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My Journey
"How can I do what you do?"
The summer of my high school graduation, my parents sat me down and told me that we couldn't afford for me to attend any of the universities I had been accepted into. My "dream college experience" crumbled. I reluctantly began taking classes at my local Community College, and quickly realized that I had little motivation to be a successful student, no interest in what I was learning, and lacked any sense of belonging on campus.
After failing my second attempt at GE Math, I was scheduled an Academic Guidance Counseling appointment. During this appointment, my counselor asked me what my goal was, and I responded, "To transfer out of here as quickly as possible."
I had no interest in spending time at a community college, and wasn't sure what I wanted to do. After some discussion, my counselor and I put together a road map that made the most out of my time and interests. In this one 25-minute conversation, I was given a goal, a support system, encouragement, and I was ultimately able to see the value of my time and energy. Community College was no longer a roadblock, it was a launching pad!
I was so impacted by the sense of clarity and care that my advisor had given me, that I turned to my counselor and asked, "How can I do what you do?". My passion for working with lost college students, such as myself, had been sparked!
I quickly began to thrive as a student and sought out ways to become more active on campus. I fell in love with the college experience, the mission and values of higher education, the sense of belonging and support through student affairs, and the endless possibilities. I thought to myself, "Everyone should feel like this about college!"
This same passion that guided me through my undergraduate experience continues to motivate me to this day, and as a result, I've enjoyed a career in student affairs ever since.
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Education
After earning multiple Associate Degrees during my time in Community College, I transferred to Azusa Pacific University (APU) where I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, and minored in Leadership. Throughout my time studying at APU, I often found ways to relate my studies to topics of student development: sense of belonging, education accessibility, higher education national trends, etc.,
I knew I wanted a career in higher education, and so my focus was on preparing for the next step in my education journey, graduate school. When it came time to apply for graduate school, unlike most of my psychology classmates, a Masters degree in Student Affairs was quite the odd choice. However, for me, the decision was an easy one.
My experience within Azusa Pacific's Masters of Science program in College Counseling and Student Development re-framed my understanding of the crucial work of a student affairs professional by challenging my values, bolstering my knowledge and approach, and supporting my personal and professional exploration.
Employment
Once I had discovered my passion for student affairs, I was eager to find opportunities where I could support other college students. During my last year at Community College, I started working within the General Counseling Center. An opportunity that allowed me to serve diverse college students, and build rapport with counseling staff, faculty, and administrators, all while gaining strong functional area expertise and institutional knowledge.
When it came to choosing a site for my Graduate Assistantship (GA) through the CCSD program, I was eager to gain both academic and career counseling experience to strengthen my advising skills. I was overjoyed when I was offered the GA position with APU's Career Center. This experience was easily the most challenging, formative, and rewarding opportunity. My eyes were opened to the transformational impact career advising has on students from all stages of life and I never looked back.
Although I've explored other areas of student affairs, I continue to feel joy and a strong connection to working within career development services, and I look forward to serving students through career advising long into the future.
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