What is ROCA NM?
ROCA is a free, four-day college search and application workshop for rural New Mexicans who aspire to be the first in their family to graduate from college. Working with college access professionals and college representatives from around the country, students have the opportunity to explore college affordability, college fit, and their identities as rural students. Students also test out the college experience: they sleep overnight in college dorms, eat college food, and find solidarity with a similarly motivated, first-gen roommate from another rural community in New Mexico. ROCA participants then receive dedicated college and financial aid counseling throughout their senior year, and become eligible to apply to the Davis New Mexico Scholarship.
Our Values
The Davis New Mexico Scholarship invests in high quality college access programming across Northern New Mexico. ROCA brings this investment to rural students by providing a pathway to affordable college for high-achieving first-gen students outside of Santa Fe and Albuquerque. This program embodies our belief that all students deserve individualized college counseling and illustrates our commitment to supporting all New Mexicans as they pursue meaningful postsecondary options.
Our History
In 2021, the Davis New Mexico Scholarship, Northern New Mexico College, and Santa Fe Prep came together to create a relationship-based college access program for first-generation college-going students from rural New Mexico. Starting with just eight students at Northern New Mexico College’s historic El Rito campus, ROCA has since worked with students from nearly 30 different high schools to find success in their college pursuits.
