Stephanie Arredondo

Major: Public Health

Minor: Biology

Why Did You Choose This Major/Minor?

I choose public health because I was interested in learning about the overall wellbeing of certain communities, and how certain factors can significantly affect their quality of life. I’m very interested in working in a clinical setting, and providing quality care one on one however I also grew an interest in providing care outside a clinical setting. I definitely believe that majoring in public health provides me a look into both worlds. 

Honors College: ❌

Live On Campus: ❌

Current Hobbies/Activities?

-Going to the gym 

-Running (training for a half marathon) 

-Shopping

-Watching new shows 

Long Term Goals?

For my professional/career path I definitely want to pursue a Masters in Public Health and become a Physician Assistant. The idea of going for my masters in public health has been a recent goal, and learning how different government programs and organizations work to provide assistance for various communities is important. Especially, growing up on the northside of Houston and being a first-gen student I’ve personally experienced the need for these programs, thus now that I am older I want to give back to those who poured time and effort into me. As well, I definitely want to continue my journey on the Pre-PA track it’s a career I feel inspired by, and speaking with practicing PA’s and learning about their journey and their why is very motivating. 

For my own personal goals I have so many, but my main objectives is becoming the best version of myself. I hate feeling stagnant or stuck wether it be in my professional or personal life I am very big on moving, and growing. Another goal I have for myself is remaining consistent with the gym sometimes I have my days where I am too tired, but I do enjoy it because it gives me time to choose myself for a small part of my day. Overall, I aspire to always give myself 100% even on my low days, and I hope to continue doing so years from now. 

Why Do you Want to be a Mentor?

I want to be a mentor because I want to provide them guidance and/or advice wether it be about school or personal. Recalling from my freshman year I made many mistakes that I learned from, and sometimes I wish I would’ve told myself to reach out and ask for help instead of keeping quiet. From my personal experiences, I feel confident that I can teach others on how to navigate certain situations even outside of an academic setting. Nonetheless, another factor I can provide is finding free resources to get certain certifications especially if the student is interested in the medical field. From the club I am in I was able to get my CNA license, and my MA license for free because of a website they mentioned. Attaining these certifications is simple, however the cost of these programs can range from $500-3,000 making it difficult for students to afford them. Overall, I want to provide resources that can add to their resumes and also share advice/support whenever they need it! 

How do You Feel You Would Help Your Mentee?

I feel I would help my mentee by being someone they can rely on for guidance, support and encouragement. I was once in their position so I definitely want to provide them with resources and advice that helped me grow as a person and student. This is a new environment so getting to know them and their goals, is something I definitely want to learn in order to help them achieve them. 

What Advice Would you Give to An Incoming Terry?

My overall advice I would give to the incoming terry’s who may be experiencing one or all of these situations is take time to breathe. These problems are stressful, and can be overwhelming so I always recommend stepping back and doing something that may distract you from this. Afterwards, I would recommend sitting down with themselves or someone they trust, and dumping all their thoughts/emotions on a piece of paper or talking out loud to themselves. I find that giving yourself time and space to think out loud or talking with others helps soothe whatever negative feelings they may be feeling. Especially in moments of anger or desperation we may act out of line, so by giving yourself space it will reduce/stop the chances of anything escalating. At the end of the day, I would remind them that they have a community within Terry and out so the fear of being alone is zero 

 Choose One Movie Quote to Live By. What Would it Be?

"After all, computers crash, people die, relationships fall apart. The best we can do is breathe and reboot."

- Carrie Bradshaw