WEBVTT 00:00:00.506 --> 00:00:06.776 A:middle [ Music ] 00:00:07.276 --> 00:00:07.856 A:middle >> You're listening 00:00:07.936 --> 00:00:11.536 A:middle to the Valley College Connection Podcast where John Kawai 00:00:11.536 --> 00:00:13.966 A:middle and Scott Weigand, two Valley professors, 00:00:14.146 --> 00:00:16.496 A:middle engage in a conversation about success 00:00:16.566 --> 00:00:18.196 A:middle with educators and students. 00:00:18.426 --> 00:00:20.966 A:middle Each week, they'll sit down with a different guests to find 00:00:20.966 --> 00:00:24.886 A:middle out ways each of us have had to plan, persevere, and overcome 00:00:24.886 --> 00:00:26.106 A:middle to be where we are now. 00:00:26.216 --> 00:00:29.186 A:middle The show will also highlight resources and services 00:00:29.526 --> 00:00:31.036 A:middle that are working to make a difference 00:00:31.036 --> 00:00:32.786 A:middle at Los Angeles Valley College. 00:00:33.056 --> 00:00:36.526 A:middle John and Scott believe that all of us, and the college itself, 00:00:36.696 --> 00:00:37.936 A:middle are a work in progress. 00:00:38.106 --> 00:00:40.036 A:middle And in this podcast, they'll explore, 00:00:40.036 --> 00:00:43.166 A:middle on a more personal level, how the community can work together 00:00:43.166 --> 00:00:45.966 A:middle to support each other as we move forward with our goals. 00:00:49.076 --> 00:00:52.206 A:middle >> We are joined today by Clive Gordon, Counselor and Director 00:00:52.206 --> 00:00:54.806 A:middle of the Career Transfer Center at Los Angeles Valley College. 00:00:55.126 --> 00:00:56.926 A:middle Thank you so much for sitting down with us, Clive. 00:00:57.486 --> 00:00:57.886 A:middle >> All right. 00:00:57.886 --> 00:00:58.636 A:middle thank you, Scott. 00:01:00.176 --> 00:01:03.146 A:middle >> We wanted to start off by taking a look backwards, 00:01:03.666 --> 00:01:07.476 A:middle talking to you about your, your background, your, your, 00:01:07.476 --> 00:01:10.216 A:middle your journey, so to speak, that led you to Valley College. 00:01:10.216 --> 00:01:12.226 A:middle So, you know, take it back as far as you'd like, 00:01:12.226 --> 00:01:15.876 A:middle what your experiences were like, you know, growing up your, 00:01:16.006 --> 00:01:18.726 A:middle your primary secondary, what college was like. 00:01:18.726 --> 00:01:21.806 A:middle graduate school, the career, we we want to know more about sort 00:01:21.806 --> 00:01:24.036 A:middle of what that, what that path and journey was like for you. 00:01:24.136 --> 00:01:25.126 A:middle >> All right. 00:01:25.126 --> 00:01:25.686 A:middle Sure, sure. 00:01:25.686 --> 00:01:26.406 A:middle Thank you, thank you. 00:01:27.316 --> 00:01:30.706 A:middle Okay. As Scott said, my name is Clive Gordon 00:01:30.706 --> 00:01:34.116 A:middle and I'm a immigrant, I'm a naturalized citizen. 00:01:34.386 --> 00:01:43.766 A:middle I came to the US back in 1982 from a small little country 00:01:43.766 --> 00:01:45.976 A:middle in Central America called Belize. 00:01:49.226 --> 00:01:54.186 A:middle When I got here, I went to Los Angeles High School. 