Dr. Anthony R. Ross
Vice President for Student Affairs
California State University, Los
Angeles
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams
With this
first quote, Dr. Ross captured my attention. This is one of the motivating
thoughts that inspires me to pursue a career in student affairs. My aim is to
play a role in helping others discover who they are and who they strive to be
so they can pursue their own passions and affect the world in their own ways.
Dr. Ross
also provided some thoughts on how to go about that. It was good to be
reminded that sometimes no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you
think you know your path, there are other designs in place. Dr. Ross
suggested the key is listening to mentors, being open to all that may come, and
taking risks.
His
personal story exemplified just how much a path may change but each change may
open the door to new opportunities... “You can’t be afraid to have your bags
packed physically and mentally to be ready to move and take new opportunities.”
The more I
learn about the career paths of different professionals, the more I realize
that everyone has such a unique story. But there are definitely common underlying
principles for success: keeping in mind your reasons for being passionate about
this career, being open minded to change, and building meaningful
relationships.
Listening
to words of wisdom from successful professionals like Dr. Ross inspires me to think about what
my future role could be and even though I’m not exactly sure what the future
may hold, I try to keep in mind one of the last thoughts Dr. Ross shared… “You
are capable for more than you know.”
