Alison Quibuyen and Maridith Janssen
A t the beginning of my college years, I had no idea what my journey would entail. I did not want to go to college at first since I had often been discouraged in life. I did not know who I was and I was unenthusiastic about attending college. My family had no financial resources to ease the way for me. Being a first-generation college student, I wanted to succeed at something no one in my family had accomplished before. My family led me to reflect on many issues, both positive and negative, that now shape my goals in life. My journey to success started in August 2000, when I was accepted to CSULB as a Summer Bridge EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) student. I attended the Summer Bridge Program with other EOP freshmen who were accepted for the fall 2000 semester and received a brief overview of college life.
I came one step closer to my success on the first day of my University 100 class when my professor, Dr. Maridith Janssen, recruited me to become a Partner. To this day, she is the person on campus to whom I feel most safe talking. I still see Dr. Janssen on a regular basis and consult her in my everyday activities, whether it is concerning choices in personal, academic or career-related matters. Dr. Janssen is my friend, my counselor and my mother who provides me an alternative path when I encounter roadblocks. Through Dr. Janssen’s support, I learned that in school we are taught lessons and are given tests, but in life we are given tests that teach us lessons.
The biggest lesson that I learned was that it is alright to seek help. We should never be too proud to ask for assistance. We all need help and perseverance to continue on when life cuts us down. The best way to continue is to get involved with our lives by making things happen—not by simply sitting back and letting things come to us. I did not get the most out of higher education by merely attending class every day. I became involved in paving my path to success. I knocked on doors. I volunteered in events and coalition committees. I job shadowed and interned with people in the health profession. I constantly looked for help from people who were in the field of healthcare, nursing and public health. As I sought answers, I found myself.
After I learned who I am and what I am passionate about, I graduated in fall 2006 with a bachelor's degree in health science with an option in community health education. During the years I attended CSULB, I was affiliated with many student and professional groups, including the Health Science Student Association, Health Science Graduate Association, College of Health and Human Services, Lois J. Swanson Leadership Academy, Project Choice, Educational Opportunity Program, Society for Public Health Educators, American Public Health Association and the Southern California Public Health Association. My involvement with these organizations allowed me to visualize my ultimate career goal. As I pursue my master’s in public health, I hope to eventually pursue a Ph.D. and open a federally-qualified health center for mothers and children of low socioeconomic backgrounds. This health center would be a collaborative program that would combine a day care service with a clinic that would provide education and healthcare to families in need of help and financial aid.
Through my experiences in higher education, I developed skills and goals that I will use in the future in my career. I could not have obtained these skills without the help of my great mentor, Dr. Meridith Janssen. I would like to express my gratitude by dedicating the following thank you message to her:
To all the students out there reading this, do not give up on your goals even though they may seem far-fetched right now. In due time, the right road will cross your path and you will know to take it. That path may not have been visible to me in the beginning but now (after eight years) I can clearly see all of my life’s lessons.
