Granite Edvance Scholarship winner Rosella Rentas-Ubeda: ‘I wasn’t really thinking about college. It didn’t seem attainable’

In life as in art, it can be difficult to envision a finished product based on the raw materials at hand—especially without guidance or templates.  

That was the case for Rosella Rentas-Ubeda as she entered her junior year at Manchester Central High School. “I wasn’t really thinking about college,” said Rosella, whose parents weren’t able to attend college or complete high school. “It didn’t really seem attainable. I didn’t know how I would pay for it or apply… and I didn’t really have anyone in my family that I could talk to.”  

But during a junior year ceramics class, as her hands gave shape to wet clay, an idea began to take shape in Rosella’s mind. She wanted to go to college for art.  

It was a big step, but it was just the first step. Rosella then had to figure out how to get there. She talked to teachers, guidance counselors, and academic advisors, then, following their advice, took advantage of dual enrollment classes and joined her high school’s chapter of Educational Talent Search, a federally funded program geared toward first-generation and economically disadvantaged students. She got started on her college application and essay early and sleuthed out as many scholarships and grants as she could find.  

In 2023, Rosella began her first year at Plymouth State University. There, she’s continued seeking out guidance and resources, including a 2024 Granite Edvance Scholarship.  

In her application essay for the Opportunity Scholarship, Rosella explained the two reasons she worked so hard to get to college.  

The first: freedom to pursue her calling. For as long as she could remember, art had not just lit up her brain but helped her weather the storms of life. “It’s always been an outlet for me, something that kept me very grounded in high school when I was dealing with family issues or mental health issues,” said Rosella, who hopes to own her own art business one day, perhaps traveling the arts market circuit.  

The second reason: her family. Along with being a first-generation college student, Rosella is the first of six siblings (two older than her and three younger) to attend college. “My siblings are my best friends, and I would do anything in the world for them,” she wrote in her application essay. “I want to be someone who they can lean on when they need someone … someone that they can look up to.”  

Photo by Corey Garland.