As a young parent returning to college--with all the responsibilities that go along with it--I never considered becoming involved on my campus outside of the classroom.

My original plan was to go to my classes, do the work and go home. This was just going to be a stop on my life’s journey to help further my goals to be a better provider for my family.

"We owe it to ourselves to make the most out of the experience."

My intention was to work towards achieving a Law degree working in Humanitarian efforts. My current career requires a lot of travel and little stability. As a parent, a career with a stable schedule and job security is priceless. College is my opportunity to have a life that meets the needs of my family and myself. We all attend college for our own reasons, we owe it to ourselves to make the most out of the experience.

I realized helping somewhere on campus was a great way to start being a humanitarian now.

To my surprise, I really enjoyed my classes and discovered that knowledge really is power.

The more I was learning in the classroom, the more clear of my responsibility to be involved became. Wanting one day to work in Humanitarian efforts, I realized helping somewhere on campus was a great way to start being a humanitarian now.

"I wanted to be part of what made my campus great."

I began looking into the many different clubs and campus organizations to find the right fit for me. I know how positive the experience of returning to school has been for me and I wanted to be part of what made my campus great.

Don’t wait until you have your degree to start being what you want to be.

I joined the Student Government Association and became the Vice President of Communications. It was a real chance to help make our campus better. It was also a chance to make valuable connections with faculty and community members - which can be helpful for when you need a letter of recommendation.

Don’t wait until you have your degree to start being what you want to be. Join a campus club, sport or organization and get involved.

"Staying involved helps make sure you have a support crew." 

Yes, time can be an issue for many students. But some clubs meet just twice a month and are focused on holding fun activities. Making friends at college can be tough, but don’t underestimate what a huge resource a social life can be. Staying involved helps make sure you have a support crew if you ever hit any bumps in the road. It's part of the reason why I love being part of the pulse of campus life.

I love being part of the pulse of campus life.

Ask yourself, “What do I want?” set a list of short term goals, and make it happen! You can learn a lot in your classes, especially your electives. But being an active member of my college campus has given me the opportunity to grow as a person that has enhanced my learning experience.

Making the most out of college has done more than just helped me, it’s had a positive effect on those I love.