A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step
ABOUT ME
My journey to graduation has been long and varied. I was always studious and planned to attend college, but as the end of my high school days approached that idea seemed harder to obtain. Various circumstances had me working and renting an apartment when I was a senior in high school. It was difficult being on my own at that age. I did not have anyone telling me to do homework or making me get up to go to school, but I recognized the value of education and pressed on. Upon graduation I enrolled in community college taking 10 units. Each semester I took less and less units because I needed to work more to keep up with expenses. After a few years and minimal units under my belt, I quit school to work full time. My intention was to go back when the time was right. Eight years passed before that time came, but I was ready to finish what I started so long ago. I enrolled and started taking 2 classes per semester. I still worked full time, but I gave myself a mantra, “Slow steps are better than no steps.”
Almost six years passed before I was able to transfer, but receiving my acceptance letter from SDSU was a day I won’t forget. It honored me, encouraged me, and instilled a new sense of urgency. After 18 years, a handful of jobs, and a marriage since graduating high school, there was no way I could drag it out any longer. Unfortunately, my job did not allow the flexibility I needed to attend full time. My husband, insistent on supporting my educational pursuit, accepted a higher paying job offer in another city so I could quit. For the past two years we have lived in different cities and have maintained a weekend relationship. It has been extremely difficult, but due to this sacrifice I vowed to make the most of my time at SDSU. Despite the awkwardness I felt about being an older student, I studied hard, got involved, and took advantage of every opportunity presented to me. Now at 37, I am graduating from SDSU in a field I love, my husband is coming back home, and I couldn’t be happier!
The SDSU Hospitality Program has provided many wonderful experiences, led me to travel and volunteer, and is setting my career in motion. I just completed a successful internship with the Sage Project on campus that has sparked my interest in sustainable events and conferences. I am working with school resources to secure a related position and can’t help but feel confident of my impending success. Having your goals turn into reality is truly empowering. I hope to be an example for older students that you are never too old to pursue your education and take control of your future. It doesn’t matter how long it takes as long as you keep moving forward, and never underestimate the distance slow steps can take you.
My journey to graduation has been long and varied. I was always studious and planned to attend college, but as the end of my high school days approached that idea seemed harder to obtain. Various circumstances had me working and renting an apartment when I was a senior in high school. It was difficult being on my own at that age. I did not have anyone telling me to do homework or making me get up to go to school, but I recognized the value of education and pressed on. Upon graduation I enrolled in community college taking 10 units. Each semester I took less and less units because I needed to work more to keep up with expenses. After a few years and minimal units under my belt, I quit school to work full time. My intention was to go back when the time was right. Eight years passed before that time came, but I was ready to finish what I started so long ago. I enrolled and started taking 2 classes per semester. I still worked full time, but I gave myself a mantra, “Slow steps are better than no steps.”
Almost six years passed before I was able to transfer, but receiving my acceptance letter from SDSU was a day I won’t forget. It honored me, encouraged me, and instilled a new sense of urgency. After 18 years, a handful of jobs, and a marriage since graduating high school, there was no way I could drag it out any longer. Unfortunately, my job did not allow the flexibility I needed to attend full time. My husband, insistent on supporting my educational pursuit, accepted a higher paying job offer in another city so I could quit. For the past two years we have lived in different cities and have maintained a weekend relationship. It has been extremely difficult, but due to this sacrifice I vowed to make the most of my time at SDSU. Despite the awkwardness I felt about being an older student, I studied hard, got involved, and took advantage of every opportunity presented to me. Now at 37, I am graduating from SDSU in a field I love, my husband is coming back home, and I couldn’t be happier!
The SDSU Hospitality Program has provided many wonderful experiences, led me to travel and volunteer, and is setting my career in motion. I just completed a successful internship with the Sage Project on campus that has sparked my interest in sustainable events and conferences. I am working with school resources to secure a related position and can’t help but feel confident of my impending success. Having your goals turn into reality is truly empowering. I hope to be an example for older students that you are never too old to pursue your education and take control of your future. It doesn’t matter how long it takes as long as you keep moving forward, and never underestimate the distance slow steps can take you.
