Spanish. When she
enrolled at Palo Alto, she was still strengthening her English-speaking
skills.
When Mendez began college, she enrolled in Developmental Math and Writing
courses.
Mendez began college with the intention of becoming an art teacher. However,
that changed when she began to realize the need for health care system
reform, particularly concerning autistic adults. Mendez has a 15-year-old
son, Jose S. Guadalupe, who is autistic.
"I want to change the system," she said. "The residential
system for [autistic residents] is awful. The client has no rights. I
do not want that for my child."
After her active duty
husband received an assignment to Savannah, Georgia, in 1994, she left
Palo Alto and enrolled at St. Leos College, now St. Leos University,
in 1995. In December 1997, she received her bachelors degree in
Criminology.
When she returned to San Antonio, Mendez enrolled at St. Marys University,
where she completed her masters degree in Mental Health Counseling
in December 2001. It took Mendez ten years to complete two degrees while
caring for her two children and running a household while her husband
was away on assignments.
"I realized, after completing my BA, that in the social work area,
it does not matter how much caring and knowledge one has if the letters
are not present after ones name," Mendez said.
A driving force behind obtaining her second degree was the fact that Mendez
wants a world where people are respected, not for what they have, but
for who they are.
"She is a marvelous woman with so much energy," said Ellen Shull,
an English professor at Palo Alto and one of Mendezs former teachers.
"Energy is what you notice about her. She exudes it."
Currently, Mendez is employed at Roy Maas Youth Alternatives, where she
is an individual and family therapist. This is a rare position since Mendez
is able to receive pay while completing the hours required for her to
receive her permanent license. Even though Mendez has been in this job
only two weeks, she has already made an impact, according to Michelle
Cortez, Counseling Center Director.
"When I interviewed [Ana], she was extremely positive," Cortez
said. "Her energy level and commitment to our families were obvious,
so all those things stuck out about her. Her positive attitude makes such
a huge difference."
Mendez says that in order to have a successful college experience, students
must be willing to go the extra mile and give effort at all times.
"Studying is never over. You never stop. People think you do, but
there are always more things you have to learn about," Mendez said.
"Anas interest in learning never once flagged," said Shull.
"She was always ready to re-do and re-learn. She was willing to do
all the extras it took."
Despite graduating and receiving two degrees, Mendez has more aspirations.
"My ambition is to have staffed apartments for highly functional
autistic people. I would like for them to learn how to grow vegetables,
care for animals--to work the whole person," Mendez said.
Mendez would also like to take courses on how to write requests for grants,
so that she can apply to receive funding for her center. Is that enough?
For Mendez, the answer is no.
"I always wanted to be a lawyer and might still do that. But, for
now, I am very happy with what I do."
According to Mendez, hard work is the key to becoming a success. Grades
are not necessarily a reflection of what a person knows or can accomplish.
"I was a very average student with Bs and Cs and some
As but I still wanted to attend college, Mendez said.
"I do not remember her grades; I remember her motivation," Shull
said.
Mendez attributes knowing when you have reached success to two things:
1) when you have reached your goals, and 2) when you feel at peace with
your desires and accomplishments.
"When one is sure and passionate about their path, then the accomplishments
are reached faster, with a sense of innner peace," Mendez said. "Follow
your passions. The road will be less traumatic if you follow what you
love."
In order to accomplish your goals and be able to have a successful academic
career and life in general, the most important thing is to know that there
is a purpose for all that happens according to Mendez.
"No matter how difficult, frustrating or challenging ones life
can be, look for the positive things in life. With a well-rounded education,
one should be able to overcome difficulties that one comes into contact
with," she said.
As for difficulties in balancing her social life and college life, Mendez
said that she has been supported throughout her academic career.
"Through all my life, I have had people supporting me," Mendez
said. "My grandmother and aunt were the ones who started to groom
me for the future. They planted the seed of education in me."
After Mendez married and returned to college, she still had a network
of support around from her two sons, then six years old and four years
old, and her husband, Samuel Guadalupe. Her other son, Julio A. Guadalupe,
is now 13.
"In later years, my husband has been my biggest fan," Mendez
said. "He encouraged me to return to school, helped me with my school
work, and continued to encourage me until I finished my M.A."
Through all this education and knowledge seeking, Mendez learned the world
is a classroom "I have learned to appreciate others, since they can
teach me a lot, Mendez said.
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