When you feel like like there isn't really any kind of future or any kind of like
 2
00:00:07.273 --> 00:00:08.274 afterwards.
 3
00:00:08.274 --> 00:00:09.776 What keeps you going?
 4
00:00:09.776 --> 00:00:14.776 here's what I what I would say is that ultimately each of us
 5
00:00:15.015 --> 00:00:18.852 and each of you as young people, you can make that choice every single day.
 6
00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:24.391 And so making a choice to say, this is my day that I am going to own
 7
00:00:24.391 --> 00:00:27.827 and I am going to drive and that I have power and control over.
 8
00:00:28.461 --> 00:00:32.198 And the reality is, is you just have to start.
 9
00:00:32.432 --> 00:00:34.501 I've actually earned my doctorate now, Right.
 10
00:00:34.501 --> 00:00:36.669 Which I never would have expected.
 11
00:00:36.669 --> 00:00:40.040 I earned my doctorate in part because someone came to me
 12
00:00:40.040 --> 00:00:42.575 and they said, Hey, will you join this program with me?
 13
00:00:42.575 --> 00:00:44.277 So I'm not doing it alone.
 14
00:00:44.277 --> 00:00:49.277 And it was like a five year process and I said to myself,
 15
00:00:49.582 --> 00:00:52.585 well, in five years I'm going to be five years older,
 16
00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:55.922 with or without a doctorate, I might as well just start.
 17
00:00:55.922 --> 00:00:57.023 And I just started.
 18
00:00:57.023 --> 00:00:59.092 I had no expectation to do it.
 19
00:00:59.092 --> 00:01:02.062 And part of it is just making a choice to start
 20
00:01:02.062 --> 00:01:05.598 and then the next day to keep going and not necessarily looking at it
 21
00:01:05.598 --> 00:01:10.598 as this full unimaginable task ahead of you of graduating from college
 22
00:01:10.937 --> 00:01:12.906 or whatever it is you want to pursue,
 23
00:01:12.906 --> 00:01:15.475 You just have to make the choice that today is your day
 24
00:01:15.475 --> 00:01:19.546 and that you have the power to own it and to make choices for yourself.
 25
00:01:19.946 --> 00:01:22.949 You know, I think I think part of the the difficulty
 26
00:01:23.083 --> 00:01:26.086 being your age is you're thinking you're choosing for the rest of your life.
 27
00:01:26.252 --> 00:01:30.323 And the reality is you're choosing for now just because you make one choice
 28
00:01:30.323 --> 00:01:33.526 at one stage of your life doesn't mean you might not make another one.
 29
00:01:33.626 --> 00:01:36.930 and it doesn't mean that what you did before isn't helping
 30
00:01:36.930 --> 00:01:40.500 you make other choice and that you're not bringing all those skills with you.
 31
00:01:40.834 --> 00:01:44.037 I think it's a lot of pressure to put at us at such a young age.
 32
00:01:44.204 --> 00:01:47.607 but know that whatever choice make, it's the right choice for you now
 33
00:01:48.007 --> 00:01:50.910 and that you can always make a different one later.
 34
00:01:50.910 --> 00:01:52.745 That's what makes the world in life exciting.
 35
00:01:52.745 --> 00:01:54.747 Right. And interesting.
 36
00:01:54.747 --> 00:01:58.685 what advice do you have for us to continue going forward?
 37
00:01:58.818 --> 00:02:01.287 It is not just about the piece of paper.
 38
00:02:01.287 --> 00:02:03.590 It really is about that journey.
 39
00:02:03.590 --> 00:02:07.827 What one of the things that as I look back that I realize because I grew up
 40
00:02:07.827 --> 00:02:11.764 and I was always concerned about money and being and you know
 41
00:02:11.764 --> 00:02:14.767 being able to support myself, I was always in a hurry.
 42
00:02:14.834 --> 00:02:17.537 Okay, so if I get this, then I can get a job
 43
00:02:17.537 --> 00:02:19.405 and then I can make enough money and then I can,
 44
00:02:19.405 --> 00:02:23.309 you know, be able to support myself and have a roof over my head.
 45
00:02:23.743 --> 00:02:26.813 And when I realize after the fact is I wish I would have realized
 46
00:02:26.813 --> 00:02:28.381 I was going to get there regardless.
 47
00:02:28.381 --> 00:02:32.051 But that really a fully immersing yourself in the experience
 48
00:02:32.285 --> 00:02:36.289 and in that campus, whatever campus you choose, working on the campus
 49
00:02:36.289 --> 00:02:39.526 and fully immersing yourself in all the opportunities, that
 50
00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:44.264 that is what gives life and breath and meaning to the experience
 51
00:02:44.264 --> 00:02:47.400 the diploma is important and finishing and earning that credential
 52
00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:51.738 because that opens doors and opportunities and gives you options and choices.
 53
00:02:51.871 --> 00:02:54.040 But the experience is what makes you you it
 54
00:02:54.040 --> 00:02:57.477 because it's the self as much of a personal discovery process
 55
00:02:57.777 --> 00:03:02.482 as it is about you learning something about your specific area of interest.
 56
00:03:02.682 --> 00:03:03.583 And what the other piece.
 57
00:03:03.583 --> 00:03:06.920 I will tell you that that I don't think most young people realize
 58
00:03:06.920 --> 00:03:10.590 is that sometimes at the end of the day, your journey in life
 59
00:03:11.157 --> 00:03:14.160 has you sort of pursuing and earning a degree in one area,
 60
00:03:14.160 --> 00:03:17.964 but you end up applying it and using it in a totally different area that you never
 61
00:03:18.264 --> 00:03:19.465 would have imagined
 62
00:03:19.465 --> 00:03:22.368 that you're still taking those skills and the things you learned
 63
00:03:22.368 --> 00:03:23.336 but you end up applying it
 64
00:03:23.336 --> 00:03:26.806 to an entirely different context that you never could have imagined.
 65
00:03:26.973 --> 00:03:30.276 And so as much as it's important to pick the right school,
 66
00:03:30.710 --> 00:03:34.647 I think it's important to pick the right fit for you that helps
 67
00:03:34.647 --> 00:03:39.152 you achieve your your your personal best and whatever goals that you might have.
 

