California Community College Classified Employee of the Year Kelly Ramos was given the award by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors in Sacramento shortly after the 2015 spring semester.

Ramos was one of four individuals in California to win the award, but she will not succumb to fame in the spotlight.

“I was so used to coming to this campus as a child at a very young age that I really saw this place as my home,” she said.

Her college indeed because Ramos, 31, received the classified district employer award as CCC’s minority students retention specialist, solidifying her title as employee of the year.

Ramos said she essentially grew up on campus throughout her entire childhood and plans on giving her three children, Gracie, Joey and Ricky all the support they can handle just like she received from her dad, administration of justice department Chairperson Rick Ramos, who always brought her to CCC as a little girl.

And hopefully one day, she said she can enjoy watching her three children experience the same educational foundation she received when she graduated from CCC back in 2002.

Ramos said everything she learned at the college created the path that ultimately led to her attending Cal State-East Bay and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in human development.

The start of her journey to where she is now is driven through her passion for the educational system, and seeing young people strive for a better future.

“I never saw myself as the most popular,” Ramos said. “I don’t like to work in a silo, and I love to collaborate with people,” she said.

“For example, if I see someone struggling with their academics, or have an issue with something that I can help with, then I will help them to the best that I can. My leadership skills are more valuable when I can teach someone else my experiences so they can build on whatever they are working on and take it to the next level.”

She said her dedication stems from all the mentors she had the privilege to work with over the years such as Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) grants and METAS Program Manager Mayra Padilla, Dean of Student Services Vicki Ferguson and Financial Aid Assistant Patricia Herrera.