The reality of graduation is only a few weeks away. Part of me doesn’t feel like it’s that close as I continue to work through presentations and papers. It’s not until I’m scheduling my assignments in my planner that the amount of days we have left really hits me. In a few days I will wrap up my internship at McMinnville Habitat for Humanity. Working for Mac Habitat has been a great opportunity to learn about the structures and operations of the service nonprofit sector. I hope to work with an international NGO someday so my time at Habitat has helped me get a better idea of what that industry may look like. My favorite part of the experience has been working with families and hearing the ways in which the new homes strengthen not just their families but the McMinnville community as a whole.

Many of the groups I’m involved with on campus are also coming to a close. In our M.E.Ch.A Club we have recently voted in our new officers for next year. Seeing this group grow over the last four years has been such a gift. When another student and I talked about starting the club my freshman year we had no idea its membership would grow so quickly and that its impact on the campus community would be so positive. I have been truly impressed by my peer’s leadership and commitment. Another group that has created incredible impact on our students is my family away from home, the Linfield College Latinos Adelante group. This group has built strong relationships among our students. It gives us the comfort and courage to succeed at Linfield and I know had it not been for my LCLA family, many of the countless memories I cherish would not have been possible.

Saying goodbye to these two groups will be very difficult. Being a part of these two groups has given me some of my fondest memories from planning Hispanic Heritage Day to volunteering at Mac High for Latino Parent Nights. No matter what we were doing it was always a blast. I will really miss them. Another source of my favorite memories comes from my time abroad. Traveling to England and Costa Rica, I can honestly say, changed my perspective on the world. I opened my eyes to the beautifully complex diversity that is out there and I hope to dedicate much of my future to learning more about it through service. My time after Linfield will be one more step toward this goal.

After graduation I will remain on campus for one more Upward Bound Summer. This will be my fourth summer as a tutor counselor and I am so thankful to get to be a part of summer 2013. Upward Bound changes student’s lives allowing them to see beyond their circumstances to the great potential of what they can accomplish. It goes beyond teaching curriculum to teaching character, confidence and integrity. I am so proud to have been part of this UB family over the years as it has also taught me a great deal and challenged my leadership in many ways. After this Upward Bound summer I will be attending graduate school for a master’s in international development and service. With this degree I hope to work with an international service or relief centered organization to strengthen communities nationally and internationally as well. However first comes first, before I get excited about all that, I have to stay focused on finishing strong academically and appreciating every moment and opportunity I have left with my fellow wildcats. We are almost there!

It’s hard to believe I’ve finished my last set of midterms at Linfield. I can remember as a freshman being so worried about them but I think that mostly came from my uncertainty of how to handle them. As time has gone by, however, I’ve become more confident in my strategies and I’ve learned how to adjust my study habits to best fit my situation. For example, as a freshman I shared a space with roommates so I would often study late in the evening when things got quieter. This has since changed. I now study in the afternoons as I have a room to myself and my ability to retain information seems to decrease as the day progresses. A sign of my evolving years I’m sure. Looking back I can also remember studying only the material I had learned for that particular class but this strategy no longer applies. As you get deeper into your major you discover you are consistently referencing material from previous classes and concepts from outside disciplines.

I think an important tip to remember then is to find a study pattern that fits your particular work load for that specific semester but then be ready to adjust it as time goes on. Factors such as course levels, extracurricular activities, roommate situations and number of credits all play a role in finding the best tactics. Flexibility is essential to achievement. After midterms many of us will celebrate with some downtime, spring break! This year I will be returning home to Gresham for the week. This is the typical destination for my breaks over the years and I’ve always looked forward to the time with family. However, being my senior year, I find myself torn. I am happy to have a break but knowing I have limited time with my friends makes being away from Linfield difficult. That said I also know I need the time of relaxation and reflection on top of wanting to see my family so I’m just a little divided. Time is quickly moving and graduation is getting so close!

