of VPCC’s InterVarsity Christian Club. She’s also secretary of the College’s International Club, served as track and field team liaison when the College was between coaches, and volunteers off-campus as a driver for disabled students with the organization Community Knights.
She even made time this year to participate in two separate VPCC delegations that visited Virginia lawmakers in Richmond. One group went in January as part of an annual trip coordinated by Virginia’s Community Colleges (VCCS). They discussed the community college experience with senators and delegates, putting a face to the importance of VCCS schools.
“When I went to the General Assembly (in January), they taught us (a large percentage) of community college graduates end up staying in the Virginia area. So, we are the workforce of tomorrow,” she said.
“So, I’m getting my education, and I know these are the people that I’m most likely going to end up working around and working with and knowing in the area,” Bates added.
Looking ahead, she also dreams of ultimately joining the U.S. Air Force, becoming an officer and serving as a cryptological language analyst. She hopes it will lead to a civilian position with the FBI’s National Center for Virtual Translation.
Bates is determined to make a difference, not just for herself, but for everyone in her support network – her mother, stepfather and two sisters. She’s also grateful for numerous VPCC peers, faculty and staff who made an impact.
“Everybody is doing life and helping you move up the ladder with them,” she concluded.