Luis Medina Gives Back by Sharing His Journey and Mentorship

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Affordability may have brought Luis Medina '10/'12M to Bloomsburg, but it was the opportunity he found there that shaped his life.

Now he shares those opportunities with students.

Medina started out as a History major, but through an introductory Anthropology class he quickly found his passion. Despite not having a clear career direction, the switch opened Medina's eyes to new ways of understanding people and culture, as well as provided skills like observation, empathy and cultural awareness. Through the encouragement of faculty mentors like Dr. Faith Warner, his classes laid the groundwork for a career in Drug and Alcohol Counseling.

The skills he honed at Bloomsburg not only remain at the heart of his work, but they are an integral part of how he mentors current students.

Medina's path back to Bloomsburg as a volunteer began with the early days of the College of Liberal Arts' COLA Symposium and later the Career Intensive Boot Camp (CIBC).

His volunteer experiences have been wide-ranging, from presenting on conflict resolution and mental health to guiding students through resume reviews and mock interviews. Sharing his career journey, including the rewards and the challenges, quickly became meaningful for him. By offering an honest perspective, Medina hopes to prepare students for both the opportunities and the realities of professional life and can add especially poignant insight as a current supervisor who draws on both his anthropology background and professional experience to guide others.

"Burnout is real," Medina explained. "It's important for students to hear not just the successes but also the struggles…because it will affect your career."

Volunteering has also allowed him to connect with fellow alumni in unexpected ways - not only building his own professional network, but strengthening the network of support that continues to grow around Commonwealth-Bloomsburg students. In fact, Medina is excited about all the career and professional resources now available to current students, in the form of Professional U.

"I wish some of these opportunities had been around when I was here," Medina said. "You're not always going to know everything," he noted. "The job will humble you. But if you stay observant, accept feedback, and keep growing, you'll be prepared."

For Medina, giving back to Bloomsburg is about gratitude and impact. "I wouldn't be where I am if it wasn't for the experiences I had here," he said. "That's why I'm always open to volunteering. If my story can help even one student, then it's worth it."

Categories:

• Alumni
• Career Expo
• Liberal Arts
• Professional U

Tags:

• Alumni
• Career Expo
• Careers
• Volunteer