Victoria Bencomo began her road to success at RCC

Education, to Victoria Bencomo, means far more than personal financial gain. It’s about freedom, she says, and helping other people move forward in life.

“Education gives a person freedom to live a better life because you can make more informed choices,” said Bencomo, 27, a Rogue Community College graduate. “Education gives knowledge and power. The goal is not just to get rich or paid better. The more you know, the more you want to know and to give.”

Bencomo, who will graduate in June from Southern Oregon University with a bachelor’s degree in human communication, spent the first three years of her college career at RCC. In completing college, she follows the footsteps of her older brother Fily, who serves as RCC’s Latino Programs coordinator.

Her parents, Leticia and Filiberto Bencomo, were the other force helping her succeed. Even when the family was facing severe financial hardships and health problems, she recalled, they insisted she and her brother stay in college.

“I’m completing college because of my parents,” she said. “Now I know it pays off. It was a hard process, but we made it through. If just one person believes in you,” she added, “you can push yourself forward.”

Bencomo moved to Medford when she was 16, speaking no English. She graduated from South Medford High School in 2001, taking ESL classes and still speaking little English. “In Mexico I’d been a really good student and involved in activities,” she said. “Here I didn’t speak a word of English, so everything was difficult. Not being able to speak English made me feel stupid.”

Bencomo started at RCC the year following graduation. She selected Rogue, in part, because of the reasonable cost. But she also realized that not speaking much English meant she “needed to start at the beginning.”

Teachers and counselors she encountered at RCC encouraged and supported her when times got tough and she wanted to drop out. She was compelled to learn English, and in addition to taking basic skills classes, she was hired as a Student Services assistant, working in the Counseling Department on Riverside Campus.

“That was huge,” she said. “It changed my life. I cried the first two days and was horrified when the phone rang. But they were patient; the faculty, counselors and staff people were very supportive and believed in me. I could never thank them enough.”

Among her mentors was Pedro Cabrera, who serves as advisor to Club Latino, whose mission is to encourage students to reach their highest educational potential and develop leadership skills.

“I’d get frustrated with my English skills and want to drop out, but I felt Pedro really cared about me,” Bencomo said. “He told us it doesn’t matter how long it takes to finish…don’t feel like you’re stuck. He understood what we were going through. He really made a difference with all of us.”

Bencomo currently works as a mentor for South Medford High School’s Migrant Education program, utilizing skills learned at RCC. She encourages students to stay in school and helps them with homework and applications for college and scholarships. “I really like my job,” she beamed.

Bencomo, who married fellow SOU student Alex Cardenas in 2008, plans eventually to earn a master’s degree. She wants to become a middle or high school teacher or counselor, she says, and exemplify the same patience, support and care she experienced from her instructors and mentors at RCC.

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