Tuesday, February 21, 2012

An Interview with : Cindy Avalos

I am Mexican-American. I am from a family of 6. 4 brothers and 2 sisters. I grew up in poverty. Neither one of my parents graduated from junior high, they are both agricultural workers. I graduated from high school in 2009. I got pregnant at age 16, had my first child at 17. I have two daughters, ages 4 and 2.

I would like to pursue a field of nursing because I am interested the healthcare system. I want to work in oncology in a children’s hospital or with blood disorders. I want to advocate for young children. I want to be able to provide my family with a good lifestyle so I need to pursue a career in order to do that.

I go to school full-time. I have 15 units. I work as a student ambassador for 20 hours a week. I lead tours around the college, I promote college enrollment and I am a peer advisor. I am a member of the ASL Club that I attend a club meeting once a week.

My mother helps to provide childcare when I have to attend class or work. On nights and weekends, I try to spend as much time with my children as possible, and I do as much homework as I can when they’re asleep. I also have my children in daycare on the college’s campus so that they are close to me during the day and so that I am still able to have a bonding experience with them on the rides to and from school.

My mother and my sister are motivations to me because they show me how I can provide a better life for my children and they push me to do better. My supervisor at work helps me a great deal, she gives me great advice when I need it, and she guides me in the right direction. My biggest motivation would have to be my children, because I want to provide a better future for them. I want them to be able to see that you never stop learning, that no matter where you start, you can always grow in education and make yourself better. I want them to be committed to a process of lifetime of learning.

Three words I would use to describe myself would be: optimistic, strong, and ambitious.

Ten years from now I see myself with a Bachelor’s of Science and Nursing. I see myself working at the children’s hospital in Los Angeles and probably going back to school to work on my master’s degree. Hopefully I will have a nice place to live in Los Angeles with my children, and I see myself single for now.

My philosophy for succeeding in school is that I need to be able to give back to the community because I want to help people who have less than I do. I want to be a role model for my children and other children.

But my biggest philosophy is to be able to provide a good example for my children that no matter what your background or where you start, you can make something of yourself.  I was a single parent but I was able to do all that I wanted for myself and for their lives because I was motivated.

I like the professors at Oxnard College. I like the programs that are provided for students such as EAC, EOPS, and CalWorks. I really appreciate how such programs are there to help students if they need them.

I think Oxnard College could improve by paying attention to the student’s feedback during evaluations so that curriculum and products that the professors provide are more effective for students. I believe that the college should listen to the students so that there will be a smaller dropout and withdrawal rate and it would benefit the entire school.

I came from poverty and I was surrounded by people that viewed education as unimportant, and so for the first years of my life, I didn’t make education a priority. Once I had my children I became more motivated to pursue a better life and I have. So I can thank my past for giving me the motivation to become a better person.

I am most surprised about my college experience that I enjoy my classes. I am getting a connection with my professors and my learning experience has made me a better person and given me a different outlook on life. I have been exposed to different cultures and people and to be heading for the same goal is a beautiful thing.

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