Why did you come to the Marxe School? What do you hope to accomplish here?
I decided I wanted to be in higher education professionally about two years ago.I have worked inmany various high school settings with non-profit organizations and I was seeking change and stability.I felt the Marxe School could deliver on both of these desires. I hope to not only attain my Master’s Degree, but to encounter as many individuals as I can so that we can share our experiences and best practices with each other. I hope to share the “pay it forward” concept with every individual I come across in my life.

Can you tell us what your experience in the MSEd in Higher Education Administration program has been like? What part of the curriculum has been the most engaging?
My experience withthe MSEd in Higher Education Administration program has been nothing short of amazing. In such a short amount of time I have met many colleagues from different sides of education and have developed solid foundations for long-lasting friendships. We all support and uplift each other endlessly to ensure academic excellence. Every class I have taken thus far has been thought-provoking and engaging. Professor McCarthy, Professor Stark, and Professor Apfel have all instilled their incomparable wisdom and experiences in me.

The most engaging course for me so far has been the Administrative Services class co-taught by Professor Spalter and Professor Shatzer. This course always left me wanting more at the end of each session.The professors put you in realistic situations that have happened in higher education and ask that you formulate a solution to these problems.They even put me in the same thought process as a VP of Student Affairs and asked that I put together a presentation of how I would provide change in that particular professional position.

What’s your ideal career? What impact will you make in it?
My ideal career would be the VP of Student Affairs of any institution. I have always had the natural ability to relate to any individual that I encounter. I have also made it a point to exercise cultural sensitivity with anyone I meet. I hope to not only display my supportiveleadership style with my staff, but to make a lasting impact on every student I engage with. I hope to get higher education back to a place where professionals, students, and their communities are in constant communication and are all working toward a common goal. I would look to expand on need-based scholarships and more resources for undocumented students. We should also take the core values and structures of programs such as ASAP and extrapolate them into more resources for our low-income communities.