It has been a privilege working with Sandra the past few months and watching her grow in her abilities. Our only regret is that we weren’t able to have her on our team for a longer amount of time! Sandra graduates this Spring from Western Washington University and it is with great pleasure we are able to exclaim, “Way to go! You DID it!!” Sandra spent her days with us in our DVR, grants, and operations arena. She is a logistical pro, a wonderful organizer, and always chimed in with the best ideas and processes to keep the whole team running on a smooth schedule. Workshop presentation and public speaking was her area of growth, and we were thrilled to witness her progression into a confident and capable workshop facilitator. Her grant writing abilities are superb, and she possesses a keen eye for details and technical writing. Whatever the task, she will complete it with professionalism, confidence, and a wonderfully kind and gentle spirit. Her next step after graduation is job hunting for a human services position. She will be a huge asset to her future employer and they will be the lucky ones to get to work with Sandra! We sat down with her to hear her reflections, thoughts and advice to future college students.
Q: First of all, how does it feel to have reached this huge accomplishment?
It feels surreal when I think about it. I remember my first day of the quarter of my first year at Western and thought that four years would feel like an eternity to finish. It truly felt like a blink of an eye, and boom, graduation is this weekend. Thinking back at the different experiences I’ve gone through and seeing how I’ve grown as a person and student.
Q: What advice would you give other students who are either thinking about college or in the process of completing a degree?
My biggest piece of advice is to take care of yourself and find a good support system. Navigating higher education is hard but having a good group of friends makes it better. I know at least for myself there were times when I thought that I couldn’t keep going. My friends were the ones who supported me through that and encouraged me to continue. Also, to listen to your body and take time to take care of yourself. Give yourself breaks and times to enjoy being a student.
Q: What did you wish you would have known as you navigated higher education?
I wish I would have known how quickly the years go by and how important it is to find your community. Also, to not take myself so seriously all the time and to appreciate the small joyous moments.
Q: How did completing your Financial Aid application help you reach your goals?
I was able to attend Western because I got financial aid. There was no way that me or my family could afford for me to go into higher education without going into massive debt. As a first-generation student I did not know what financial aid looked liked for higher education and I’m grateful that I had a support system that helped me navigate that.
Q: What will you miss the most about college?
I’ll miss getting together in the ethnic student center and just talking to people. Finding conversation with people in the most random places and sparking a friendship from there. I will miss the community I gained in my time there.
Q: What is a favorite memory you have from your time at FuturesNW?
My favorite memory from my time at FuturesNW has been the team meetings. It was a great space to find support and talk through things. I would say that I especially liked our Skribblio team games were especially eventful.
Q: What’s your next chapter looking like?
My next chapter will consist of job hunting and continuing to work at my family’s business until I find the right job.