Student Affairs Assistant
School of Education
April 1, 2012
“I love helping students find their way.”
I am UCI sophomore majoring in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. I plan to minor in Film and Media Studies and eventually would like to be a screenwriter.
I was raised in Compton, California and attended both elementary and middle in the Compton Unified School District. As a child, all I can remember is being punished for not completing my homework. Also, I can remember falling in love with reading and the beginnings of my poem writing.
In middle school, I joined MESA (Mathematic Engineering Science Achievement), a program that helps students in underprivileged communities by teaching them about college and higher education through engineering related projects. The University of California, Irvine is one of the few universities that sponsor the club, and it was also my MESA Center. Every year the selected schools from the Compton District would create projects and compete in different competitions with the goal of winning and going on to the regional competition. UCI undergraduates that worked with the MESA program would come to our schools and help us with our projects. They influenced me so much and reminded me of the great opportunities I had. I stayed in this program until I graduated from high school. Now, I am now a part of that same outreach effort. I go to Compton schools almost every Saturday early in the morning and try to influence the children just like the previous university students influenced me.
I have always had a strong interest in education. During my high school years, I would hold summer classes for my younger sister and brother. We covered concepts in math and writing that they were going to be studying in the fall. We also had creative time, which was always held outside, doing multiple activities like drawing, crafts, imagination games, and gardening. I still hold classes with them when I go back home during the summer. Also throughout my high school years, I began to tutor children. I would encourage them to think about their educational future and help them at an early age discover their passion for learning. Their parents would donate to my transportation fund, so I could find a way to meet them at the library. It broke my heart that I couldn’t continue tutoring them when I moved to Irvine.
After I graduated from high school I received the opportunity to enroll here at UCI and I did! Before my freshman year began, I already had an interview with Marie Nubia-Feliciano, Admissions Officer in the Department of Education Student Affairs Office. On the same day, hours after my interview, Marie called me and offered me the job of student affairs assistant. I was thrilled! The things she told me about the department and what we do made me want the job even more. I love helping students find their way.
Since I work with admissions, it’s a thrill for me to meet the students that apply. Every time I can add a face to the accomplishments I have read in the applications I get excited! I like to believe that my job here at the department is to help future teachers in becoming great, even if it’s by finding their books or preparing their application for Grad Division.
I am very happy to be working at the Department of Education. Not only am I able to help, I also benefit from what I learn too. I look forward to coming into work every week because I learn so much from the staff about education. They answer so many questions I have about the education system and the university. They are always encouraging me and helping me become a stronger candidate for a master’s program.