Student Story

"Initially, I aspired to a career in personal financial advising, driven by the challenges I faced growing up in a low-income household. As a first-generation student, I believed pursuing a degree in accounting and finance would equip me to pay it forward and assist other families in avoiding economic hardships. However, my diverse undergraduate experiences revealed a deeper passion for working with people and fostering community growth. This realization prompted a major shift in my academic focus to Business Management. Throughout my undergraduate journey, I discovered the joy of fostering curiosity and growth through my work at the WonderLab Museum. Additionally, I developed valuable customer service skills and a commitment to brightening others' days through my employment at the IU Auditorium. My time at the Office of the Bicentennial and managing the Facebook page 'Portraits of IU' further underscored the importance of helping others communicate and share their stories. After graduating, I decided to stay in Bloomington, landing a role as a Scholarship Specialist with the Office of Scholarships. In a surprising twist, this position allowed me to engage in a form of financial advising. Currently, working in recruitment for the O’Neill School, I find immense gratification in guiding students and families on their journeys, helping them navigate the path to their goals.

"Reflecting on my IU experiences, the Latino Cultural Center played an instrumental role in my success. Mentors Lillian Casillas and Leticia Gonzalez provided strong guidance, encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone and embrace the opportunities before me. La Casa became a cherished home, offering a supportive community of friends and family crucial to my personal and academic growth. Looking back on my career journey, I wish I had known that there is no single perfect path to success. Despite entering undergrad with a clear vision, my career trajectory has been anything but linear. Each step, even the unexpected ones, has been a valuable lesson. Success isn't about following a predetermined plan but embracing risks and carving a unique path. A resume should not just showcase accomplishments but also highlight the points of growth that led to finding one's true calling."

What did you study, and what has your career journey looked like?

"Coming out of high school, I’d wanted to go into a career of personal financial advising. I had faced a lot of challenges growing up in a low-income household, and as a first-generation student I felt that getting a degree in accounting and finance would help me to pay it forward and help other families avoid some of the economic hardship that I had faced when I was younger. However, throughout my undergraduate experience, I had worked a variety of jobs that showed me how much I value the experience of working with people and in my community more than anything. I’d found my passion for fostering curiosity and growth through my work at the WonderLab Museum; I developed my customer service and working to make other people’s days better through working at the IU Auditorium; and I learned to value helping others to communicate and write their stories when working at the Office of the Bicentennial and when I’d run a Facebook page called 'Portraits of IU.' Through these experiences, I decided to change my major to Business Management given its greater focus on developing and working with people. Upon graduation, I decided to stay in Bloomington and started working as the Scholarship Specialist with the Office of Scholarships. In a way, I did ultimately land in a form of financial advising. Now, working in recruitment for the O’Neill School, I get to help students and families figure out what their journeys will be and how they can make progress to where they want to be. It’s an incredibly gratifying experience."

What IU experiences do you feel contributed to your success, both inside and outside the classroom?

"Without question, the Latino Cultural Center led to my success at IU. Lillian Casillas and Leticia Gonzalez were strong mentors throughout my undergraduate experience and pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and embrace the opportunities ahead of me. La Casa was truly a home for me, filled with friends and family who provided an incredible space for community and support. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them."

What is one thing you wish you would have known beginning your career journey?

"There is no single perfect journey to success. I had this clear picture of where I thought I needed to go entering into undergrad, but that ultimately wasn’t where I was needed most. My career journey has not been a clear and straight path, but every step has been a valuable lesson along the way. You may diverge into spaces you never envisioned, or stumble on hidden passions you had never even considered. In the end, success is not about having done everything perfectly; it’s about having been willing to take risks to carve out the path that is right for you. A resume should not just be a list of your proudest accomplishments, but also a place to reflect your greatest points of growth that carried you to where you were meant to be."