

Wil Del Pilar
EdTrust
Costa Mesa, CA USA
"Whether you go to college or not is a decision—it’s not the decision."
Career Roadmap
Wil's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Education
Advice for getting started
I went to a Title I high school in a low-income community. Because of my counselor's implicity bias about students like me, he didn't think I'd need SAT prep. I took it upon myself to prepare and get myself to college. Now, I work to create better opportunities for underserved students like me.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Communications
Chapman University
Graduate Degree
Counseling Education
California State University Dominguez Hills
Doctorate
Higher Education Administration
Penn State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Growing up in a low-income community in Carson, California, I attended a Title I school where opportunity felt like a distant dream.
2.
Despite discouragement from my school counselor, I discovered a love for reading that fueled my self-guided journey to higher education.
3.
I prepped for the SAT with a borrowed book while also working full-time after high school, charting a path no one expected for me.
4.
I stepped onto my college campus for the first time on the very day classes began, navigating everything on my own.
5.
College was a struggle for me and I was considering dropping out, but I connected with a dean who introduced me to work-study, shaping both my education and career trajectory.
6.
My early work in college admissions showed me how many students, like me, lacked resources and support.
7.
Motivated by personal struggles, I transitioned to education policy to enact systemic change for underrepresented students.
8.
Today, as a senior vice president at EdTrust, I lead efforts to close opportunity gaps and advocate for equitable education for all.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
You don't need SAT prep. You won't be going to college.
How I responded:
I went to a Title I high school in a low-income community. Because of my counselor's implicity bias about students like me, he didn't think I'd need SAT prep. I took it upon myself to prepare and get myself to college. Now, I work to create better opportunities for underserved students like me.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I didn't really know anything about college. I had to navigate it all on my own. I struggled quite a bit and considered dropping out, but I fortunately connected with a dean who introduced me to work-study and influenced me to persevere.