Francisca de la Cruz

Department: Employer Advisory Board

I was born and raised in Henderson, Texas, approximately forty-five minutes east of Tyler. After graduating from high school, I served in the United States Marine Corps for nine and a half years. My primary Military Occupational Specialty was 1141, Basic Electrician, and my B-Billet assignment was as a Marine Embassy Security Guard. I was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, and served at American embassies in Albania, New Zealand, and Russia.

In 2008, I completed my service in the Marine Corps and began my career in education. I served as an ESL teacher for Tyler ISD, and in 2011, I began working as a middle school counselor at A.T. Stewart Middle School in Tyler ISD. In 2014, I transitioned to Whitehouse High School as a high school counselor and later worked as a school counselor at Whitehouse Junior High for three years. This is my third year at Whitehouse High School serving as the College and Career Counselor.

During my time in the Marine Corps, I was able to attend college, though I had to carefully select institutions that met both my educational and logistical needs. I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Psychology from Park University in Parkville, Missouri, in 2004. I obtained my Post-Baccalaureate Teaching Certificate from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, in 2008, and earned my Master of Arts in School Counseling from The University of Texas at Tyler in 2012.

I am deeply passionate about serving students and helping them reach their educational goals while overcoming personal challenges. I believe that with strong mentorship and support, students can achieve their goals.