2024 VOHE Roadtrip
first-in-family
community-college
advanced-degree
veteran
army

A school district leader serves many different populations including students, parents, teachers, local government, and local businesses. A typical day involves responding to or facilitating these stakeholders individually or collaboratively toward the improvement of educational opportunities for students. This involves leading meetings, developing plans, visiting classrooms, speaking with teachers, advocating with local legislators, and a lot of writing.

Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning

Choices

Support & Encouragement

Just Make The Choice To Start

Did you ever feel like
 2
00:00:01.234 --> 00:00:04.738 you, like, stopped short or like you you should have just, like, powered through?
 3
00:00:05.038 --> 00:00:05.839 When I first did it,
 4
00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:08.308 it was because I hated school, like I really didn't.
 5
00:00:08.308 --> 00:00:11.745 So I changed my major like, three times getting my AA which is kind of like dumb
 6
00:00:11.745 --> 00:00:14.114 because really your AA is just the basics, right?
 7
00:00:14.114 --> 00:00:15.682 And then my dad was super.
 8
00:00:15.682 --> 00:00:16.816 He came from a third world country.
 9
00:00:16.816 --> 00:00:18.685 He was very like, You need to get us something
 10
00:00:18.685 --> 00:00:20.887 because that's who you are and that's what you're going to be.
 11
00:00:20.887 --> 00:00:21.654 You're going to work.
 12
00:00:21.654 --> 00:00:23.990 And it's my dad's very to the book by that, you know.
 13
00:00:23.990 --> 00:00:26.860 But I didn't think of it much because I was kind of like I knew it wasn't for me.
 14
00:00:26.860 --> 00:00:27.761 I'm going into debt
 15
00:00:27.761 --> 00:00:29.596 and I really like working a lot of different jobs
 16
00:00:29.596 --> 00:00:31.698 because I was meeting new people and I'm very talkative.
 17
00:00:31.698 --> 00:00:34.100 So I kind of like everything else I was doing versus school.
 18
00:00:34.100 --> 00:00:36.536 So I knew that that was the right route for me in that moment.
 19
00:00:36.536 --> 00:00:39.472 Now, as a mom coming back and I was like, I got to go back to school.
 20
00:00:39.472 --> 00:00:42.008 And then when they asked for your transcripts, I was like,
 21
00:00:42.008 --> 00:00:44.244 I can't believe I stopped six credits short.
 22
00:00:44.244 --> 00:00:47.614 Like, I could have finished it. So that's where I kind of was feeling bad about it.
 23
00:00:47.614 --> 00:00:48.848 But then I was like, you know what?
 24
00:00:48.848 --> 00:00:50.917 The God and the universe do things for a reason.
 25
00:00:50.917 --> 00:00:51.484 You know what I mean?
 26
00:00:51.484 --> 00:00:54.487 Because now I'm back in school, I like it, and my son sees me go to school.
 27
00:00:54.487 --> 00:00:58.391 and that really made me self-centered to say what I did back then was a perfect,
 28
00:00:58.892 --> 00:01:01.561 I think, choice because would I have stayed.
 29
00:01:01.561 --> 00:01:03.263 I probably would have done more into debt.
 30
00:01:03.263 --> 00:01:06.166 I probably would have not been where I am now in regards to like,
 31
00:01:06.166 --> 00:01:09.836 knowing who I know and like what I learned about myself working, psychiatry
 32
00:01:10.036 --> 00:01:11.371 and that's one I'm a big believer of.
 33
00:01:11.371 --> 00:01:16.176 You could soak in your sadness and your, you know, mistakes or whatever it is.
 34
00:01:16.176 --> 00:01:19.479 Do it for five, 10 minutes, but then get on because guess what?
 35
00:01:19.479 --> 00:01:21.548 Life really does go on, unfortunately.
 36
00:01:21.548 --> 00:01:24.551 You know, I mean, in good times, bad times, funny times it goes on.
 

