Before she ever wore a Randolph-Macon Academy uniform, Citlaly Sosa learned what it meant to carry responsibility far beyond her years. Growing up in Baltimore as the daughter of immigrants, she faced language barriers, bullying, and prejudice, while also helping protect and advocate for her brother with autism in a world that often judged what it did not understand.
Expectations around her were limited, but Citlaly’s belief in something more never wavered. Driven by optimism and quiet determination, she refused to accept the boundaries placed on her future. At our preparatory school in Virginia, that resilience found opportunity, support, and purpose, transforming challenge into confidence and ambition into a path forward.
Overcoming Early Adversity
Citlaly Sosa’s journey to Randolph-Macon Academy is rooted in perseverance, resilience, and the belief that circumstances do not define potential. Her story begins in Baltimore, shaped by immigration, responsibility, and the determination to rise above the barriers placed in her path.
“My parents came from Mexico to Baltimore in search of a better future,” Citlaly shares. “Some of the challenges I had to face were learning English as a second language, facing bullying at school, and facing a lot of racism.”
At home, responsibility came early. “My brother has autism, and my sister and I became like his protectors throughout the years,” she explains. “People look at him weirdly when we go outside, and sometimes they judge us because they don’t know what condition he is in.”
The school environment she came from offered limited expectations. “The school where I came from didn’t really see students excel past high school,” she says. That reality pushed Citlaly to look for something more.
Discovering a New Possibility
In fifth grade, Citlaly’s perspective changed during a visit to the Naval Academy for a STEM day. “I saw how prestigious it was, how everyone held themselves to a higher standard,” she recalls. That moment sparked a search that led her to military boarding schools, and ultimately to Randolph-Macon Academy.
“I searched up military boarding schools, and the first one that came up was Randolph-Macon Academy,” she says. When she asked her principal for a recommendation, the response was discouraging. “He was like, ‘I don’t think you’re going to get a chance to get into that school, and if you do, how are you going to pay for it?’”
Instead of giving up, Citlaly redirected that energy. “My blood was boiling, but I realized I had to focus and use that energy and put it to good use.” She applied, interviewed, and soon heard the words that changed everything: “They said, ‘Well, you’re in the school.’”
Finding Belonging at R-MA at This Preparatory School in Virginia
The next challenge was affordability, one her family feared would stand in the way. “I’m very thankful that they gave me scholarships,” Citlaly says. Bringing her family to campus was emotional. “My parents were there, my brother and my sister, everyone was there. The students were really welcoming. They weren’t judgmental of him, and they were more accepting of his condition.”
Those early moments set the tone for what followed. “The next seven years were a life-changing experience,” she says. At this preparatory school in Virginia, Citlaly found not only opportunity, but belief.
Finding Her Voice and Leading
At R-MA, Citlaly was encouraged to step into leadership, even when it felt uncomfortable. “My college counselor pretty much said, ‘You need to find your voice, and I’m going to help you figure that out.’” That guidance led her to lead the drill team.
“I felt vulnerable because a lot of people didn’t want me in that commanding role. They didn’t think I was capable,” she admits. “I had to prove them wrong, like I proved the principal in my elementary school, like I proved many people in Baltimore City who thought I couldn’t get out of the slums.”
Looking Forward With Purpose
Citlaly’s gratitude for R-MA is clear. “I’m very thankful for R-MA for all the challenges I was able to overcome and all the students’ lives that I’ve impacted, and who have impacted me.” She adds, “It makes me very proud and happy to say that I’m an R-MA graduate.”
Today, she looks ahead with purpose. “I’m very excited to be at Norwich University. I’m a nursing student. In the future, my goal is to hopefully get a doctorate through the Army program and build a foundation with my sister to help special children overcome autism.”
Her reflection captures the heart of the R-MA experience. “Randolph-Macon Academy has helped me rise above all the obstacles that I faced and helped me become the person that I am today.”
Citlaly’s story is one of many that reflect how our private boarding school helps students transform adversity into strength and possibility into purpose.
Watch Citlaly Sosa’s inspiring journey here:
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