“Take advantage of the help that is here. There are people here on campus that are more than willing to bend over backwards to help you get to where you need to go.”
Pronouns
He/Him
Degree/Certificate & Class Year
Associate of Applied Science in Automotive Service Technology, 2024
High School Attended
Granger High School
Extracurriculars (e.g., clubs, YVC sports teams)
Gear Shifters Automotive Club
What three words would you use to describe YVC?
Challenging, Fulfilling, Exciting
What’s your favorite class? Why? How has it expanded your knowledge?
I really enjoyed our human relations class that is part of the [Automotive Service Technology] program's curriculum. It taught me to reflect inward and kind of search a little
bit deeper to find out what motivates me and what's going to help me be successful,
not only in the lab environment here, but in overall life.
Who are your mentors? Why do you consider these people your mentors?
My instructors Murray Ruggles, Roy LaForge and Mike St. Hilaire, they're very knowledgeable.
They have taken extra time to actually work with me and allow me to ask as many questions
as I need, and they've given me clarification [on topics we’re studying]. And if they're
not able to, they'll bounce ideas off of each other — setting a great example for
students wanting to get into the industry.
What made you want to come to YVC?
I was an industrial mechanic for six years [and] prior to that I was in the military
for nine years. I wanted to show my kids that you can always continue your education
and pursue new goals when life throws curveballs at you.
I started off with the business degree because my overall goal is to eventually have my own business. I was struggling through that and decided, OK, let me use my mechanical side and my experience in the field and try something new and it led me to the Automotive Service Technology program.
Are there any barriers that you’ve overcome to be successful at YVC? Please describe.
I was a kid raised by a couple of farmworking immigrants. It's been challenging having
English be my second language and learning how to navigate college. Thankfully, there
is a [Veterans Affairs] rep here (Chris Kinzell) that has been helpful. If it wasn't for Chris's help or
the financial aid office, it would have been really, really tough for me.
Also just getting back into school and being around all these kids that are almost the same age as my oldest daughter. The day-to-day interactions with different types of people probably was also one of the more challenging things for me.
What do you find most interesting about your major?
I get to learn something new every day. I mean, even with years of industrial mechanic
experience, there is still something new each day to learn. Right now, we are going
through the electricity portion [of the curriculum]; it’s a challenge but I'm enjoying
it and just trying to work through it little by little.
Where do you find your community on campus?
The HUB [Hopf Union Building]. I'll go over there for ASYVC [Associated Students of Yakima Valley College] senate meetings. I will hang out for a little bit afterwards and chat with the other
club members that are attending the meeting. It's actually been kind of nice getting
out of the lab here and actually talking to other people that have different majors
and get [to know more about] their story and what's leading them through college here
as well.
What advice do you have for other prospective students?
Expect something new, expect change and expect to challenge yourself in ways that
you might not have thought that you are going to be challenged.
Another piece of advice I have is take advantage of the help that is here in college. Talk to the financial aid office, there are people here on campus that are more than willing to bend over backwards to help you get to where you need to go. Don't be afraid to ask questions and get out of your comfort zone.
How has Yakima Valley College changed you?
They've opened different avenues for my approach to learning that is making me a more
rounded student. And have allowed me to seek the help and take it when it is available.
What do you view is your biggest achievement at YVC?
I would say completing and passing the quarters that I've attended so far. It was
a bit of a struggle [for me] in the business degree and [I] had family issues too.
I had to get out of school for a little bit and coming back I enrolled into the Automotive
Service Technology program and it's been a bigger help, having this kind of support
here and getting back into the swing of things.
What is your ultimate goal? Where would you like to end up?
I see myself finishing the program here and working for somebody for a while. But
my ultimate goal is to have my own business where I can have employment not only for
myself but also for my family members when they come of age or being able to support
them financially in the long haul.