LEADERSHIP JOURNEY
My journey is more about graduation and the leadership efforts it took to get me here. This is because I am not the typical student and I feel that my academic efforts at this point in my life tells you more about the person I am and the person I want to become than some of my younger counterparts. I took a long rocky road to get to this point. While its true I wish I would have gotten here sooner in life, I am far from disappointed. The high expectations I had for my experience at school have been far surpassed and I find myself filled with gratitude. SDSU has provided me with countless leadership opportunities from student associations, professional associations, networking, internships, serving on committees, sending me to conferences and workshops, and letting me plan events on campus. Because I am much older with more life experience than most of my fellow students, I have had my fair share of leadership experience in jobs and in life. However, as my many leadership courses have reiterated, leadership is something that constantly evolves in individuals. Basically there is always room for growth. One of the main things I have learned is that being a leader requires followers. If you base the purpose of your actions with the sole intent of personal success, you are not leader. A true leader acts for the benefit of the greater good. Leaders are interested in developing others to be leaders, not to be followers. This is something I have tried to work on in my final semesters at SDSU. More so because I was around a lot of students that had not had real leadership experience. When I was in group projects I would try to have others give their opinions and ideas first. This is because I tend to be very opinionated and typically present my ideas with strong conviction. In early semesters I realized that expressing myself in this way caused some of my classmates to stay quiet and possibly be intimidated, even though that was never my intention. I have realized that the strong approach may work well in a business boardroom, but it is important to adapt to you surroundings.
Another thing I learned about leaders is that they are willing to take risks and step out of their comfort zone. I am a self-proclaimed creature of habit and I find it very difficult to step out of my comfort zone. But experiences at school have forced me to do so, and all with positive effects. Simple things like sharing a hotel room with 3 other students ranging from 19-21 years old that were mere acquaintances was a big deal to me. For my study abroad requirement, I went to Costa Rica and stayed in accommodations that made me feel like I was camping in the jungle. There were 23 other students on that trip and I only knew one of them (at least!). This was a big thing for me. I am not a true princess, but I have standards of travel that typically include windows, minimal insects, central air, just the basics. Yet despite what sounds like gripes here, all these experiences ended up positive and made me learn new things about myself. I went Stand Up Paddle boarding in a river with crocodiles! That is not something I would have ever imagined agreeing to, but now it is one of my favorite memories. While these were personal “risks” I can see how the effect of professional risks can be positive in business settings as well. At a conference I attended in Las Vegas, I heard from many industry professionals that had taken huge risks to get to where they are today. Risks like moving to a new city or quitting their jobs to start a business they were passionate about. While sometimes the risk did not pay off, many times it did. As I re-enter the workforce after graduation, this is something I want to reflect on and incorporate into my life. I don’t want to be afraid to take risks anymore.
Throughout my time at San Diego State I have learned a lot about myself. I’ve been able to reflect on the journey it took to get me here, and how my education goals never faded away despite the years passing. Working on school projects, have further made me realize my potential and what I am capable of accomplishing, even on short deadlines. Stepping out of my comfort zone with my classmates on trips has shown me that I can adapt to my surroundings. Stepping up to join organizations and taking on high responsibility internships have renewed my confidence as I prepare to look for jobs. I had to make sacrifices to be here, as did my husband. And though it has been hard or awkward at times, I feel like I am coming out on top.
My journey is more about graduation and the leadership efforts it took to get me here. This is because I am not the typical student and I feel that my academic efforts at this point in my life tells you more about the person I am and the person I want to become than some of my younger counterparts. I took a long rocky road to get to this point. While its true I wish I would have gotten here sooner in life, I am far from disappointed. The high expectations I had for my experience at school have been far surpassed and I find myself filled with gratitude. SDSU has provided me with countless leadership opportunities from student associations, professional associations, networking, internships, serving on committees, sending me to conferences and workshops, and letting me plan events on campus. Because I am much older with more life experience than most of my fellow students, I have had my fair share of leadership experience in jobs and in life. However, as my many leadership courses have reiterated, leadership is something that constantly evolves in individuals. Basically there is always room for growth. One of the main things I have learned is that being a leader requires followers. If you base the purpose of your actions with the sole intent of personal success, you are not leader. A true leader acts for the benefit of the greater good. Leaders are interested in developing others to be leaders, not to be followers. This is something I have tried to work on in my final semesters at SDSU. More so because I was around a lot of students that had not had real leadership experience. When I was in group projects I would try to have others give their opinions and ideas first. This is because I tend to be very opinionated and typically present my ideas with strong conviction. In early semesters I realized that expressing myself in this way caused some of my classmates to stay quiet and possibly be intimidated, even though that was never my intention. I have realized that the strong approach may work well in a business boardroom, but it is important to adapt to you surroundings.