00:01:54.186 --> 00:01:57.016 A:middle >> Can I, I'm sorry, I'm going to interrupt you right now. 00:01:57.296 --> 00:01:58.106 A:middle >> That's okay. 00:01:58.466 --> 00:01:59.966 A:middle >> I'm just curious, so how old were you? 00:01:59.966 --> 00:02:02.726 A:middle And what was that process of immigration like? 00:02:02.726 --> 00:02:06.386 A:middle Did yo move with your entire family or? 00:02:06.656 --> 00:02:15.626 A:middle >> No, my, my parents, my dad left to come north when I was a, 00:02:15.626 --> 00:02:20.456 A:middle I'll say of a year and a half, and I my mom left when I was 3. 00:02:21.376 --> 00:02:27.156 A:middle So, all I knew was that my parents came, 00:02:27.226 --> 00:02:32.226 A:middle came to the States, and they're trying to file paperwork 00:02:32.226 --> 00:02:35.386 A:middle to get me over, and they could not bring me at the time. 00:02:36.236 --> 00:02:43.946 A:middle So, fast forward 13 years later when I was 16, you know, my mom, 00:02:43.946 --> 00:02:46.666 A:middle I remember this clearly. 00:02:46.666 --> 00:02:50.946 A:middle My, my, my uncle called me over to his house, he said, "Clive, 00:02:50.946 --> 00:02:52.366 A:middle there's somebody I wants you to meet." 00:02:52.816 --> 00:02:55.186 A:middle And so, he says, so, you know, and I went over. 00:02:55.666 --> 00:02:59.746 A:middle He said, "Clive, this is your dad." 00:02:59.746 --> 00:03:02.286 A:middle And I swear, he's a total stranger, 00:03:02.286 --> 00:03:04.146 A:middle I'd never seen a picture of my dad before, 00:03:04.146 --> 00:03:07.286 A:middle I didn't know who this guy was. 00:03:07.286 --> 00:03:09.496 A:middle And and the guy said, "Hey, son," 00:03:09.496 --> 00:03:12.216 A:middle and I said, "Hey, dad," you know. 00:03:12.996 --> 00:03:15.736 A:middle And then, and then he says, " Son, listen, I'm, you know, 00:03:15.736 --> 00:03:21.076 A:middle for 13 years I've been trying, trying to get you over and, and, 00:03:21.076 --> 00:03:27.456 A:middle and, and finally, your, your papers came, came through. 00:03:27.996 --> 00:03:29.846 A:middle And this is one of the last things I wanted, 00:03:30.066 --> 00:03:33.246 A:middle this is the last thing, the last biggest thing I had 00:03:33.876 --> 00:03:37.436 A:middle to accomplish, and so, I came for you. 00:03:37.566 --> 00:03:42.836 A:middle And he said, "And in 5 days," I think this was on a Thursday, 00:03:42.836 --> 00:03:44.286 A:middle so there's a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 00:03:44.456 --> 00:03:46.386 A:middle "So, next Tuesday, 5 days from now, 00:03:46.866 --> 00:03:49.526 A:middle I'm taking you back to Los Angeles." 00:03:49.526 --> 00:03:53.506 A:middle And I was like, "Wow," I mean, I did not expect it, 00:03:53.506 --> 00:03:55.686 A:middle I didn't know it, he just show it up 00:03:55.686 --> 00:03:57.306 A:middle and said that, "You're leaving." 00:03:57.766 --> 00:04:01.696 A:middle >> Wow, man, that's, can't you fathom what that must have felt 00:04:01.696 --> 00:04:05.306 A:middle like with, you know, the shock of that. 00:04:05.306 --> 00:04:08.406 A:middle And prior to this time, so you, for the 16 years of your life, 00:04:08.406 --> 00:04:10.526 A:middle where you were living in Belize what's the size 00:04:10.526 --> 00:04:12.066 A:middle of the, the city? 00:04:12.066 --> 00:04:13.096 A:middle Who were you living with? 00:04:13.236 --> 00:04:18.426 A:middle What's, what was school like up until that point? 00:04:18.426 --> 00:04:18.906 A:middle >> Oh, wow. 00:04:18.906 --> 00:04:18.976 A:middle See -- 00:04:19.066 --> 00:04:20.596 A:middle -- that's, that's a great question. 