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What has your educational journey been like so far? I first began my journey at ACC back in 2020 right before the pandemic hit and began my first degree learning Mechanical CAD (Computer Aided Design). Ever since then, I have loved every experience that I’ve had here learning and growing at the college! Having the flexibility of choosing my classes, using all of the amazing resources available to the students, and getting great support from the amazing staff-members and professors, has helped me to complete my first degree and has inspired me to continue my studies learning engineering in the future! I’m currently studying to be a mechanical engineer right now and I am hopeful that this next journey of mine will be even better with the help of the spectacular people and staff that are here at ACC!
What are your transfer goals? My current transfer plans are to try applying to The University of Texas at Austin and to Texas State! I’m still reaching out to and learning about other colleges in the meantime as I study here at ACC, so I may be applying to even more places in the future! (Pro tip: Apply to as many colleges as you can! You never know what you might get, so do your best to expand your horizons and to try and apply to different universities that you like! Always keep your eyes out for any opportunities that may come to you in the future!)
What has been the most confusing part of the transfer process, and how did you overcome it? Coming from someone that has previously taken technical college courses, the biggest hurdle for me was learning how the college course credits that I have taken in the past can be applied to other universities when I transfer. It was very confusing learning how my course credits are either able to or unable to transfer, but with the help of the Transfer Services team, I was able to learn how they can be applied to the universities that I’m trying to apply for and began to better understand how I can plan better for what courses are able to apply for the degree that I plan to transfer into in the future!
We understand you are part of the Theory of Change Transfer Design Team. What’s something you have learned from this work that other students should know? Students should know that there are many great resources to help you with the transfer process! Being a part of the Theory of Change has truly opened my eyes to just how many people there are that are passionate to help our students and being a part of the Transfer Design team has helped me to learn about the numerous resources there are to help support the students here at the college. Students should know that there are people here at ACC to help you in your pathway, whether it be in the technical field, the health-sciences, or in transferring towards another institution, there are many supportive groups and resources here for you at ACC! So be sure to reach out to your professors, the staff-members, and the many other services available for you here! We are always happy to help you out and to support you in your journey!
Is there a specific professor or staff member at ACC who mentored you or pushed you to take the next step? If so, how have they helped? I want to give my biggest thanks to Professor Meredith Denton-Hedrick! She has been an absolutely amazing mentor of mine over the years that I have been studying in engineering here at ACC. She has been very supportive of my goals and aspirations in the past, and has provided me with her invaluable knowledge and guidance while also sharing many supportive resources for me while I have been completing my courses here at the college. I am very grateful for her guidance and mentorship during my time here at ACC, and I am a better student and person thanks to her wisdom and passion!
What do you recommend ACC students planning to transfer should do to set themselves up for success? Students need to consult and set up appointments with the Transfer Services! The Transfer Service team is full of passionate and supportive members that will do their absolute best to help guide you in your goals of transferring in your future. Also, be sure to utilize all of the resources available to students here at the college, whether it be the free tutoring, the student food-bank (Riverbat Bites Food Pantry), and all of the other amazing supportive resources at ACC! The last thing that I recommend for students that are transferring is to never give up on your goals as a student! ACC is here to help you get you to where you want to go! Through the good times and the bad, there are people here at ACC that will listen to your needs and will provide you the best support in order to help you achieve your goals of transferring and obtaining your future career!
Tell us about your higher education experience (and your transfer experience!) Like a lot of students, I struggled with standardized tests–especially placement tests–all through my early school years. During high school, I figured out how to work more efficiently and play to my strengths, but it wasn’t enough to get me into a four-year institution. Years later, I went back to school at Pasadena City College in Los Angeles where I had a transformative experience. I had excellent teachers and advisors who worked with me one-on-one to better my academic performance, find scholarships and grants, and expand my network of scholarly contacts. I thrived in that system because it offered an environment to showcase my abilities and target areas of improvement with personalized and accessible mentorship. PCC also had a robust transfer program that helped me prepare my personal statements and transfer packet so I could more confidently apply to my dream schools. I was accepted at 3 out of 4 universities, including my first choice at UCLA where I excelled–largely due to the foundations that were laid during my community college years. I’m a huge believer in the power of transfer and make it a priority to help other students with the process now that I’m a teacher and mentor.