2024 VOHE Roadtrip
community-college
adult-learner

I struggled with ADHD and depression. I learned to journal and embrace emotional intelligence to stay resilient.

As a full-time student, mom, and part-time worker, my days start with getting my son ready, whether for school or a normal day. Throughout my day, I try to squeeze in school assignments and homework. On Fridays, I hop on a video call with Young Invincibles for a weekly follow-up and to organize our work agenda. Young Invincibles works on advocating for students and passing laws to help those in need.

Student Advocate

Education

Making The Right Decisions For Me During My Educational Journey

You know, you're very open to everything, and as you get older,
 2
00:00:00.867 --> 00:00:04.604 you'll realize that it's never too old to go back to school. My dad is 56.
 3
00:00:04.938 --> 00:00:07.440 My dad still goes to school and he's the head of I.T.
 4
00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:10.176 for BeIN, which is basically production and stuff like that.
 5
00:00:10.176 --> 00:00:10.810 you know what I mean?
 6
00:00:10.810 --> 00:00:13.646 So it's never too late. It's okay to say, hey, I don't like this.
 7
00:00:13.646 --> 00:00:14.848 Let me change my mind.
 8
00:00:14.848 --> 00:00:16.416 Because I did it. Like I said, I've worked retail.
 9
00:00:16.416 --> 00:00:20.320 So Old Navy, Footlocker, I worked in OB-GYN offices.
 10
00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:23.289 I worked in psychiatry for two years.
 11
00:00:23.289 --> 00:00:27.527 I did analytics, I did accounting, so accounts receivable, accounts payable.
 12
00:00:27.527 --> 00:00:29.562 But I've always noticed that when I'm on the medication
 13
00:00:29.562 --> 00:00:32.532 and you give me a computer and I have to look for the missing link
 14
00:00:32.532 --> 00:00:34.567 or the missing puzzle is what I like to call it.
 15
00:00:34.567 --> 00:00:37.404 I'm fascinated by it because I like to put things together.
 16
00:00:37.404 --> 00:00:39.172 Like a puzzle is what I like to say.
 17
00:00:39.172 --> 00:00:43.109 So it's okay to not like something and say, Hey, I want to change my mind. Why?
 18
00:00:43.109 --> 00:00:45.712 Because you want to learn something new. And that's okay.
 19
00:00:45.712 --> 00:00:47.981 Because that's how life works.
 20
00:00:47.981 --> 00:00:49.916 You're going to have to be learning things all the time.
 21
00:00:49.916 --> 00:00:51.885 You know, It's good to be adaptable is what I like to say.
 