It seems unreal to be moving into my last few months at Linfield. It’s a truth I think I didn’t really start to process until Jan term. I spent this last Jan term in Costa Rica studying environmental health. It was an unforgettable experience in so many ways, the landscape, the culture and the people. It was a month full of reflection in faith, deepening relationships and academic growth. Having never taken a health sciences class before, I was able to learn new concepts and grow from the insights of my fellow “Costa Cats,” as we called ourselves. I learned a new academic perspective but also continuously related my own major of intercultural communication. Being fluent in Spanish I was able to engage in many thought provoking conversations with local Ticos and developed connections that deepened my understanding of their worldview. I also enjoyed comparing cross-cultural differences and similarities between my Mexican heritage and the Tico lifestyle. Each of my fellow Costa Cats contributed a matchless joy and purpose to the trip! I only wish I had met them all sooner to be able to enjoy them longer.

 This thought is one I keep having as I walk on campus from activity to activity.The people I have grown to love here on campus are some of the most supportive, encouraging and caring people I have. Many I have known throughout my four years and some I barely met a month ago, yet not being able to see them as regularly as I do now will be hard.  Don’t get me wrong, it is a very exciting time taking that next step. I guess being in my last semester is really a big mix of emotions. I am happy to see what opportunities await in my next institution but don’t want to leave this loving community. I want to continue challenging myself academically but can’t imagine better professors. I am enthusiastically waiting to hear back from graduate schools but not ready to say good bye. It’s a back and forth kind of game. In the end, however, I know that my Linfield community will always be here for me and I won’t be leaving forever. Commencement will come but I have some time before that! For now my focus will be on finishing strong academically and making time to spend with faculty, staff and friends while I have them close. This semester is going to be amazing!

Its time for the holidays again! December is here which means winter break with family and friends but not before we take a few finals first. Finals begin on Monday and this semester I will be taking three finals. I have two that consist of papers and presentations and the third which is a written test. It’s often easy to get so overwhelmed with finals that we forget it’s Christmas but I’ve been trying to be mindful this year and keep the Christmas spirit alive in little ways. For example my roommates and I decorated our apartment; we hung up a few ornaments and garland around our living room and even got a baby tree! Having the Christmas lights glow off the tree make studying for finals just a little bit easier. I have also made sure to keep a steady supply of candy canes handy for when we need to refuel. Christmas being my favorite holiday, I can’t wait to be home to celebrate with my family; exams will be behind me and my last Jan Term ahead.

This year will actually be my fourth Jan Term at Linfield. It’s always such a nice time because you only have to focus on one class and the campus always seems more quiet and peaceful. What makes this Jan Term unique from all the rest is I will be going off campus and studying abroad in Costa Rica! Our class will be exploring the environmental health issues of the country. Specifically, we will be looking at the importance of sustainable, balanced living on health and the rich biodiversity Costa Rica has to offer.  While I have been abroad before to England, I expect this trip to be very different. I’m interested in seeing how the Costa Rican culture will vary from both the English and American cultures since it is a Spanish speaking country with a hot climate. I know this trip will teach me a great deal about our earth’s natural resources and balanced living. I feel so blessed to be able to make one last journey abroad while at Linfield and plan on making every second count!

M.E.Ch.A. Club’s Day of the Dead alter

It always seems to be the case that rights before Thanksgiving break classes and outside activities get a little busier. While my pre-break load was definitely heavier this year, it didn’t get overwhelming because it involved work I enjoyed doing. One of these pre-break activities was putting on a M.E.Ch.A. club event for Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. The event included a Day of the Dead alter display, a presentation explaining its history and Mexican hot chocolate and bread all open to the Linfield community. It was a lot of fun to see all the members come together to make the event happen. Another outside event I was able to attend was the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute in Portland. The institute was a daylong conference with inspiring guest speakers and workshops. The stories I heard that day from workshop leaders and conference facilitators were full of perseverance and commitment to action. They reminded us that, as Latino leaders, education gave us power to create change but also held a great responsibility to give back to others.

Wildcats at the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute

Aside from outside activities, academics also kept me busy. I registered for my last set of Linfield classes which was definitely a bitter sweet feeling. The class I’m most excited about for next semester is gendered communication that my advisor Brenda will be teaching. I also recently wrapped up my senior thesis paper and will be giving a presentation on it after the break. In addition to my class work, I’ve also been busy investigating graduate schools and have narrowed down my program of interest to a master’s in international development and service. I will be submitting applications to two schools later this semester. It is easy to see how important organization and time management are to completing these responsibilities successfully. Of course these are skills that develop over time. Over the years, I have learned that you can’t do everything and it’s ok to say no to some activities. This is hard for me because I like to be very involved but I have come to see that it is better to do a few things well then do many things poorly. So I try and continuously evaluate my participation in all that I do and if I become imbalanced, I know it’s time for me to step back. Preserving this balance is crucial!