What do you like to do outside of work? Do you have any hobbies or interests that you’re passionate about? I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember, and initially thought of teaching drawing and painting classes. I took an Art History class in college that changed my career perspective as it combined more elements of my interests such as philosophy, social issues, etc. However, I’m still a practicing artist and have shown at local studios in Los Angeles and Houston. I’m also a musician and spent years in bands or solo as a singer-songwriter. I’ve been more focused on art the last few years, but I still play and write music today. I’m also an avid reader and, recently, started to write a work of historical fiction. Most of my writing/publications in the past was either lyrical or academic, but this is my first go at fiction.
What inspired you to work at ACC? Early on I knew I wanted to teach at community college specifically because it was right for me personality and philosophies on education. My first years teaching were as a TA for UT Austin and an adjunct for San Antonio College and St. Mary’s University. I then worked for Lone Star College in Houston as a full-time faculty member until the Spring of 2025. Yet Austin and ACC were always on my radar–even in grad school–and when the chance to teach here came up, I jumped on it.
Share a success story of a student who you helped transfer to their dream school, and what advice do you have for other students who want to follow in their footsteps? There are a few that come to mind, but I’ll share one from my time at LSC and one from my first year here at ACC. While teaching an Art History 1 Honors course at LSC, I had numerous dedicated students who produced excellent research projects. Most of the students were not history majors nor did they have a background in art, but I always tried to relate the topics back to their major or personal interests to help guide the research. One student, who was majoring in mechanical engineering, decided to study ancient Chavin architecture, which combined her interests in engineering with ancient construction and religious practice. She looked for ways to present the research even when it was in the early stages and ended up with a strong paper and further opportunities for presenting at regional and national conferences. Later, she applied for one of the most prestigious transfer awards, the Jack Kent Cooke undergraduate transfer scholarship, and earned one of the finalists spots. She recently transferred to Rice University in their engineering program. At ACC, one of our fantastic Art History majors took my Art History 1 in the Fall, later working with other art history students on our department Food Drive and other discipline-specific projects. She also worked closely with our excellent Art History and Art Appreciation professors, including Roberta Weston and Kristina Elizondo, which helped her prepare for transfer. This year, she was accepted at UT Austin in their Art History department. I think what I love about stories like that is how it reflects the community of people that work together to make successful transfers happen.
What is one thing that you wish every student knew about the transfer process, and how they can best prepare themselves for success? Picking one thing is difficult, but starting the process early is critical. Students should give themselves plenty of time to research the school they want to attend, the department or program associated with their major, professors they may want to work with, or any clubs/student groups they could join. Doing this will give them more specific things to talk about in their personal statements, which often sound a bit too general or similar to the rest (AI will definitely make it sound generic, so….). When students ask me what they should say in a transfer statement, I encourage them to do more than simply mention what programs they want to attend. Rather, write about how they will use their skills and personality to contribute to those programs. Essentially, the school wants to know how you intend to make the most of your university experiences and how you’ll translate them into success. I also recommend getting to know people you intend to ask for letters of recommendation. The more you communicate and work directly with a professor, director, advisor, or whoever, the better recommendation they will be able to write.
Do you have any advice for ACC students intending to transfer? Set clear transfer goals. You can always adjust your plans, but you’ll be far more successful if you write down where, when, and how you want to approach transfering. How many schools should I apply to? How much will it cost to apply to each? Which ones have automatic entrance at certain GPAs and which require a personal statement and higher GPA? Which will be more difficult to get into based on the department or program you’re entering and their acceptance rate. Which ones sound prestigious but don’t actually have the best resources for your major? Which do? Who offers scholarships you might have success with? When are all the applications due and when do I need to start asking for recommendations? Ask a lot of questions and seek out a lot of advice, but also trust your instincts and believe in the skills you bring to the table. Finally, if you don’t get in, their loss! You have something unique to offer, so don’t let that get in the way of your success. If you do, go show ’em who you are.
Got news, tips, or a student you’d like to spotlight? We’d love to feature your contributions in our next newsletter!
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