It’s Okay To Change Your Mind

There is no one way to get to anywhere.
 2
00:00:02.535 --> 00:00:06.239 I think there is a misconception that you need to check off particular boxes
 3
00:00:06.239 --> 00:00:09.209 or that you need to have accomplished certain things at certain times
 4
00:00:09.209 --> 00:00:11.911 or like your educational career has to look a particular way in order
 5
00:00:11.911 --> 00:00:14.381 for you to accomplish something in particular.
 6
00:00:14.381 --> 00:00:18.084 But that's just not how human lives work, right?
 7
00:00:18.084 --> 00:00:20.020 That's not how our society works.
 8
00:00:20.020 --> 00:00:24.891 And so I think we shouldn't write ourselves off when we don't maybe
 9
00:00:24.891 --> 00:00:29.129 accomplish something that we wanted to at a- by a certain date or in a certain way.
 10
00:00:29.295 --> 00:00:30.697 You know, I certainly did not get
 11
00:00:30.697 --> 00:00:34.134 the best grades ever in high school, but I'm now a Ph.D.
 12
00:00:34.134 --> 00:00:34.701 candidate.
 13
00:00:34.701 --> 00:00:37.270 And a lot of that has to do with, like endurance
 14
00:00:37.270 --> 00:00:41.241 and just the fact that I like doing this job.
 15
00:00:41.307 --> 00:00:45.578 So really people I think, need to allow themselves
 16
00:00:45.578 --> 00:00:50.550 the grace to figure out like their own paths and to not expect
 17
00:00:50.550 --> 00:00:55.121 too much of themselves in the sense of thinking that the molds and that
 18
00:00:55.121 --> 00:00:59.793 the pathways that are outlined for us, you know, being able to take
 19
00:00:59.793 --> 00:01:03.596 those as references is a good, you know, a good to help us like plan.
 20
00:01:03.830 --> 00:01:06.032 But again, you can't plan everything.
 21
00:01:06.032 --> 00:01:07.801 You can't expect everything.
 22
00:01:07.801 --> 00:01:11.905 And when you try to stick to a plan like too tightly,
 23
00:01:11.905 --> 00:01:15.141 I think that also closes you off from a lot of opportunities that you otherwise
 24
00:01:15.708 --> 00:01:16.943 wouldn't have encountered.
 25
00:01:16.943 --> 00:01:21.381 Like, you know, I kind of decided to apply to this program on a whim.
 26
00:01:21.714 --> 00:01:24.084 It wasn't something I had planned for to go to grad school
 27
00:01:24.084 --> 00:01:26.319 because no one ever told me I really should.
 28
00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:30.490 So if I had just thought, well, you know, I don't have good grades.
 29
00:01:30.657 --> 00:01:33.460 I didn't do these things by this date.
 30
00:01:33.460 --> 00:01:35.361 I shouldn't go to grad school. I wouldn't be here.
 

2024 VOHE Roadtrip
first-in-family
advanced-degree

I recommend attending a community college first and then working as a political practitioner either before, during, or after earning a four-year bachelor's degree before attending graduate school.

I come from an Asian refugee family and often felt othered by my peers in the affluent conservative community I grew up in.

In my higher education journey, there's rarely been a time where I wasn't working at least two jobs while going to school. I love academia but I'm not always able to focus completely on it because I have to supplement myself through other work.

As a Ph.D. candidate, I study immigrant and refugee communities and issues of poverty and immigration enforcement. My family is Vietnamese, so I'm really interested in examining how welfare programs, policing, and immigration enforcement systems impact our community. As a teaching assistant, I run discussion sections, where I help students understand class material, answer any questions, and prepare for assignments. I also hold office hours and spend a lot of time grading.