Linfield Ford Scholars at the Santiam River

The more I plan for life after Linfield, the more I’m reminded of my senior year of high school. So many decisions need to be made. I know I want to work with non-profits that have an international focus but how do I want to get there? Where do I go for graduate school? What program do I pursue? How do I fund my master’s degree? Where can I best apply my strengths and passions? So many questions could quickly become overwhelming but I believe this stage is truly a gift. I have to recognize that I am blessed to have so many options, knowing so many others in this world are limited by circumstance. I know that my desire to go to graduate school won’t be easy but I know it’s possible. In the middle of so many possibilities, I find stability in trusting that I will be led to where I’m supposed to be. I know that with a lot of hard work and faith, I can accomplish just about anything. So in the coming weeks I will have to start exploring different options and relearn the process of continuing an education.

While it is better to start thinking about these things early, I know it’s also important to enjoy my last year and make it memorable. In fact this past weekend was exactly that. One of our Linfield professors extended an invitation to the Linfield Ford Scholars to go white water rafting on the Santiam River. To be completely honest, the idea intimidated me at first. I had never been rafting before but it turns out, I had nothing to be afraid of. The river was a smooth combination of exciting currents and peaceful floating. We had wonderful sunshine and beautiful autumn colors. Then after the rafting, we were invited to have a barbeque at our professor’s house where we had great food and conversation. I am so thankful to be part of the Linfield community where professors reach out like this and go the extra mile and to be a member of the Ford Family Foundation that surrounds me with a strong network of caring people. It was a great weekend adventure!

I’ m a senior! I’ve had to repeat this to myself several times in an effort to internalize its truth. Hasn’t happened yet, still doesn’t feel real. The first few weeks I would go to class and expect to see my recently graduated friends. I literally sat there, looked around and asked myself “where are the seniors,” only to remember “hey that’s me now!” It’s a very strange feeling. I can still remember sitting in my first college classroom, it was an 8 a.m. economics class, and I was so nervous. At the time I was taking the class just because it sounded interesting, little did I know that this class would set the foundation for what today is my business minor.

I didn’t really come in wanting to pursue anything business related. As a matter of fact, I wanted to major in biology and continue on to medical school. I wanted to be a general practitioner because of the need I had seen within the Latino community for bilingual, bicultural healthcare physicians. That plan began to change when in my freshman colloquium class we were asked to map out our classes for the next four years in our intended majors. I realized that if my heart wasn’t in science I was going to have a rough time. It was then I discovered what I didn’t want to do, so what did I want? Well my answer came just a few months later when I took interpersonal communications over Jan term. I loved that class! I realized how crucial it was professionally and personally to have good communications skills, to understand the different systems of communication in which we operate daily and learn how to use communication across cultures. It all fascinated me and I knew this was what I wanted to learn about. I became an Intercultural Communication major. I know I am studying something I love; every class is thought provoking and challenges me to go beyond my own world view.

Opportunities to learn about other ways of life have always been interesting to me. In high school I tried to give others this opportunity by participating in clubs and organizations that spread cultural awareness. This mission carried over to Linfield my freshman year and I got involved with organizations like Linfield College Latinos Adelante. Later, the desire to continue spreading awareness motivated me to help start our M.E.Ch.A. Club and it has been such a blessing to see its growth over my three years here. Through these groups, we have been able to teach our community about Latino culture all while developing leadership and service. I know that as I look to my future career it will encompass the intercultural communication skills I’ve gained in the classroom and the passion for culture, leadership and service I’ve applied outside it.

While my future career is still not 100% clear, I know that as the months settle I will begin to make some choices for life after Linfield. For now I know my goals for this year are to enjoy my time with all of the amazing people around me, to take life’s daily trails more lightly and use faith to pursue new experiences. I know senior year will be full of great memories and many new adventures!

