How did you end up at California Baptist University?
I transferred from University of California, Riverside to CBU in 2008, I really liked being a part of the newspaper at my high school but I wasn’t really sure how to make a career out of it or study it. So I mostly followed my sister’s footsteps and spent my first year of college at UCR. It was a good school, definitely has its perks, but it wasn’t for me. I was still unde- clared and after talking to some family members, they suggested I change schools…God gave me the green light to pursue this change and He led me to CBU. I needed a school close to home that offered journalism as a major and This was it!
What was your major?
My major was journalism. I also had a minor in political science.
How did you become a financial aid advisor for CBU?
I started working in the financial aid office as a student when I started at CBU. When my graduation was coming I knew I had to look for a full-time job and fortunately the office was in need of a financial aid advisor. I love the work I do and the people I work with. It’s a little different being at CBU as a staff member, but I love that I am able to still be a part of the community.
Describe your semester in Washington, D.C.
My D.C. trip was so much fun! I had a great time traveling through the city with the major powerhouses of our country in plain sight. I had a fantas- tic time with the Washington Journalism Center, making lasting friendships and learning about the field I was studying. I also held an internship with The Washington Times, where I nabbed 3 front page stories.
Do you have any plans that involve your journalism major?
This is definitely something that I keep in mind. Obviously I am not pur- suing any jobs within journalism at the moment. I do, however, believe the skills I learned with my major were transferable, where I could use them anywhere. And I think God has given me this time to just become stable and grow closer to Him.
Do you have any future ideas or projects?
I do want to eventually start a magazine for young Latinas. Maybe it will be a blog first and then a print publication. But I still feel that God gave me this dream and I need to learn how to make it happen.
How did your job as an AVID tutor influence you in helping students at CBU?
I was only an AVID tutor for my first year of college but I really love help- ing people. I even remember dreaming of being a teacher in second grade. Although my plans have changed a bit, I still think God gave me a heart for helping others. I think that at times some people don’t have the resources or even the access to resources to know any and all things, like how to apply for financial aid or even sharing comments on the 2012 presidential election. That’s where my interest in journalism comes along, too; helping people gain access to the wealth of information by communicating it to them.
How was your experience in The Banner?
There is much to say about my time with The Banner. I came to CBU with some clips so I was able to be a staff writer almost immediately, then I stuck around. I moved up to a senior staff writer and then applied for the News Editor position. After a semester of doing that, I left for D.C. and came back to CBU for my senior year, where I became Editor-in-Chief. I was able to lead a team of wonderful and hardworking editors, many of whom I call my very good friends. I think we were a tightly knit group because we all shared a similar passion and had fun with each other when times got stressful. I still remember one of our work nights where we did some choreography to the song Jai-ho; Sharayah Le Leux has the evidence. I miss being up on the third floor of the James Building every Monday and Wednesday for production nights but I’m glad that I am still at CBU to enjoy it from just a little far away.
Who influenced you throughout your college years?
I think God placed some good people in my life to guide me in every as- pect. The first person that I can name is Mary Ann Pearson, faculty adviser of the journalism program. I have known her for four years and I feel so fortu- nate to have met her. Dr. Pearson is a woman who is so dedicated to the stu- dents she works with and goes beyond what’s necessary to help her students. She does so much and has grown the journalism program, but she does it for the Lord and it shows in her. She was my professor but became my mentor as well. I am so grateful to have her in my life. Outside of school, I can say that my mom was my strongest cheerleader; she was always there for my sister and I. She wanted us to finish school because that would promise a better life for us. All of the sacrifices she made have shaped who I am today.