Teaching Assistant

Exploration

Planning

It’s Okay To Take Different Paths

There are multiple ways to get into nursing.
 2
00:00:02.369 --> 00:00:06.506 I think that's one of the reasons I love our nursing profession so much.
 3
00:00:06.573 --> 00:00:09.676 And what I love about it is the different pathways into
 4
00:00:09.676 --> 00:00:13.546 get into nursing kind of fits into where you are in your life.
 5
00:00:13.546 --> 00:00:14.781 So for example,
 6
00:00:14.781 --> 00:00:18.151 there are times when you may not want to do a bachelor's in nursing.
 7
00:00:18.151 --> 00:00:21.354 You can always start off as a certified nurse assistant
 8
00:00:21.454 --> 00:00:25.258 where you get the opportunity to see if this is the right thing for me.
 9
00:00:25.258 --> 00:00:28.628 And it's probably not cost effective and probably more flexible
 10
00:00:28.728 --> 00:00:33.433 if you're working or raising a family or just starting out to be able to do that.
 11
00:00:33.433 --> 00:00:37.537 There's also what we call the LPN, which is the licensed nurse practitioner,
 12
00:00:37.771 --> 00:00:41.141 a little step up from the CNA, the certified nurse assistant.
 13
00:00:41.141 --> 00:00:45.111 Again, a program that is affordable, flexible,
 14
00:00:45.111 --> 00:00:47.047 can potentially work with your life.
 15
00:00:47.047 --> 00:00:51.151 Once you're done with your LPN, there are two year programs, which is nice
 16
00:00:51.151 --> 00:00:53.820 because it's the associate degree, gives you a little wet
 17
00:00:53.820 --> 00:00:56.322 into whether you want to go on to do your bachelor's.
 18
00:00:56.322 --> 00:00:59.125 So you can actually get your associate degree in nursing,
 19
00:00:59.125 --> 00:01:02.962 which allows you to sit for the NCLEX and you have your registered nurse.
 20
00:01:02.962 --> 00:01:05.532 So you are actually an RN at that point.
 21
00:01:05.532 --> 00:01:08.835 At that point, you have a lot of practical experience.
 22
00:01:08.835 --> 00:01:12.439 But as we know in nursing, it's an art and it's a science.
 23
00:01:12.505 --> 00:01:17.210 So in order for you to be truly impactful in nursing, you really want to,
 24
00:01:17.210 --> 00:01:20.480 at some point in your career, move on to the bachelors level.
 25
00:01:20.547 --> 00:01:22.248 That's where we call the BSN.
 26
00:01:22.248 --> 00:01:23.917 So you might have your R.N.
 27
00:01:23.917 --> 00:01:26.719 or you might just go straight into a BSN.
 28
00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.488 So that's the undergraduate degree.
 29
00:01:28.488 --> 00:01:30.090 You still end up with your R.N.
 30
00:01:30.090 --> 00:01:33.726 whether you've gotten it before or if you get it at the end and you have your BSN.
 31
00:01:33.726 --> 00:01:37.197 The lovely thing about nursing is there's also the graduate level.
 32
00:01:37.397 --> 00:01:41.835 So you could have your master's and you can have your master's in the clinical
 33
00:01:41.835 --> 00:01:44.838 where you become a nurse practitioner, or you could have your master's
 34
00:01:44.838 --> 00:01:47.207 in the nonclinical like nursing leadership.
 35
00:01:47.207 --> 00:01:51.878 Some nursing specialties require you to have a doctoral level
 36
00:01:51.911 --> 00:01:53.513 for the clinical pathway.
 37
00:01:53.513 --> 00:01:57.784 So that's the doctor of nursing practice, so you can certainly move on
 38
00:01:57.784 --> 00:02:01.754 to the highest level in nursing and get your doctor of nursing practice.
 39
00:02:01.821 --> 00:02:05.825 You can also in nursing become a nurse scientist where you actually add
 40
00:02:05.825 --> 00:02:09.395 to the evidence of nursing practice and you can get your Ph.D.
 41
00:02:09.429 --> 00:02:13.433 So for some people, the clinical pathway works, so you get your DNP.
 42
00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:14.200 For others,
 43
00:02:14.200 --> 00:02:19.105 you're like, Wow, I would love to be able to add to research to how we do things.
 44
00:02:19.105 --> 00:02:21.641 So really move the future and get your Ph.D.
 45
00:02:21.641 --> 00:02:25.578 And for some crazy folks like me, you can get your DNP and Ph.D.
 46
00:02:25.578 --> 00:02:28.448 A lot of nursing schools right now, particularly in Florida,
 47
00:02:28.448 --> 00:02:30.884 we have line funding which allows us to be able
 48
00:02:30.884 --> 00:02:34.787 to give scholarships, particularly to accelerated BSN.
 49
00:02:34.787 --> 00:02:37.657 And what I mean by that is the second career nurses.
 50
00:02:37.657 --> 00:02:41.561 The other piece for those that are have gone to the DNP and Ph.D.
 51
00:02:41.594 --> 00:02:44.797 role and they're interested in becoming a nurse faculty.
 52
00:02:44.864 --> 00:02:48.134 There is loan forgiveness programs at the federal level.
 53
00:02:48.201 --> 00:02:51.004 It does require you to have a faculty position.
 54
00:02:51.004 --> 00:02:54.073 You do have to work for various period of time.
 55
00:02:54.174 --> 00:02:58.378 But again, how wonderful would it be to be able to have loan forgiveness?
 56
00:02:58.444 --> 00:03:00.680 So don't think too much about the commitment.
 57
00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:03.016 There's always a ramping up kind of learning
 58
00:03:03.016 --> 00:03:06.019 period that you will need to do anyway to be able to get that.
 59
00:03:06.152 --> 00:03:09.289 There are so many more opportunities
 60
00:03:09.322 --> 00:03:13.793 for funding your nursing education than I've ever seen.
 

