34 Learning Doesn’t Stop

When I enrolled at the UA, I was 18 years old and ready to take on the challenges of college. I studied psychology with the dream of going to medical school to become a psychiatrist. I was interested in the human mind, enjoyed helping people, and genuinely loved learning (so the idea of more school didn’t scare me). Psychiatry seemed like the right fit. Spoiler alert: I didn’t become a psychiatrist.

During undergrad, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and three minors: 1) Adolescence, Community, & Education 2) Communication and 3) a Thematic Minor in Theatre Arts, Dance, & Music. Like I said, I enjoyed learning, so I enrolled in all the classes I could handle. As much as I loved learning, it wasn’t until my senior year that I realized my extracurricular activities were also opportunities to learn. My leadership roles, working as a peer advisor, and even my time on a hip hop and street styles dance crew instilled in me valuable skills, characteristics, and behaviors. Everything I learned from my experiences outside of class just made me a better student in the classroom.

When I wasn’t doing schoolwork, I was heavily involved with Asian Pacific American Student Affairs (APASA). I joined APASA’s Board of Directors and I also served as Vice President and then President of the Filipino American Student Association, which was housed under APASA. Organizing academic and professional development programs along with cultural and social events helped me cultivate strong leadership skills. I participated in these programs and events as a freshman and started to lead them as a sophomore. When working with other young leaders filled with bright ideas, we often had disagreements, but I strived to find solutions that satisfied everyone. I learned to understand when to take charge and to recognize when to step back and follow my peers’ direction. With our programs and events, thorough planning was important to determine educational content, location, marketing, budget, and so on. At the time of my involvement in these leadership roles, I didn’t realize I was learning conflict management, collaboration, and organization — but that’s exactly what I was doing.

By my third year of college, I was hired as a peer advisor for the Office of Academic Success & Achievement (now known as the Thrive Center). In the fall and spring semesters, I worked with students below academic eligibility to help them break bad habits and develop skills necessary to succeed in class. During the summer, I was a peer advisor for the New Start Summer Program and guided incoming students on their journey from high school to life in college. The workshops I created involved lecture, discussions, and activities to accommodate various learning styles and to keep students engaged with the material. When giving a presentation, I adapted to the audience and quickly learned how to get students to participate. My one-on-one meetings with students were driven by open-ended questions so that they could formulate their own next steps without me telling them what to do. I thought my job as a peer advisor was just a way to pay the bills, but it was so much more than that. I learned curriculum development, public speaking skills, and how to empower people through their individual decision-making process.

Being on a dance crew throughout college was probably the most fun experience I had. Dance kept me active and I also got to travel for some out-of-state competitions. But what could I possibly learn from a dance crew other than how to dance? You’d be surprised. First, I learned how to manage my time effectively. Because of the many rehearsals and performances, I knew I had to carve out time to focus on schoolwork before or after dance so that I didn’t fall behind in classes. Being on a team also taught me the value of determination. I was not a good dancer when I first started. I practiced and practiced, joined a second team when I was a junior, and a few years later became the Artistic Director for the crew I danced with as a freshman. I went from being a background dancer (and often on the sidelines) to conceptualizing the creative direction for performances with my own choreography and staging. Combined with my determination, I learned how to ask for feedback and implemented those critiques into my movement. By getting feedback from the more experienced dancers on my teams, I was able to improve and learn how to move more comfortably in my body. Sure, I learned how to dance from being involved with my dance crews, but I also learned time management, determination, and how to apply feedback to better myself in whatever I do.

I learned a lot in the classroom, but my experiences outside of academics also taught me skills that I am still using to this day. After college, I went straight into a graduate program at the UA and earned my Master of Arts in Higher Education. Shortly after finishing graduate school, I worked as a Career Educator for Student Engagement & Career Development, helping students begin their careers. Then, I worked as a Coordinator for Fraternity & Sorority Programs focusing on leadership development and supporting multicultural organizations. After that, I created digital content as the Marketing Manager for the Advising Resource Center. Now, I am an Assistant Professor of Practice with General Education and the Honors College. Does it seem like my career is all over the place? It’s because I am a lifelong learner who has taken lessons big and small to build the career I have today.

Learning doesn’t stop once you leave the classroom. Learning doesn’t stop after graduation.  Learning doesn’t stop when you finally enter the workforce. Embracing what it means to be a lifelong learner will take you far in life. When you reflect on your experiences — both in and out of the classroom — and identify the skills, characteristics, and behaviors that you learned from them, your opportunities for growth and achievement are boundless.

About the author

name: Chris J. Rosales

Truly a Wildcat for Life, Chris earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the UA and currently works at the University as an Assistant Professor of Practice with the Office of General Education and W.A. Franke Honors College. Outside of his work in higher education, he loves all things creative including theatre arts, dance, photography, video production, and graphic design. He can be found spending most of his free time at The Drop Dance Studio, both as a teacher and taking classes as a student. Chris believes in the idea that any amount of progress should be celebrated and takes every opportunity to explore his skills, discover new interests, and pursue wherever curiosity leads him.

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