33 Continuing Improvement

Life is a journey and the one I have had at UA has been one of continuing improvement. From the time I began as an undergraduate student in UA’s New Start Summer Program, I knew that this environment would be a place where I would learn about myself daily through my interactions with peers, instructors, and supervisors. Nothing made me more excited than knowing this! The dynamic nature of the campus and its people provided me growth opportunities that I built upon and continue to do so now, 23 years later, as a full-time, professional staff member at the University and as a recent graduate from the doctoral program in higher education.

As an undergraduate student, I was proud to let anyone who asked know that my major was “undecided.” While many of my peers were certain about their major and career choices, I was happy to use my first two years as an undergraduate to explore different majors and areas of interest through the vast and diverse course options. I valued not having to immediately declare a major. I felt as if my life was, in some ways, just beginning when I came to college. I did not like the idea of “settling” on a major until I was absolutely sure. I loved reading through the (at that time) hard copy versions of the course catalogue, poring over each course description, and reading what each course would offer. Courses that focused on sociology, politics, and education grabbed my attention and I was grateful that I could create a schedule related to these areas. For once, I had the opportunity to choose my educational path and do it the way I wanted to, which was exhilarating.

One day, as a student in New Start, I attended the campus job fair that was available to students after classes finished for the day. I actively chose to attend the job fair because my instincts and curiosity told me this would be another chance to learn about the UA, this new place that I loved so much. Because of this job fair, I learned about an on-campus job that fit with my areas of interest: Academic Preparation for Excellence (APEX) through the Office of Early Outreach, where I ended up working for three-and-a-half years as an undergraduate student. This job taught me what I loved to do for work and what work experiences I did not love. Education and mentoring in higher education was what I wanted to continue pursuing and I was ready to explore. I simultaneously worked at several different student service and support jobs throughout my undergraduate career. At one point, I was working four different part-time jobs at once, but I could not picture myself leaving any of them because each taught me something different about the campus and myself.

While I was working these different jobs, I had also decided on my major: family studies and human development. This degree was not only going to equip me with an essential background in human lifespan development but, combined with my work experience, it would provide me the foundational degree needed to pursue a master’s degree in higher education. I had learned about the family studies and human development degree through conversations with my supervisors at New Start. Those conversations changed my life because while I knew which courses and experiences I enjoyed and excelled at, I would not have known about the major and how it related to a master’s in higher education. Family studies and human development would go on to provide me with the background and understanding about how people “work,” meaning I would learn theories behind how people develop from birth to death and everything in between. Learning about how and why people develop was essential for me to be successful in helping students find success at UA, which is what I knew I wanted for a career.

While I loved my undergraduate major and work experiences, I began to feel similarly to how I had at the beginning of college. I wanted to explore what other opportunities were available and try new job experiences that would help me grow. Through learning about all of the different areas within Student Services in my first graduate higher education course, I was introduced to all the new possibilities for my career. I also wanted to learn more about the theories behind the field of student services because if I understood the theories, I would be more capable of navigating the different challenges I’d face day-to-day in my career.

It was time to find new work experience and a new office job on campus seemed promising. When I learned of a student-facing job opportunity as a tutor, I asked for as many hours as I could schedule and I loved the job so much that I never left. C.A.T.S. Academics, the academic support unit for student-athletes, had hourly night and weekend hours for those interested in tutoring or office administrative work. While the shift hours were not the ideal Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., I eagerly jumped at the opportunity. I knew that if I could just get my “foot in the door,” my work ethic and skillset would provide me more work opportunities later. One year later, I was offered a graduate assistantship that funded my graduate degree, and over time job opportunities and job advancement in the office have continued to open for me. In fact, I am now the Director of C.A.T.S. Academics.

I am still working at C.A.T.S. Academics because each day brings new opportunities to learn from students and staff. While I was finishing my master’s, I knew that I wanted to continue my education, earn my doctorate degree, and research more about the new area I was interested in thanks to my work experience: organizational administration. I was once again drawn to learning more about the field because it would inform my day-to-day work with students and staff. Fourteen years later, I graduated with my PhD, and this was the same year that I was promoted to Director, 19 years after I began working there. I do not think it is a coincidence that major milestones in both my education and career happened at the exact same time.

My main message as I reflect on my time here at UA is that if you stay committed to learning about yourself and approach each challenge and experience with an open mind and growth mindset, you will find that college — and the University of Arizona, specifically — will provide an unforgettable and fulfilling experience. Even though there may be times that will bring challenges, if you transform these experiences into learning opportunities, you cannot go wrong. Enjoy your first year and keep learning!

About the author

name: Marisol Quiroz

As a Tucson native, Marisol Quiroz has loved the University of Arizona all her life. Throughout her undergraduate career, she worked for different student services and retention programs at the university and was also a participant in these programs which helped her persist and succeed. It was these experiences that confirmed her career aspirations which were to continue working in higher education and provide the same quality experiences for other students that she had the opportunity to benefit from herself. She earned her master’s and doctorate degrees in higher education through the University of Arizona and is currently the director/assistant athletic director at C.A.T.S. Academics, the student-athlete academic support unit at the University of Arizona.

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