Tell us about your major and extracurricular activities?
I started off as an Exploring major, but then I went into Kinesiology. As far as extra-curricular activities, I am a part of L.K.D. which is Lambda Kappa Delta, the pre-physical therapy honors society. I’m on their e-board as the chair of fundraising and philanthropy. I’m also a part of Future Latinos in Medicine. I was a part of the Anthropology Society and then RAMP which is Graduate College Rebel Research and Mentorship Program. I did research with Elizabeth Johnson. As an undergraduate, it was a really great opportunity and I already knew her so it was easy to work with her.
What services of the ASC did you use as a student?
I used advising. Nicole Stella was my advisor when she was with the ASC. I went to tutoring. I didn’t go to coaching 1-on-1, but I did their workshops. I needed to learn how to manage my time better when I first started. Advising was good to help me figure out what I actually wanted to do, which was a big worry for me when I first started.
Tell us about your role as a Lead Front & Center Ambassador for the ASC? What does that job entail?
I have been working for the ASC since 2017, but in the lead position for about a year and a half. My main focus is to engage with students through follow-up phone calls. I do outreach if they call us and are transferred somewhere else. My goal is to call them and make sure they got what they needed from that department. If they didn’t, I’ll go ahead and direct them to somewhere else or do my part to make sure they make that correction. I’m more of just a friendly face and voice when they call when they come in, making sure they don’t feel alone and that they feel heard. Let them know that we’re here to support them and we have all these resources available to them.
What is your favorite thing about helping students?
My favorite thing is feeling accomplished when I help students get what they need. For example, during COVID, we were one of the few offices really answering phones and a lot of them would say on the phone, “Oh thank goodness. I’m actually talking to a real person and not a machine.” Just making sure that they feel heard and being able to help them out and get them where they need to be or the information that they need is always my favorite part.
What is the most important piece of advice you give to the students you speak to on the phone?
My biggest piece of advice is to make sure that you reach out early on. When I would make my appointments at the beginning of the semester, I would tell my advisor, “I know that this is early, but I wanted to schedule my fall classes, my summer classes” and they’re like, “No, it’s never too early.” Towards the end of the semester things get booked up and there's more stress on you and the advisors. So, make sure you know who your advisor is and reach out to them often in email, and just make appointments early on.
What is something that you must do in order to survive the semester?
I’m a big planner and that just means that I need routine. Something I learned when I went to coaching workshops was how to make my schedule. I find myself in the beginning of each semester going through the same thing, which is freaking out because my whole schedule has now flipped around. I’d sit down one day before the semester to plan out what I thought would be my schedule, including study time, work, school, and hanging out with people. Then, as the first and second week went on, I tweaked it. Real life happens so you need to know what works for you and what doesn’t. My advice is to plan and make your schedule.
What was your favorite class at UNLV? Why?
My favorite class was anatomy and physiology which was one of the hardest classes that I took as a Kinesiology major. I was really nervous about it because I thought I sucked at STEM. But, as I went on in the class, I found myself succeeding and really understanding the material. I knew, based off of that class, that I had chosen the right major - falling in love with the body and how amazing it is and how things just really fit together well.
What are your plans now that you have graduated?
Right now I’m volunteering at Sunrise Hospital. I’m also going to start shadowing and working at a physical therapy clinic, specifically ATI. Then, I am planning to go to grad school. Hopefully, I’ll apply by the summer to get into grad school. If that doesn’t work out, we’re just going to re-evaluate, plan, and then go forward from there.
Why do you want to go into PT? Do you have a certain modality in which you want to focus?
I had asthma growing up and my whole life. The biggest thing I feel like they failed me in was not telling me, “Hey, you need exercise and movement if you really want to get better and outgrow your childhood asthma, because you can.” I know that through movement and exercises, that would have been possible. But, I felt like that option wasn’t given to me. I really struggled because I wasn’t playing at recess or involved because I constantly had to use my inhaler. I feel like I was given some wrong information. Then, just last year, my grandfather passed away from pulmonary fibrosis. Exercise was such an important part. Pulmonary fibrosis isn’t curable, but exercise prolonged more time with him. I think respiratory physical therapy or pulmonary rehab is something that I really want to experience and be a part of professionally.
Anything else you want to say about your experience with ASC?
The ASC in general has been a big part of my college journey - as a student in the beginning and as a student worker. Honestly, it is one of the best working environments that I've worked in. It definitely has raised the bar as far as my expectations and it was so flexible with my school schedule. So, I’m really grateful and I’m so glad to have been a part of the team.