Another thing I learned about leaders is that they are willing to take risks and step out of their comfort zone. I am a self-proclaimed creature of habit and I find it very difficult to step out of my comfort zone. But experiences at school have forced me to do so, and all with positive effects. Simple things like sharing a hotel room with 3 other students ranging from 19-21 years old that were mere acquaintances was a big deal to me. For my study abroad requirement, I went to Costa Rica and stayed in accommodations that made me feel like I was camping in the jungle. There were 23 other students on that trip and I only knew one of them (at least!). This was a big thing for me. I am not a true princess, but I have standards of travel that typically include windows, minimal insects, central air, just the basics. Yet despite what sounds like gripes here, all these experiences ended up positive and made me learn new things about myself. I went Stand Up Paddle boarding in a river with crocodiles! That is not something I would have ever imagined agreeing to, but now it is one of my favorite memories. While these were personal “risks” I can see how the effect of professional risks can be positive in business settings as well. At a conference I attended in Las Vegas, I heard from many industry professionals that had taken huge risks to get to where they are today. Risks like moving to a new city or quitting their jobs to start a business they were passionate about. While sometimes the risk did not pay off, many times it did. As I re-enter the workforce after graduation, this is something I want to reflect on and incorporate into my life. I don’t want to be afraid to take risks anymore.
Throughout my time at San Diego State I have learned a lot about myself. I’ve been able to reflect on the journey it took to get me here, and how my education goals never faded away despite the years passing. Working on school projects, have further made me realize my potential and what I am capable of accomplishing, even on short deadlines. Stepping out of my comfort zone with my classmates on trips has shown me that I can adapt to my surroundings. Stepping up to join organizations and taking on high responsibility internships have renewed my confidence as I prepare to look for jobs. I had to make sacrifices to be here, as did my husband. And though it has been hard or awkward at times, I feel like I am coming out on top.
HIGHLIGHTS
Within the pages of my site you will find some of the highlights of my time at SDSU. I have included the study abroad trip I took to Costa Rica that got me out of my comfort zone and involved with some amazing community service. The experiences I had here are memories I will treasure forever. There is my successful internship with the Sage Project, a non-profit organization on campus, where I was hired as a conference manager. It came with a high degree of responsibility but also left me with a feeling of great accomplishment. I have showcased a hospitality exhibition for student leaders that I was selected to attend. Here I heard from industry experts and had great networking opportunities. Parts of the exhibition were entertaining while others were enlightening. I have also listed some of the professional and personal mentors I have gained over the past two years. These individuals have been great sounding boards and advice givers and I hope to continue a long relationship with them. You will also find the promising pitfalls I have encountered over my time at school. Things are not always easy or as expected, but that does not mean they will break you. If anything you usually end up better because of them. I have also highlighted my student association, MESA. I made some great friends and was involved with cool projects and events because of them. And if all these highlights were not enough to tell you how gratifying my time at SDSU has been, you will see that I have been recognized as an outstanding graduate. This recognition is the literal cherry on top of one amazing experience that has instilled humility, honor, and leadership in my life as I move forward from this place.
Within the pages of my site you will find some of the highlights of my time at SDSU. I have included the study abroad trip I took to Costa Rica that got me out of my comfort zone and involved with some amazing community service. The experiences I had here are memories I will treasure forever. There is my successful internship with the Sage Project, a non-profit organization on campus, where I was hired as a conference manager. It came with a high degree of responsibility but also left me with a feeling of great accomplishment. I have showcased a hospitality exhibition for student leaders that I was selected to attend. Here I heard from industry experts and had great networking opportunities. Parts of the exhibition were entertaining while others were enlightening. I have also listed some of the professional and personal mentors I have gained over the past two years. These individuals have been great sounding boards and advice givers and I hope to continue a long relationship with them. You will also find the promising pitfalls I have encountered over my time at school. Things are not always easy or as expected, but that does not mean they will break you. If anything you usually end up better because of them. I have also highlighted my student association, MESA. I made some great friends and was involved with cool projects and events because of them. And if all these highlights were not enough to tell you how gratifying my time at SDSU has been, you will see that I have been recognized as an outstanding graduate. This recognition is the literal cherry on top of one amazing experience that has instilled humility, honor, and leadership in my life as I move forward from this place.