2024 NURS Community Hub Interviews
advanced-degree

There are many different pathways into nursing that can fit a variety of circumstances and needs. Pursing a certified nurse assistant (CNA) degree is ideal for getting a taste of nursing to see if it's right for you. It's also more flexible and cost effective if you're already working or balancing a family. There's also a licensed nurse practitioner (LPN) degree, which is a little step up from the CNA. After that, you can decide whether or not to get a bachelor's degree in nursing.

It's very expensive to pursue nursing. I had to work at the same time as I was going to school, which was very difficult.

Nursing school is already challenging but even more so for diverse students. As with all professions, there's an implicit bias, which means you're going to have to work harder to show your competence and expertise.

As dean of the University of Florida College of Nursing and chief nurse executive at UF Health, my days are a blend of strategic leadership in education, research, and patient care. From early mornings managing teams to overseeing pivotal research projects, I champion initiatives that enhance both care quality and workforce diversity. Balancing administrative duties with fostering compassionate care, I ensure that every decision supports patients and reflects our community’s diversity.

Dean, College of Nursing & UF Health System Chief Nurse Executive

Different Educational Pathways For Nurses

I felt like when I was faced with this decision of do I stay in a job
 2
00:00:03.737 --> 00:00:06.139 I love today as a 25 year old,
 3
00:00:06.139 --> 00:00:09.876 or do I go to school, which opens up a lot more unknowns.
 4
00:00:09.876 --> 00:00:11.978 That was a very scary decision.
 5
00:00:11.978 --> 00:00:16.978 And I turned internal as well to think about in ten years when I am married
 6
00:00:17.550 --> 00:00:21.755 and hopefully have kids and a family, like what am I going to regret more
 7
00:00:21.821 --> 00:00:25.692 giving up a job that I really like today or giving up the opportunity
 8
00:00:25.692 --> 00:00:30.692 to completely strengthen my skill set and continue learning?
 9
00:00:30.764 --> 00:00:34.968 And I felt like the older I would grow, the harder
 10
00:00:34.968 --> 00:00:38.271 it would be to go back to business school and to take those two years
 11
00:00:38.405 --> 00:00:39.939 out of the workforce.
 12
00:00:39.939 --> 00:00:43.877 So that was really the ultimate deciding factor for me, where I felt like, okay,
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00:00:43.943 --> 00:00:48.648 my older self is going to regret not taking the school opportunity now,
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00:00:48.648 --> 00:00:53.520 even though my younger self feels like I'm giving up this dream job that is
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00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:57.590 so hard to find and I hope I find it again something like it after school.
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00:00:57.657 --> 00:00:59.592 But it really was a project forward.
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00:00:59.592 --> 00:01:03.630 Think about adult Lauren and what is she going to look back and regret?
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00:01:03.630 --> 00:01:06.266 And to me it felt like I would have always regretted
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00:01:06.266 --> 00:01:08.968 giving up that chance to continue my education.
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00:01:08.968 --> 00:01:13.968 And that that window might close faster given the complexities of as you age
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00:01:14.174 --> 00:01:16.276 and have a family and might move and you're
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00:01:16.276 --> 00:01:18.711 considering job opportunities with a spouse
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00:01:18.711 --> 00:01:21.247 and the two of you have to agree on where you want to live
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00:01:21.247 --> 00:01:23.583 and what opportunities are in any given market.
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00:01:23.583 --> 00:01:26.219 So that was how I ultimately made the decision.
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00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:29.522 Do you feel like your school that like graduate program
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00:01:29.522 --> 00:01:31.758 prepared you for the industry you're in right now?
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00:01:31.758 --> 00:01:35.128 As I had this major life and career decision
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00:01:35.128 --> 00:01:38.531 point of do I go to school or not, I would say the jury is still out.
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00:01:38.531 --> 00:01:43.069 Like, I think I could have continued at the hedge fund, running the foundation
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00:01:43.069 --> 00:01:47.140 and had a very fulfilling career in corporate philanthropy,
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00:01:47.140 --> 00:01:48.541 which is where I am now.
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00:01:48.541 --> 00:01:53.146 But for me, I do really appreciate and I'm grateful for the experience,
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00:01:53.146 --> 00:01:58.146 to focus two years very intently on this career that I knew I wanted.
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00:01:58.785 --> 00:02:02.622 So that one year of getting my feet wet, running a hedge fund foundation
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00:02:02.755 --> 00:02:05.725 validated, okay, now I really want to focus on this
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00:02:05.725 --> 00:02:09.329 and business school, and it built my network further.
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00:02:09.329 --> 00:02:14.200 I was meeting many classmates who were pursuing careers in different sectors.
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00:02:14.334 --> 00:02:17.670 I bumped into one yesterday from my summer internship, an MBA,
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00:02:17.704 --> 00:02:21.641 which was a great connection to make here, so it was definitely valuable
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00:02:21.674 --> 00:02:26.674 to expand my network, have the sacred time to just focus on learning,
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00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:31.584 which is so fun, and to dive fully back in that as a young adult
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00:02:31.584 --> 00:02:33.052 was an incredible experience.
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00:02:33.052 --> 00:02:38.052 And I also think in my field and in my industry, it brings a lot of credibility.
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00:02:38.525 --> 00:02:42.862 So there could be stereotypes that someone doing the community work
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00:02:42.862 --> 00:02:47.500 or social impact work may be softer, that they're coming from a nonprofit
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00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:52.500 and they don't know how to navigate or speak the language of finance.
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00:02:52.906 --> 00:02:56.609 But knowing I have an MBA, knowing I had this early training in investment
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00:02:56.609 --> 00:03:00.980 banking gives me a lot more credibility to propose ideas
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00:03:00.980 --> 00:03:04.350 with confidence to influence leaders at my company.
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00:03:04.417 --> 00:03:05.885 It's been incredibly valuable
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00:03:05.885 --> 00:03:09.923 because I've chosen to remain in the financial services industry.
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00:03:09.989 --> 00:03:13.426 Having that MBA is really a signal to others.
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00:03:13.426 --> 00:03:18.331 You can take Lauren seriously and not just, she has this fluff job.
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00:03:18.331 --> 00:03:21.367 It brings so much more gravity to the work we're doing, and
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00:03:21.367 --> 00:03:24.470 I think it helps me present my ideas better.
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00:03:24.470 --> 00:03:28.541 It's brought me a lot of soft skills that are so important
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00:03:28.541 --> 00:03:32.111 in finance as well of building consensus, working with teams.
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00:03:32.111 --> 00:03:33.379 So many of the lessons
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00:03:33.379 --> 00:03:37.584 you get in business school, I'm playing out every day without thinking.
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00:03:37.684 --> 00:03:41.854 So it's been a great blend also of knowing I wanted to pursue
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00:03:42.088 --> 00:03:44.190 social impact work in corporate philanthropy,
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00:03:44.190 --> 00:03:47.894 corporate social responsibility, but that having the studies
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00:03:47.894 --> 00:03:51.164 of an MBA program to help counterbalance that.
 