As junior year is coming to an end, I find myself trying to stay focused on finals through the bright anticipation of summer. Semesters at Linfield usually go by pretty fast and this year was no exception. I think part of the reason this year went by even faster for me is I was in England for half of it.  Now I am just a few short months away from my senior year. Looking back, I know I was gifted with so many incredible experiences this year through studying abroad, a growing family, hosting a regional M.E.Ch.A conference and mentoring another great group of students. I also had the opportunity of attending two conferences that increased my understanding of issues both on a national and local level. The fist conference brought together cooperating ministries and organizations to spread awareness about the issues of immigration. The second conference was a presentation by a faith based speaker and author who happens to be one of my favorite writers.  Through each experience I was challenged to reflect and evaluate my goals, actions and leadership.

There have been so many great opportunities this year and I know senior year will hold the same. Next year, I look forward to studying abroad in the beautiful country of Costa Rica, growing through my internship and of course graduating. Currently being a junior I can admire the grandeur of being a senior without the anxiety that comes with it, when I’m actually living it next year things may be a little different.  Before the excitement of senior year, however, there is summer and this summer I will again be working with Upward Bound. This will be my third summer as a tutor-counselor for the program which is odd for me because students who began their first summers with me are now graduating. I can’t believe that much time has passed. Seeing my students grow over the various summers and remembering how different they were when we started, makes me reflect on my own growth. The amount of time I have left as a Wildcat is rapidly changing but I find myself reliving joy in the memories that have made my time great while creating memories that will make next year unforgettable!

Linfield M.E.Ch.A. and Statewide Board

When I was in high school my mentors often encouraged me to go to leadership conferences. I attended at least two per year. These conferences were often the highlight of my year. We got to load into a bus and visit different colleges and high schools around Oregon. I always loved meeting other students from different schools and feeling a sense of community. I also remember going to workshops and just admiring the presenters. They always seemed so accomplished, smart and giving. I silently told myself, one day I would stand where they were. Like them, I wanted to reach my goals and be able to come back and inspire youth. I wanted to tell high school students the importance of an education and help them pursue it. Well that someday came faster than I thought  as this April Linfield had the privilege of hosting the annual M.E.Ch.A Leadership Institute.

This institute is put on by M.E.Ch.A Statewide, a nonprofit connecting high school M.E.Ch.A. students to higher education. As M.E.ChA. is also an organization that supports the Latino community, I have been involved with this group since freshman year of high school. This organization developed my confidence, academics and leadership throughout high school. That’s why I was instantly thrilled when our Linfield M.E.Ch.A group was asked to host and I was asked to be a presenter. I presented a workshop about how to mediate conflict within chapters. It was such a rewarding feeling to stand in front of Latino youth and remind them how powerful they are. Standing there, I remembered back to my silent vow many years ago and couldn’t stop smiling. It’s funny, when I co-founded the M.E.Ch.A chapter at Linfield; I never thought we would get such an amazing opportunity in our second year. I am so proud of our group members for working hard and our presidents for keeping us unified. Helping host the leadership institute, is one of those wildcat moment s I will never forget!

I come from a very large family and love the feeling of a full house. Recently, however, my big family has been getting even bigger with the arrival of two new babies. As I look forward to the babies’ lives, I ask myself what advice I will give them when they prepare to go off to college. I think back on my own experiences at Linfield and how life changing they’ve been. At Linfield I am surrounded by a network of people that care about me, from the classroom and my work study job to my friends. It may seem silly to be thinking about their college endeavors before they can even talk but the more I learn the more I realize education needs a lot of planning. In fact, I saw a perfect example of this during a recent visit from the Adelante Chicas.

This group of young ladies, 3^rd-12^th graders, are part of the Mujeres Adelente youth initiative. This initiative aims to aid Latina girls in developing leadership skills, building a strong cultural identities and achieving academic success.  This is actually the first program of its kind in Oregon and Linfield was lucky enough to host a campus visit. As I toured the girls around campus I felt so proud of them. Still in elementary school and here they were, getting acquainted with their future dreams. To me they are the perfect example of pioneers, taking risks and looking to better their communities. I often look for opportunities to do this in my own life. I believe taking those risks is important. That’s why I recently applied to travel to Costa Rica for a January Term in 2013. The final decisions are to be announced after spring break; a much enjoyed time back home for me. This year’s spring break consisted of many movies, games of tag in the park and spending time with the growing family. I must say though, after a week of going to the park, I believe scientist should find a way to transfer children’s energy to college students, especially during finals!