By Lauren Rosenthal
As Ellie B. transitioned from being a student worker in the IT department at the VCCCD District Office to an Information Tech Help Desk Assistant at Oxnard College, she reflected on how she got to where she is today.
Ellie, who worked at the District Office for about four years, began at Ventura College as a computer science major. There she co-founded the Computer Science Club with her classmates. “It was open to any students interested in computers/programming, regardless of their experience,” she explained. Her ultimate goal was to ignite an interest in computer science in her peers and to teach students the awesome rigors of the subject. The club created a sense of comradery within VC’s computer science community.
After two years, Ellie transferred to CSU Channel Islands, where she studied computer science for another two years. She realized the path didn’t satisfy her career goals, so she switched to political science.
Despite her newfound calling, she feared that her years of hard work had gone to waste. Her professors reassured her that opportunities in the two seemingly opposite fields do exist. One professor, Dr. Baker, introduced her to public policy and its associations with technology, which piqued her interest and kindled ambition for the future.
Ellie focused on public policy, where she could tackle communal and educational issues with her approach to problem-solving. “I like seeing something from every angle…looking at problems as not just black and white scenarios.”
Her love for critical thinking and problem-solving motivates her work: “Seeing a lot of really young passionate people is a good thing, especially for our demographic where we are looking at problems no one’s ever looked at before… I’ve learned so much.”
Aside from her new job, Ellie is crafting policy and lobbying assemblymembers to benefit students and her community. Her aspirations add to her advice: “Be kind to yourself. Take time to reflect on your stress. Whatever you choose to do, be mindful of your mental state because if you ignore that kind of stuff, it will snowball.”
Lauren Rosenthal is a Moorpark College student and intern with the Ventura County Community College District.