There is so much truth to the saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” When I was in high school, I attended Subiendo: The Academy for Rising Leaders as part of its inaugural class in 2010. The program had such an impact on me that the moment I stepped onto the University of Texas campus my freshman year, I knew I wanted to be a part of Subiendo. Throughout college, I joined Subiendo every summer as a team leader to mentor and coach the new class. I don’t know what they saw in me, but I was always asked to come back!
Subiendo was one of the highlights of my college career, not only for shaping the leader I am today, but also because of the relationships I have built over the years. Some students I stay in touch with on social media, silently liking one another’s memes and celebrating successes, whereas others have become dear friends. While Zayda and I didn’t get the chance to deeply connect on a personal level because I had graduated by the time she came to UT, I’m so grateful for the fact that we stayed in touch as best as we could.
You can only imagine how quickly four years fly by when it’s your friends that are growing up. The biggest joy Subiendo has brought me is the honor in my students, friends, and colleagues asking me to capture their senior portraits. I love being able to celebrate their successes, and Zayda was no different. Graduating in the middle of a pandemic is no fun, but I was so happy to be able to see her off before she moved to Dallas.
