Staff

Jaime Alabi began her career in higher education in 1999 as a student worker in the financial aid office at Butler Community College.

She was the first in her family to go to college; she felt like an outsider trying to navigate college processes and maintain good grades while working road construction during summers to make ends meet.

Notwithstanding a few bumps in the road, she completed an associate degree, followed by a bachelor's degree in Spanish at Emporia State University and began working as a financial aid counselor. Ten years later, she returned to school and completed a master's degree in counseling at Concordia University Chicago.

Upon returning to KC, she eagerly accepted a position with the EOC in January 2017, allowing her to draw from her financial aid knowledge and experience as a student to assist those in the community interested in pursuing a college path. Acknowledging that even though she first stepped foot on a college campus as a first-generation student, she still entered with a lot of privilege.

She values the opportunity to assist students from all backgrounds and walks of life in working toward their academic and career goals.

"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed."

 ~Booker T. Washington

Rufina Nelson has worked at the Kansas City Educational Opportunity Center for over 25 years. She enjoys working with the students, hearing their stories and helping them in any way she can.

Tiffany considers herself to be an unconventional, non-traditional student.

She is a retired military brat who was homeschooled from grades k–12 and graduated by earning her GED after attending a local Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) program in 2007.

After taking some time off for good behavior, she decided to go to college and earn a degree. Tiffany then earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Digital Media Production (2017) from the University of Central Missouri (UCM). And because she is a glutton for punishment she then decided to return to college and earn a Master’s of Science in Educational Technology from UCM (2023).

Over the last decade she has been working in the educational field in one position or another. She started by working her way up from a classroom aide in an AEL program (where she had attended classes previously) in the West Central Missouri region, to be an instructor of said class after earning her bachelor’s before moving over to the administration side of higher education during the COVID Pandemic.

Due to her own unconventional path through education, Tiffany has developed a passion for education and loves helping students achieve their academic goals. While working on her undergraduate degree, she had been involved with the TRIO program, which was offered at her college at the time, and fell in love with that program and their mission. Once she learned of an opening at the TRIO Educational Opportunity Center, she knew she wanted to apply, work with TRIO, and help students on their academic path.

Tiffany has also had the privilege to live and travel around the world, and she is grateful for the opportunity to broaden her worldview and cultural horizons.

Mari Parker is a former teacher with a background in English and Literature.

After living in the metro her entire life, Mari attended UCM, receiving a Bachelor’s in Secondary Education, becoming the first person in her family to get a college degree. She has taught in the Lee’s Summit and Hickman Mills school districts.

After teaching, she decided that she wanted to help others in a different way, so she looked into other career fields. Nothing felt right, though, and she always found herself coming back to education.

When she saw an opening for the EOC, she jumped at the chance to apply. The TRIO program was something she hadn’t really heard of before, and when she learned more, she knew it would be a good fit.

Mari loves to learn, whether it be new skills, languages, cultures, or stories. She has a passion for education and working with diverse groups and believes that anyone—no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they’ve done—can grow into who/what they’d like to be. 

Cecilia Turcios is from Honduras and moved to the United States in 2004. After working in different jobs, she returned to school in 2019.

She started taking ESL classes at MCC-Penn Valley and graduated with her first Associate of Arts degree in 2021. She then earned a Payroll Certificate and a second degree in  A.A.S. Business Administration through MCCKC-Online. Cecilia transferred to Northwest Missouri State University and earned her Bachelor's in Applied Science, focusing on Business Marketing and Accounting. 
 
In 2022, Cecilia began working at MCCKC as a Student Services Specialist, helping students in various ways.

Her role involves guiding students through their academic and career paths, providing support with financial aid applications, and connecting them with resources to ensure their success.

As a first-generation college graduate and a participant in the TRIO program, Cecilia is proud to assist students through the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC). She is dedicated to empowering students to achieve their educational goals and to overcome any obstacles they may face.