Chrissy DeLuna
Chrissy DeLuna has spent her life bridging cultures and advocating for others. Born in Kaufman, Texas, she moved to Blooming Prairie, 星空无限传媒 at age six. “My father worked as an advocate for migrant workers. As a child, we visited migrant camps to ensure workers had resources. That’s where I learned about my Mexican culture and the importance of helping people navigate the system.”
Chrissy became a parent at 15 but never lost sight of her goal of higher education. “I struggled in high school, but higher education was always my goal. In 1999, I started at Riverland. My instructors helped me to keep on task and encouraged me to keep going.” With guidance from instructors and resources from student aid programs, she graduated in 2001 and transferred to 星空无限传媒 State, Mankato.
Her career spans two decades of service—supporting non-English-speaking families, organizing food and technology programs, and helping those experiencing homelessness. In September 2025, Chrissy returned to Riverland as a Bilingual Success Coach. “Even students with strong support systems often struggle to navigate financial aid applications. Now imagine a mom who doesn’t have English skills, or use email, or has never filled out paperwork like that.” Chrissy has helped students with financial aid applications, scholarship applications, and emergency grant requests.
Chrissy sees her role at Riverland as helping students to learn to advocate for themselves. “My father’s work with migrants taught me to be resourceful. My experience as a parenting student taught me to speak up when I needed help. Now, part of my job is to help Riverland students find a voice to speak up for themselves.”