Student involvement was my stepping stone.
At the time, I didn’t know it. I was a freshman in community college and felt like I had just been plucked out of
What seeds are you sowing?
Yes, I enjoyed the freedom, but at the same time, it was scary. I didn’t know where my classes were, all my friends had went to colleges out of state and I was stuck fending for myself.
I felt like I was wandering around, searching for the experience I was told so much about. “College is the best years of your life.”
From how I saw it, college didn’t seem like it’d be anything but stressful.
But then, there was Welcome Week. Suddenly, I was thrown into student life. Tables were lined alongside the walkway to the Student Center. Music was blasting. Students were congregated everywhere. At first, I just stood there, simply overwhelmed. And then, I started browsing the tables.
The one that caught my attention was the Student Activities Programming Board. They advertised their events everywhere. As a new student, you couldn’t avoid it. They’d paint the windows of the Student Center announcing different activities they were hosting. I knew instantly that I wanted to join. How could I not? Their club looked, well, dare I say it, fun.
And that’s how it all started.
I loved every minute of my time on the Student Activities Programming Board. I soon became Vice President. That’s also where I met my future husband.
Joining that one club shaped my entire college experience. I no longer viewed college as a necessary evil. Friendships were formed. Experience and skills were gained.
I continued being involved after transferring to a 4 year school. This is where I had an epiphany. I dropped the education portion from my major during my junior year. I realized that I truly enjoyed working with students, not just teaching them. It came as a shock to many people, since I had pursued teaching for so long.
However, I just knew in my heart that the student affairs profession was for me. I wanted to inspire and engage students. Something that I couldn’t do solely inside the classroom. I wanted to do more. And I did.
I currently serve as Site Administrator for Florida Institute of Technology. I’m pursuing my passion and have my undergraduate student involvement to thank for that. It was only then that I realized my true purpose in life.
Becoming involved on campus wasn’t just a semester long commitment. I was planting a seed for my future. A future that involved shaping students’ college experiences. A future dedicated to making those 4 years the best years of their lives. A future that I’d love every minute of.
In Pursuit of My Wildest Dreams 