The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

Alumni Spotlight: Jose Jimenez, YES Prep Southeast Class of 2007

September 01, 2011 by Tenesha Villanueva

Jose Jimenez graduated from YES Prep Southeast in 2007.  He attended Warren Wilson College where he majored in Outdoor Leadership and graduated in May.  He currently serves as an intern for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Alaska and Arizona. 

Jose on his experience at YES Prep…

What is your favorite YES Prep memory?

Playing Frisbee during lunch is by far my favorite. There was a crew of us who would scarf our food down as fast as possible to make enough time to play Frisbee for the rest of the break. We always played in the school parking lot because it had the most space. The location made for interesting games; we ran into dumpsters, cars, teachers, traffic cones, flower beds, younger students and the concrete. We played rain or shine and would happily go to class, either drenched in sweat or rain. Everyone would give us strange looks but we did not care because we had the time of our lives. It is also how I met some of my best friends; amazing buddies I still keep in touch with.

 Name the teacher/staff member who had the greatest impact on you and why.

Lynda Daniels has had the biggest impact on my life in the past several years. She is the one who encouraged me to do a course with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).  After seeing the excitement I expressed about attending, Mrs. Daniels even paid for my flight, allowing my family to pay once we could afford the expense. 

Throughout college, I kept in touch with Mrs. Daniels and as my senior year came to an end, she informed me about an internship with NOLS. Essentially, she provided me an opportunity to explore an interest and passion that is now becoming my career. 

How do you feel YES Prep best ensured you were college-ready?

Aside from the academics, the information about college was invaluable. I learned so many things about loans, scholarships, and the overall college experience. I felt like I had a step up on most kids, which made me much more confident in my school work and experience.

Knowing what you know now, what one piece of advice would you give to current YES Prep students?

Take advantage of the opportunity to do something completely different that you are used to because it might be the one experience that changes your life. I completed a NOLS course to do something different and now I have a degree in outdoor education. Explore your curiosities, interests and hobbies because you can. YES Prep provides so many opportunities for students to experience so whether you’re interested in culinary school, science or sports don’t be afraid to try something new out. You’re the only one preventing yourself from accomplishing anything.

Jose on his college experience…

How did you find your college?

After spending most of my life in Houston, I was at a point where I needed to escape and experience something different. I also began to gain great interest in outdoor education and activities. As a result, I started doing research for schools that offered degrees in Outdoor Education which eventually led me to Warren Wilson. I was drawn because of the small classes, close knit community, and the well- known reputation it had for being the college to offer a degree in Outdoor Education. Its close proximity to world class climbing didn’t hurt either.

What was your most difficult experience in college?  How did you overcome it?

I would say my initial difficulty came from meeting new people, but that was quickly resolved as I became more comfortable and immersed myself in the community. Another difficulty was finding people of similar ethnic background to share experiences with. There were not many Hispanics at the school I attended, but it did not stop me from going. I found people with some similar interests and would often find and engage with other people who spoke Spanish. Overall, my college experience was a fantastic.

What two or three qualities or characteristics within yourself were most important in helping you attain your college degree?

Patience has definitely played a large role in helping me attain my degree. Working with a wide range of populations, from people with disabilities to those diagnosed with ADD/HD, exercising patience allowed me to better serve those populations and take away valuable learning experiences. The second quality for me was passion. I was so passionate about outdoor leadership; I transferred colleges to pursue it.   Following and listening to that passion was critical to my success and fulfillment in college.   

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment since graduation from YES Prep?  Why? 

I attended the National Collegiate Handball Championships in Houston in 2010 and represented Warren Wilson College. Since we officially did not have a team, I was the only player.  I was determined to stay focused and represent my college well. 

My focus paid off and I won 1^stplace in my division. It was awesome to be able to represent the school in such a unique way. My college doesn’t get much attention since we’re such a small school, but winning the title definitely brought some attention. The greatest part of this accomplishment was that I did it alone by simply working hard. 

Describe your life now.  Where do you work?  What are your hobbies outside of work (if any)?  Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 

After graduation I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to intern with the National Outdoor Leadership School. The position calls for me to live and work in Alaska for the summer as an operations manager. In this role, I prepare students for courses by equipping them with the proper gear for as well as ensuring they have enough food to last for the duration of the course. After working with students from over 50 courses, I would say I have become pretty good at it. Once my contract is up in mid-September, I will travel to Arizona to continue the internship for another month and a half.

Being in the field of outdoor education, I have come to find pleasure in many outdoor activities. Some of my favorites are climbing, backpacking, canoeing, slack lining, caving as well as handball and Frisbee.  In the next five years I see myself as a NOLS instructor, leading courses throughout the world and sharing my passion of the outdoors with others. I also hope to travel many places and climb as much as I can. The perfect life for me would include climbing, surfing, slack lining, backpacking, leading outdoor courses and exposing youth to the vast wilderness of the world.

--
0 Comments
Be the first to leave a comment