|
Alumni Spotlight....Elizabeth Avalar
Title: Wellness Coach Founder of "Love Life Wellness," a series of wellness information on the website
Graduation year: 2001
Degree/s Completed: Associate of Science From Palo Alto/ Bachelor of Science in Biology from UTSA
Tell us about your family and upbringing.
After some time, my father became a leader in a church congregation that transferred him to Compton, Los Angeles, where we lived for a few years. It was very scary during the 80's where the infamous Bloods and Crips had a lot of turf wars! We were often in the middle of this hostile environment as my dad provided a lot of services to the community which we participate in as a family. Luckily, he got us transferred to the safe and warm community of Somerset, Texas located on the south side of San Antonio near Palo Alto College (PAC). We've lived in the area since and call it home.
How did this impact your decision to pursue higher education?
A combination of things made me pursue higher education. Living in Compton, I experienced first-hand the consequences of not pursuing a higher education. Also, because my father had a degree I felt I could earn one too. Plus, my family highly value education. In fact, my aunt is the current President of Tepatitlan University which is part of Mexico's Guadalajara University System. She recently developed an international festival to promote Tepatitlan's egg and agriculture industries. We're very proud of her.
What made you choose PAC to start your undergraduate studies?
Several things influenced my decision to attend PAC. Firstly, growing up just blocks from the PAC campus I increasingly grew a curiosity of the campus. Secondly, my father would not allow me to attend a faraway college. And lastly, my big brother Josh attended PAC and did very well. And since my mom always secretly told me I was smarter than my big bro, well, it lessened my fears to attend PAC.
What memory stands out the most from your experience at PAC?
Really, my bro Josh paved the way for my studies. He went to PAC first then transferred to UTSA. He motivated me by telling me about the 2 + 2 program and about his fantastic experiences in class. So two years after he left PAC, I enrolled and became a proud Palamino!
Like most students, the biggest challenge was financing the degree plan. It was a Catch-22; I needed to earn money to pay for college but when I worked as a temp I didn't have time to study. It was very tough. So I applied for all scholarships possible, even the ones I really had no chance of getting. I also applied for financial aid and grants. I did receive a grant from PAC and several grants from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund(www.hsf.net) that were very helpful and relieved tons of stress.
Plus, my brother Josh fully understood my dilemma. So, through his contacts I was able to get a part-time job that worked around my college schedule. It was a "God-send" as I was able to make enough money to pay my PAC tuition and have time to study hard...often well into the night. As a result I made the PAC President's List!
I had so many great memories at Palo Alto College I want to go back! It was truly a life-changing experience. It was the professors that made all the difference. What really makes them special is they genuinely want to see all students succeed. From my experience, the professors truly cared about preparing us for higher education. In fact, I recall one professor telling the class he would not make things any easier for us just because we had a job or because of our cultural background and all the challenges that brings. At first I thought that was kinda insensitive. Then I realized how much that was a big sign of how much he respected our capabilities and intelligence. (He must have seen the movie "Stand And Deliver" one too many times!). Anyway, that professor became one of my favorites because he believed in us, challenged us, and didn't allow us to make excuses for not excelling. And I'm glad he had this mind-set as it served me well once
What university did you transfer to and why?
I transferred to the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) where I earned a biology degree with honors. Of course, I transferred to UTSA for the same three reasons I went to PAC. My dad insisted I stay in town, I was curious about their science degree plan & campus, and my bro graduated from UTSA. My philosophy of, "If he can do it...so can I" worked well at PAC so why mess with a winning formula? I became a Road Runner but my heart stayed a Palomino.
What are you most proud of since graduating from PAC? I'm most proud of my brother Josh. He always supported me in pursuing higher education when others in the family were not as supportive because I was female. He helped me to remove a lot of the fears of attending college and transferring to another campus. Plus, he makes tons of personal sacrifices working in the corporate world to pursue and achieve his financial goals to provide for his family. I'm also humbly pleased with the results of several major projects I've created and executed for the San Antonio community (i.e. Commissioned Hispanic Heritage Celebration Artwork, Published Spanish-Language Community Newspaper, Spokesperson for Spanish-language Citizenship Projects, Developed A Custom Wellness Program for Hispanic Diabetics, etc...). During these projects, I was recognized and honored as "Lo Mejor de Lo Nuestro" (Roughly translated: The Best of Our Community) by Univision Television and featured in many local media outlets including Great Day San Antonio on ABC-KSAT.
What are your career goals? My career goal is to use the education PAC has provided me by developing a global health & wellness company. I used my PAC & UTSA education to acquire the training necessary to become a Licensed & Certified Wellness Coach and to develop a new business model. The company I recently launched is called Love Life Wellness Inc., (www.wellchats.com). It's chief purpose is helping women remove the health risks associated with excess weight and diabetes such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and pulmonary disorders. This way they can live longer and more importantly, live a better quality of life.
Are there any words of advice you share with your students, that you wish someone would have told you when you were in
College is a fun and wonderful growth opportunity. Yet, it's a time of drastic change and challenges. And these new changes can promote a lot of fear, doubt, loneliness, and stress which are discouraging. Especially if you don't have a strong support system at home or anyone to show you how to avoid all the land mines along the way (Like my bro Josh. Thanks, Bro!).
Take comfort in that all students experience these feelings at some degree along the way. But this is why it's very important, know it's critical, that you don't do college alone. To avoid this scenario, force yourself to get out of your "comfort zone," be assertive, learn to ask other students for their phone numbers to collaborate and study together, ask professors for clarity on assignments or new concepts, ask financial aid for more money and, internships. Basically learn to ask a lot of questions.
Realize PAC professors chose to be in this honorable profession because they truly want to help you. They know you need help, so don't be embarrassed; just ask! And, in turn, when someone asks you for help, be there to for them. Learn to make friends, especially with people different than you, by sharing your story, taking an interest in theirs.
Learn to share your time, resources, and collaborate. Most students will not take the initiative to start a new relationship so you must. Remember, you're all in the same boat. These social skills need to be developed and sharpened now because these skills will be required in every industry you pursue later on. Trust me.
Also, having structure and a predictable routine in your day is going to be a big success factor. Your daily activity is going to be comprised of two ideas: 'what you want to do' and 'what you know you should do'. Yet, to succeed in college and later in the workforce you must overcome your emotions sometimes with logic and reason. Your emotions say, "I don't feel like studying. I'll study for the test next week. I want to watch TV". Logic says, "I have to pass on the party friday night to study for a test so I can spend next week reviewing." You have to train yourself to do what it takes everyday regardless of the pain. Everyday is a fight between these two schools of thought, and have to make the personal sacrifices.
| 
Is your resume up to date? Do you know how to write a cover letter? Could you improve your interview skills? 
