Meet Emily...
Emily Banda, former President (2012-2014) and Historian (2011-2012)
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
What major/minors you graduated with: BA International Business
Graduation Year: 2014
What have you been up to since graduation? Since completing my undergraduate degree at ASU, I have pursued a Master’s in Higher Education at Texas Tech University. I anticipate graduating from the program in May 2016, and am applying for a doctoral program in Higher Education as well, hoping to begin in the fall of 2017.
Was there a faculty or staff member who influenced you and helped you while attending ASU? As a student, I was fortunate enough to be surrounded and influenced a number of amazing mentors. Dr. Klingemann served a role beyond that of a faculty advisor for AMAS. He was instrumental in my development as not only a student leader, but as a professional.
Dr. Javier Flores, was also someone who guided me and heavily influenced me throughout my time at ASU. Thanks to his guidance and advice, I find myself at Texas Tech University today pursuing a degree in higher education. After seeing how he interacted with students and their parents on campus, I knew that somewhere down the road, I wanted to have a similar interaction with college students and have a positive impact in their lives.
My host father, Joe Muñoz, was also played a major role in my undergraduate degree. He always made time in his schedule to sit down and just talk. If I ever found myself in a crisis, he was always super attentive and helpful in helping me resolve the issues. Goodness, I could go on.
Lastly, I would like to give a major shout-out to all the wonderful staff at the Multicultural Center. It was a sanctuary for a lot of students, not just myself. Their staff is amazing! If you want some good and honest advice, always go to Lorina. #toughlove
What advice do you have about life after graduation? I think it’s important to start preparing for “life after graduation” your junior year. Look at internships in your field to get a feel for the atmosphere and get some valuable experience on your resume. I can’t stress this enough. Post-graduation could be a super stressful time. Trying to find a job, trying to be an adult, it’s a lot of responsibility but you can do it. Find a career in a company that you can see yourself developing and growing in. If there is anything else you'd like to include, go for it.
1. Use all your resources.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help—there’s no such thing as a dumb question.
3. Make time to walk around campus, and smile. Lol
4. Have as much fun as possible.