00:04:20.666 --> 00:04:24.966 A:middle And my, my experiences as a child growing 00:04:25.746 --> 00:04:32.966 A:middle up played a big role in terms of who I am, and my belief systems, 00:04:33.036 --> 00:04:36.156 A:middle and my values and everything now. 00:04:36.156 --> 00:04:40.446 A:middle My, my half brother's aunt raised me. 00:04:40.946 --> 00:04:44.456 A:middle So, then I call her my aunt but technically she wasn't my aunt. 00:04:44.456 --> 00:04:48.636 A:middle But she, she took me in and raised me just 00:04:48.636 --> 00:04:50.946 A:middle as if I was, I was one of hers. 00:04:55.046 --> 00:04:57.526 A:middle And for those of you guys who don't know this, 00:04:57.526 --> 00:05:02.736 A:middle the country of Belize is located in, in Central America. 00:05:02.736 --> 00:05:08.116 A:middle It's about 6 days drive from here, it's just south of Mexico 00:05:08.116 --> 00:05:11.986 A:middle and east of Guatemala and north of Honduras. 00:05:12.066 --> 00:05:18.066 A:middle It's approximately 500 by 250 miles. 00:05:18.066 --> 00:05:21.346 A:middle So yeah, you could drive around the country 00:05:21.346 --> 00:05:23.046 A:middle like 8 times in one day. 00:05:23.286 --> 00:05:26.356 A:middle You know, I mean, I mean the entire country. 00:05:27.166 --> 00:05:35.366 A:middle The population is approximately 325,000 people. 00:05:36.586 --> 00:05:41.546 A:middle The city itself, Belize city being, Belize, 00:05:41.546 --> 00:05:45.456 A:middle being a former British, British colony, 00:05:45.456 --> 00:05:50.406 A:middle that it is a English speaking country but knowing 00:05:50.406 --> 00:05:54.746 A:middle that we're surrounded by Spanish speaking countries, 00:05:54.836 --> 00:05:58.736 A:middle the entire country is slowly being transformed 00:05:58.736 --> 00:06:00.646 A:middle into a majority of Spanish-speaking. 00:06:00.646 --> 00:06:02.736 A:middle We have people from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, 00:06:02.736 --> 00:06:07.796 A:middle El Salvador, they all migrate to to Belize now. 00:06:07.906 --> 00:06:12.206 A:middle So, they're more English-speaking Belizeans 00:06:12.206 --> 00:06:20.676 A:middle in this country than are actually back home now. 00:06:21.046 --> 00:06:24.476 A:middle So, but the primary language is, is still English. 00:06:25.556 --> 00:06:33.056 A:middle But going back, I remember every single day, as a child, 00:06:33.056 --> 00:06:37.966 A:middle I used to sit and stare up at, stare in the sky. 00:06:37.966 --> 00:06:43.836 A:middle There were two, there were two planes, one, one would leave 00:06:43.836 --> 00:06:47.026 A:middle about 7:50 in the morning, and one to leave 00:06:47.026 --> 00:06:48.936 A:middle about 5:30 in the evening. 00:06:48.936 --> 00:06:54.096 A:middle And there were two flights heading north going to America, 00:06:54.096 --> 00:06:57.976 A:middle and I used to say to myself, "One day, I don't know how, 00:06:58.826 --> 00:07:03.926 A:middle but I will be, either be on one of those planes or be 00:07:03.926 --> 00:07:05.386 A:middle in a bus going north." 