Today’s #LionVoices feature is Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP alumna and ROAR first-year advisor Cristina Castorena!
Cristina grew up in Zacatecas, Mexico, moving to Fort Smith when she was young. She graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree focused on finance.
Seeing her parents, who are both Mexican American, work hard to provide a better life
for their family inspired her to “carry on that legacy� in her work and her personal
life. “Work hard, do it right, be nice to people, and just do it! Eventually, it will
pay off.�
She said what moves her most about her career is the one-on-one interactions with students. “Yes, it's talking about classes, about registration, about graduating, but it’s also about ‘hey, how are you?’ and ‘how’s life?’� At the ROAR, she said, advisors often remind each other, 'You serve the student in front of you, that's how we make a difference.'
Making that difference at the university that helped shape her into the leader she is today is especially fulfilling, she added. “̹½ÊÓÆµAPP allows you to grow into the professional you are going to be, and empowers you to be yourself in that.â€�
She spoke further about how she integrated the values she witnessed at Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP, especially being inclusive and accepting or others, into her life and work. “That’s the kind of help and service I need to give others, especially in a leadership position.â€�
Cristina went on to say that “seeing the community grow, seeing the people advocate
for the students, and knowing the students that leave here will leave prepared for
their careerâ€� is what makes her a proud Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP alum.
Next week, Cristina will help the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP community grow even more, as she kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month on campus. Join her and the entire HHM committee at one of their incredible events, listed at Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP.edu/news!
