How did you get your start at LCC?  What do you remember most from your first day/week/month?

I have come to realize that when one gets a congratulations on their retirement, it can mean something different for each one who says it.

LCC has been the kind of work experience that has  broadly utilized my abilities and developed my skills.  It never felt like 37 years plus were being lived.  Every day was a motivating  first day of the rest of my life.

What excites me about retirement is the opportunity a modest pension will afford me to restructure my lifestyle for all that I already do and love as well as to recalibrate the time structures out of which and with whom I do it all.

I got started at LCC after I selected a graduate school specialty to provide counseling for the diverse community college student population.  My journey towards fulfilling that goal included meaningful work experiences in diverse community and educational settings. 

On my first day, I was warmly greeted by one of my fellow colleagues and able to start functioning right away. I remember the wonderful comradery I experienced among the other 19 counselors in Student Affairs Department work. We were all passionate about student services and professional mentors for each other with our unique strengths. Primarily we were available and due diligent about addressing, providing and obtaining whatever success support our LCC students and potential students presented as their need, above and beyond personal counseling.

Have you held different positions at LCC? How would you describe your career path and the role that LCC played in it?

My first job at LCC was as an adjunct instructor. After leaving and returning for a temporary part time grant position, It lead to my dream job as the full time college wide career counselor and simultaneous student development courses instructor.  I valued having my proverbial one foot in the day to day life issues for our students and the other foot in the impact of academic opportunity to enhance their lives.  LCC became the fulfillment of my career path, a life long learner.

My role as a fulltime faculty counselor has stayed the umbrella under which I have worked but its application has morphed through varied administrative visions, initiatives and transitions.  As a result I have been the proverbial student affairs employee  "jack of many trades" , "master of one, as counselor instructor-assistant professor-associate professor and professor, counselor advisor-orientation deliverer- admissions and registration facilitator, personal-social-vocational-career-mental/emotional/behavioral health counselor, fully participant counselor employee in applications for strategic planning, interviewing and hiring, professional development deliveries and engagements, union employee relations, etc., etc.   LCC role in my career path has been huge!

What's your favorite memory from your time at LCC? Who are the people who made working here great?

Some of my noteworthy LCC memories are the following three:

Working with the "women resources program" among staff who took their work very seriously and took relationship building as fellow employees with a life equally seriously such that we were able to find the balance between integrity and compassion.

Sitting around the conference table with Student Affairs Associate Dean for counseling, Dr. John Cansfield, retired 1997,  died 2007 and 19 other counselors once a week to discuss our work.

When Dr. William (Bill) Schaar Jr, died 2020, was our Student Affairs Dean with his "you and your work ethic count" attitude and his "we can do our best" encouragement'. 

What were your greatest accomplishments or successes while working at LCC?

I love the acknowledgements I am receiving from coworkers in every role at the college.  

I love the impact that our culture of  care has on our students' wholistic  outcomes as an every year improvement aspiration.

I love working with an Associate Dean who encourages stellar student care and self care.

I know that people do not always remember what one does but we always remember how someone made us feel. I love having had the opportunity to work where I can feel and be felt.

One of the earlier surprising acknowledgements I remember is how I was invited to announce students names at graduation when the role was a Student Affairs role, unlike today, where it is an Executive Administration role. I was applauded for my ability to announce diversely pronounced names with accuracy.

This all taught me that accomplishments are discoveries other help you find.

What are you looking forward to in your retirement? What plans are you most excited for?

I am most excited that I have kept the well being of all whom I have encountered in mind through every interaction. So this is a bridge I can return to in different ways.

I look forward to continuing many of the patterns I love and to continue to have the new enjoyments that every day can bring.

Supervisor: Felipe Lopez-Sustaita

What's your favorite memory of this employee? Do you have any other positive thoughts to share about this individual?

Curlada always had a positive attitude, she always greeted me with a smile and kind words. I enjoyed my conversations with her, she shared a lot of wisdom with me and I will always remember that. Curlada is a phenomenal individual who worked hard and enjoyed her job. It was such a blessing working with her. I wish her the best in her next chapter. Curlada thank you for your many years of service. I can honestly say that the college is better because of your service.