Rosy Lopez

Rosy Lopez. Photo courtesy of NEWaukee.

Where do you work and what makes your role awesome?

I am the College and Career Planning Associate for Milwaukee Public Schools, supporting many programs and initiatives providing many different pathways for colleges and careers district wide for our students. I love that I get to use my Spanish skills as well, and when I have the chance encourage students to continue to sharpen their bilingual skills. I wear a lot of different hats: I help support high school seniors with the college applications, scholarships, essays and FAFSA. I also assist MMAC and COSBE-Be the Spark Tours for all MPS 7th grade classrooms as they visit a local business in the metropolitan Milwaukee area and learn more about the business, careers, and pathways. My job is very rewarding!

How long have you lived in Milwaukee and what brought you here?

Born and raised in the heart of the south side of Milwaukee. I graduated from Marquette University with a BA in Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Family Studies, and recently graduated with my master’s in Student Personnel Administration from Concordia University. I have always wanted to stay and give back to my city which is a main reason why I continue my work here in Milwaukee.

What do you love most about Milwaukee?

I love that Milwaukee has all four seasons, Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. There is always something to do, and well, the summer is great, with all the summer festivals, live music, the lakefront (and activities along there) bike trails, and farmers’ markets. Milwaukee has a lot to offer whether it’s a night out for dinner or drinks and entertainment, or its museums and professional sports. And we know Milwaukeeans are all fanatics of their local teams.

What is something that is missing from our community that you would love to see implemented?

I would love to see more working professionals and businesses collaborate with our schools in Milwaukee to increase the number of high school students who get internships, apprenticeships and mentoring so that our students get experience and learn more about the opportunities here in Milwaukee.

What is one word that you would use to describe Milwaukee?

Underrated.

What local restaurant is at the top of your list?

It all depends on what I have a taste for. If it is pizza, I say Balistreri’s on Bluemound, if it’s Mexican, it’s El Señorial, if it’s Caribbean, it’s La Caribeña; For Peruvian it would be C-Viche in Bay View and for a good burger and custard it would be Kopp’s.

What neighborhood do you live in?

I live on the southside of Milwaukee in the Colonia neighborhood. I love it as I am minutes away from the freeway with a short commute to work, a quick ride to Bay View and downtown Milwaukee, and it’s close to all my favorite grocery stores.