2024 JFFH Conference
advanced-degree
Interviewed in Washington, DC USA but works in New York, NY USA.

No two days are the same for me. Some days, I’m engaging colleagues in volunteerism, helping them connect with causes that resonate globally. Other days, I’m building partnerships with nonprofits or participating directly in community efforts—from mentoring students to cleaning up local parks. My role blends internal employee engagement with external impact, ensuring that wherever our global offices are, we’re making a meaningful difference.

Global Head of Citizenship

Making The Decision To Go To Business School

So I'm somebody who, like people, will generally like always disagree
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00:00:04.838 --> 00:00:08.708 with the decisions I make, but that has never been something
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00:00:08.708 --> 00:00:12.879 that could stop me because I'm a very driven person.
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00:00:13.246 --> 00:00:17.250 So once I decided I'm doing something, more likely than not, it's going to happen
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00:00:17.250 --> 00:00:18.852 regardless of what you think.
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00:00:18.852 --> 00:00:23.852 But that doesn't mean that I don't feel the backlash of the decisions that I make.
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00:00:24.958 --> 00:00:29.062 And I'm wondering if you have any advice for us who are like
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00:00:29.129 --> 00:00:32.465 maybe figuring out how to deal with that?
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00:00:32.465 --> 00:00:35.735 Try to weigh out the pros and cons or the consequences
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00:00:35.735 --> 00:00:39.239 that could happen by you going down that road.
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00:00:39.572 --> 00:00:41.608 But I would also say if you have conviction
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00:00:41.608 --> 00:00:46.608 and you want to pursue it, understand what could happen and follow your conviction.
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00:00:47.247 --> 00:00:51.518 I mean, you're going to learn either way through failures or victories
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00:00:51.518 --> 00:00:52.285 you're going to learn.
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00:00:52.285 --> 00:00:53.787 And then if you still find
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00:00:53.787 --> 00:00:57.457 that you have interests in that area or now, you know, don't do it this way.
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00:00:57.724 --> 00:01:01.061 And I have found that there's some of the naysayers.
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00:01:01.661 --> 00:01:03.663 They've never stretched themselves.
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00:01:03.663 --> 00:01:05.698 They never put themselves out there.
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00:01:05.698 --> 00:01:09.469 They just heard it and they're trying to derail you.
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00:01:09.469 --> 00:01:10.770 But they don't have that experience.
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00:01:10.770 --> 00:01:13.039 They just, oh, yeah, you're going to do this, this,
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00:01:13.440 --> 00:01:16.676 but you come to find out they've never challenged themselves.
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00:01:17.177 --> 00:01:20.947 And that's what you're trying to do, is challenge yourself, find what is the path.
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00:01:21.314 --> 00:01:23.950 And if you understand what some of the consequences are,
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00:01:23.950 --> 00:01:26.386 then when they happen, you won't be so surprised.
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00:01:26.419 --> 00:01:30.557 Maybe you won't be happy, but then you learn from it and you move on.
 

