For Maribel Carvajal, MassBay’s 2025 graduation marks the completion of a journey more than 20 years in the making—and the fulfillment of a dream. Originally from Ecuador, Maribel came to the U.S. in February 2001, driven by love and the hope of building a better future.
Although she held a bachelor’s degree in business, Maribel’s true passion revealed itself while helping at her church’s Sunday school. “My mom wanted me to study business,” she says, “but I loved working with children.” That love was recognized early on by a preschool director who encouraged Maribel to improve her English and pursue a career in early childhood education.
With limited English skills and no family nearby, Maribel began by taking English classes at the public library, then at Cambridge Adult Education. A teacher she met in Cambridge—who also taught at Harvard Extension—encouraged her to take classes at Harvard Extension School. Sharpening her language skills led to opportunities for furthering her education. In 2002, her preschool director encouraged her to enroll in MassBay’s associate degree in early childhood education program. After her first class in 2002, she returned in 2018, and now—after years of persistence—will walk across the stage as a proud graduate.
Along the way, Maribel balanced many roles: teacher, wife, business owner, mother, and more. When she became a mother herself, she realized how difficult it was to drop her child off at childcare. In response, she created a small cooperative group of parents and children. One day, another parent asked Maribel to care for their child, too. That moment sparked a 13-year journey in family childcare, eventually leading to her own licensed home childcare, My Pretty Garden Family Child Care.
Maribel’s journey has also included deep community involvement. She is active in Strategies for Children’s Advocacy Network for Early Childhood, where she helps elevate the voices of early childhood educators in Massachusetts. She also founded Hispanas Amigas, a grassroots group of Latina women dedicated to mutual support, advocacy, and empowerment. “I’m currently helping my community to be informed and get involved,” she explains. “Many family childcare educators don’t receive all the information they need because of language barriers. And many mothers, without experience in the field, struggle to access resources. I want to help change that.”
Through MassBay’s Career Pathways program, a Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care grant program that provides funds for students who qualify to take classes and earn their degrees, and with the support of mentors like Professors Rita Rzezuski and Linda Romero in MassBay’s Early Childhood program, Maribel found the guidance and resources she needed to earn her degree. “I had tears in my eyes when I finished,” she says. “Thank you, Career Pathways for helping me get it done.”
Maribel leads not by authority, but by compassion. “Leadership is not about commanding—it’s about inspiring from the heart,” she says. “When you do what you love and lead with empathy, you leave a mark that changes lives. Purposeful, passionate leadership builds community, ignites talent, and plants seeds of hope. The world needs more leaders who lead with love.”
“I don’t have family here—it was hard. You don’t understand the language, and you miss home. But little by little you understand that you are here for a purpose and for a dream,” Maribel reflects. “I felt the love at MassBay, and I want to keep going. This is proof of what America is about—it’s the land of opportunities when you share your heart and work hard. God is in control, and He opens doors.”
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