When I first entered college, I was sure I was going to major in chemistry and become a radiologist. Many factors led to me changing my decision about chemistry and radiology. Among those factors were my poor study habits, the fact that no one told me that I should not take 21 hours my first semester, and being a first-generation college student with many questions my family couldn’t help answer. With all of those factors came a lot of fear, mostly the fear of failure. This led me to explore finding a major in which I didn’t struggle to pull a C. I went to school on a music scholarship, but I never considered music as a career option. Most musicians follow one of two tracks, performance or teaching. I knew that I did not want to teach, and I knew that I did not have the intestinal fortitude that comes with the hunger pains of trying to become a professional performer. This left me with a lot of soul searching, which lead me to major in music. I would often say, “I don’t know what I’m going to do with a major in music, but I’m sure going to have one.”

The university I attended did not have a department on campus to assist me in exploring my interest, the majors the college offered, or potential careers I could pursue with my major. The career center on campus seemed focused on business, and I knew that was not the direction I wanted to go. My senior year of college the university opened a center that focused on helping students who were undecided. By this time there was no turning back for me, however I had an opportunity to work in the center as a student assistant. Wandering students were offered assistance with the same questions that I had struggled through alone. This was the turning point that helped me consider a career in higher education.

I saw that I could have a positive effect in helping students find academic success in college and help them discover their academic and career paths. This first led me to work in public schools and now in higher education at UHCL trying to make a difference for prospective and current UHCL students in need.