I highly recommend finding a mentor in the area you're interested in. Mentors greatly helped me when I was starting out, and I now find fulfillment in mentoring others. Figure out what brings you enjoyment, pursue that, and find a mentor or two to help. They can give advice on how they've found success and share the mistakes and failures they've experienced. If you don't have to repeat that failure, that's great.

My days revolve around overseeing a dynamic team of engineers split between mass production and new model development. I guide our daily operations team in enhancing vehicle quality and liaising with suppliers to sustain high standards across production. Simultaneously, I steer another team focused on developing new models, ensuring the vehicle's functionality aligns with Toyota's standards. Beyond the technicalities, mentoring the next generation of engineers profoundly enriches my role.

Group Manager of Quality Control Engineering

Advice For Making Big Decisions

Why have you chosen to educate middle schoolers about this
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00:00:03.636 --> 00:00:07.440 as opposed to elementary, high school, or maybe even college students?
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00:00:07.674 --> 00:00:10.510 Well, when I was in graduate school, I did do a little bit of teaching
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00:00:10.510 --> 00:00:13.446 at the college level, and I actually do enjoy that.
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00:00:13.446 --> 00:00:14.914 Grade school, I don't know.
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00:00:14.914 --> 00:00:19.419 I have mixed feelings in terms of the STEM content at grade school level.
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00:00:19.452 --> 00:00:22.655 I feel like that's such a critical time with, you know, learning to read
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00:00:22.655 --> 00:00:26.760 and learning to write, getting those fundamentals down that I think
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00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:31.164 sometimes that could be overwhelming for them at that age and middle school.
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00:00:31.364 --> 00:00:31.831 I don't know.
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00:00:31.831 --> 00:00:33.400 They're just such a fun age.
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00:00:33.400 --> 00:00:36.336 They still believe in adults.
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00:00:36.336 --> 00:00:41.274 They still are super excited about having impactful adults in their lives.
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00:00:41.441 --> 00:00:43.576 I've had kids in middle school say, you know,
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00:00:43.576 --> 00:00:47.647 you're the reason I got up out of bed this morning and came to school.
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00:00:47.647 --> 00:00:51.918 And, you know, that is super impactful
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00:00:51.918 --> 00:00:56.122 when you realize and it's not so much about the content you're teaching,
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00:00:56.189 --> 00:00:59.826 but just the relationship, the love that they feel from you.
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00:00:59.826 --> 00:01:02.829 And it's so much more than just the teaching piece.
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00:01:02.829 --> 00:01:04.497 I think people don't really understand.
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00:01:04.497 --> 00:01:07.033 It's those relationships that you're building and the middle school
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00:01:07.033 --> 00:01:11.838 kids just again, just really seem to still trust and believe in adults.
 

2023 Indiana Roadtrip
advanced-degree
career-change

More than once, my presence and qualifications have been questioned by my colleagues. Despite those negative experiences, I've always had the mindset that if I prove to people that I'm good at what I do, then my gender and color won't matter.

I teach kids about the technological world around them. I have six class periods per day with one period for lesson development or whatever I need to get done, which is sometimes subbing for my absent colleagues. We use the engineering design process to design and solve real-world problems. We design and fabricate race cars, make prosthetic legs, robotics, space and flight, electronics, and more.

Choices

Just Make The Choice To Start

Just Make The Choice To Start

Lazaro Lopez

361 videos on Choices: