Career Program: Human Resources
Originally From: Oshkosh
Current Residence: Oshkosh
Age: 26
Attended FVTC: Spring 2020 – Spring 2022
Why did you choose to study this field?
Once during a job interview, the interviewer heard my accent and asked me where I am from; it all went downhill from there. She discriminated against me based on my national origin and assumed that I am an undocumented person looking for a job. She wouldn’t allow me to respond and I felt very dismissed by the experience. After that interview, I decided to pursue a career in Human Resources, because I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through that day.
Tell us how you came to choose FVTC for your education.
I chose FVTC because of its affordability and flexible class options. I applied at a public university first, but after I saw the price per semester I knew that I could not afford it. After that, I called FVTC and spoke with someone who was extremely helpful and gave me all the information I needed. I applied the next day so I could start for the spring 2020 semester.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your educational journey at FVTC?
The fact that FVTC is willing to do everything you need to see you succeed has been the most rewarding part of this journey. I was working full-time while also being a full-time student, but they offered classes that worked around my schedule and allowed me to do both.
What was the most difficult part?
The most difficult part was transitioning my classes online due to COVID-19. I like being physically present in class, so when we had to go virtual it was a very hard transition for me. My instructors handled the situation wonderfully and did everything that they could to see that I was successful. It was hard at first, but I ended up liking online classes because I got to do my classes in my bed.
What will you do on graduation day or in the future to celebrate graduation?
I will proudly walk across that stage and enjoy every moment of the day because of the hard work I put in to make it to that day.
Tell us about your plans after graduation.
After graduation, I am planning on taking a well-deserved year off from school before studying Business Management.
One last parting thought or words of wisdom to share with others.
Moving to the U.S. was not an easy transition for me. Not only was the culture very different, but the language was as well. I had to go to school and work hard to be able to speak and write in English. All of my friends graduated 3 years ago, while I was just starting my journey all over again. My friends would often ask me, when are you going to graduate? Now I can not only say that I graduated, but also that I’m bilingual. I was always motivated by a phrase that my mom says: “You have to fight through bad days in order to get the reward and enjoy the best days of your life. You will never wake up on top, you have to work your way from the bottom. You must never give up in any way.”
