Gold Star Feature: Professor Tresa Welch of Trinity Washington University at THEARC

As part of THEARC’s 20th-anniversary celebration, we’re spotlighting alumni from our partner organizations who have gone on to do incredible things. 

Born and raised in Ward 8, Professor Tresa Welch’s journey is a powerful testament to perseverance, education, and community. After being told by a former supervisor that she “didn’t have the intellect” to compete professionally, Tresa made a bold decision: at 45 years old, she enrolled at Trinity Washington University at THEARC—just five blocks from her home. 

“I had gone as far as I could go without a degree,” she recalls. “I knew I needed to prove to myself and others that I was capable. THEARC gave me the space, the instructors, and the community to do just that.” 

At THEARC, Tresa earned her Associate of Arts in General Studies before continuing to Trinity’s main campus to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations. She went on to pursue graduate studies at American University and George Mason University, earning an MA in Sociology and a Certificate in Women & Gender Studies, and is currently in the research phase of her doctoral studies at George Washington University. 

Tresa credits her time at THEARC as the catalyst for her success. “The relationships I built there stoked my self-confidence and provided intellectual fuel,” she shares. “As the saying goes, ‘iron sharpens iron.’” 

The experience also empowered her to leave a job where she was undervalued. “The intellectual stimulation I received at THEARC gave me the courage to walk away. I now had tangible evidence of my intellect—a degree.” 

Today, Professor Welch serves as an adjunct professor at Trinity, teaching a range of courses including Intro to Sociology, Sociological Theory, Urban Sociology, and Gender Seminar. She also leads as Chief Operating Officer at Shared Horizons, Inc., the nation’s only special needs trust headed by African American women. Since joining the organization, she has helped triple its client base, grow assets under management from $2 million to $78 million, and expand the team from two to thirteen staff members.  Looking back, Tresa sees every challenge as part of the journey that led her here. “I owe my academic and professional successes to THEARC and the incredible faculty who believed in me and pushed me beyond what I thought was possible,” she reflects. “Their faith fueled my own.”