Upon her first visit to CSU and learning about the family and consumer sciences major in the Colorado State University School of Education, Tatianna Medina immediately knew that she was meant to be a Ram. In spite of the inevitable challenges, both anticipated and unforeseen, Medina remained strong and stalwart on her path to graduation.
Finding her footing
As a first-generation college student, Medina was quickly met with adversity as she adjusted to life at CSU. Despite the initial difficulties that she and her family faced when charting new territory in higher education, it didn’t take long for Medina to blossom into the stellar student that she is today.
The main contributing factor that helped Medina turn her struggles into success was her supportive family and community of mentors, peers, and advisers in the School of Education.
“The support that I have received at CSU was honestly the reason I was able to graduate,” Medina said. “From the first day on campus, I always had someone cheering for me and helping me – I found such a great community here!”
Involvement and impact
Once she gained confidence and comfort at CSU, Medina seized every opportunity placed before her. From Rocky Mountain Student Media to Greek life, Medina played an active role as a leader all throughout campus. One of Medina’s points of pride during her time at CSU is how well she maintained her many responsibilities throughout her college career.
“I am very proud to say that I have served in several leadership roles including Panhellenic President and president of my sorority, Tri Delta,” Medina said.
Medina didn’t stop there. Because of her innate leadership qualities, she gained recognition from honorary organizations Order of Omega and Rho Lambda where she served as a member of both Greek honor societies. She also participated as a DJ and training director for CSU’s campus radio station, KCSU Fort Collins, and was a frequent volunteer within the Fort Collins community.
Medina let her presence be known in the classroom as well, excelling in her classes and working hard to earn multiple merit-based scholarships provided by the College.
“Tatianna is so enthusiastic and passionate about everything she does,” Medina’s mentor and academic adviser Dawn Mallette said. “She was a strong leader on campus and in her sorority, and even though she was very active outside of the classroom, she performed very strong inside the classroom as well.”
Learning, educating, and looking ahead
Though the COVID-19 pandemic presented Medina with a new set of challenges as her college career concluded, she persevered and emerged with new skills in her educational arsenal. “I trained myself to be adaptable and willing to grow during any circumstance and being able to adapt will really help me in my future!”
Medina plans to launch her career in education as a high school family and consumer sciences teacher, and will eventually make her return to the classroom as a student to pursue her master’s degree in school administration.
Reflecting on her collegiate career and gazing upon the horizons of what lies ahead, Medina knows that her time as a Ram was well spent and that her future is bright. She harnessed her skills in the classroom, both as a learner and an educator, and in the matter of a few short years, Medina became what she admired in her mentors: a kind and compassionate leader.
“It has been very rewarding seeing Tatianna’s leadership on campus as well as her strong performance in her student teaching,” Mallette said. “Tatianna is going to be an amazing addition to the teaching profession, and I’m thankful I have been a part of her journey.”
The School of Education is a part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.