00:07:06.036 --> 00:07:11.926 A:middle And one day I, I knew I would end up here, in some way, shape, 00:07:11.926 --> 00:07:14.956 A:middle or form, I didn't know how at the time. 00:07:14.956 --> 00:07:16.886 A:middle You know because I had that aspiration, 00:07:16.886 --> 00:07:20.786 A:middle that dream you know just from looking at, at Rock 00:07:20.786 --> 00:07:24.326 A:middle and Roll magazines, and GQ magazines, 00:07:24.326 --> 00:07:26.036 A:middle and looking at all these images 00:07:26.466 --> 00:07:29.506 A:middle about what America is from a magazine. 00:07:29.506 --> 00:07:31.146 A:middle Back when I was growing up, we didn't have TVs, 00:07:31.146 --> 00:07:32.836 A:middle it was just, it was just radios. 00:07:33.466 --> 00:07:37.946 A:middle And looking at all the images from, from the US, 00:07:37.946 --> 00:07:41.906 A:middle and I knew that one day I am going to go to America. 00:07:41.906 --> 00:07:45.246 A:middle I'm going to go to high school, college, play basketball, 00:07:45.326 --> 00:07:46.826 A:middle join, join the Lakers. 00:07:47.376 --> 00:07:52.066 A:middle Have this white picket fence house, I mean seriously, 00:07:52.066 --> 00:07:56.056 A:middle a white picket fence house and married and have kids. 00:07:56.056 --> 00:08:00.226 A:middle And, and it was so funny because of the images I saw 00:08:00.296 --> 00:08:05.086 A:middle In these magazines, there were of are Caucasian actors and, 00:08:05.656 --> 00:08:09.576 A:middle and and models and singers, and my, my thought when I was a kid, 00:08:09.806 --> 00:08:12.136 A:middle 8, 9, 10 years old, yes, "I'm going to America, 00:08:12.556 --> 00:08:15.436 A:middle and I'll marry me a Caucasian blonde hair, blue-eyed woman, 00:08:15.436 --> 00:08:16.976 A:middle and I'm going to have me some kids. 00:08:16.976 --> 00:08:19.246 A:middle And we have white picket fence and I'm going to be successful 00:08:19.246 --> 00:08:20.786 A:middle and join the Lakers and play basketball." 00:08:21.926 --> 00:08:26.296 A:middle Obviously, that is not a real, that, it didn't turn out quite 00:08:26.646 --> 00:08:29.176 A:middle like that because I'm a faculty member here 00:08:29.176 --> 00:08:31.116 A:middle at La Valley College, married 00:08:31.116 --> 00:08:34.916 A:middle to a Belizean women with white kids. 00:08:35.416 --> 00:08:37.296 A:middle >> So what happened when you, when you arrived here? 00:08:37.296 --> 00:08:38.836 A:middle What was the go-to shock like? 00:08:40.046 --> 00:08:45.436 A:middle >> My, my first thing I remembered when -- Okay. 00:08:45.436 --> 00:08:50.736 A:middle Let me backup a little bit, upon leaving Belize, my, 00:08:50.816 --> 00:08:54.066 A:middle my dad told me to show up around 7 o'clock that morning. 00:08:54.066 --> 00:08:58.126 A:middle I showed up with a cartoon box with a string tied to it, 00:08:58.546 --> 00:09:00.306 A:middle with some clothes, he says, "Son, 00:09:00.306 --> 00:09:02.236 A:middle you are not taking that on the plane." 00:09:02.936 --> 00:09:06.436 A:middle So then, he went to the corner and bought, bought a backpack, 00:09:06.846 --> 00:09:10.036 A:middle a small little backpack and then put my, maybe 3, shirts, 00:09:10.036 --> 00:09:11.916 A:middle couple of pants, and some underwear, 00:09:12.176 --> 00:09:13.416 A:middle and that's all I had with me. 00:09:14.096 --> 00:09:16.646 A:middle So, then, we got on the plane, first time being, being, 00:09:16.756 --> 00:09:20.656 A:middle being on a plane, and we flew and we got to LAX. 00:09:20.656 --> 00:09:23.926 A:middle And we landed, and I was like, "Wow, this is crazy." 00:09:23.926 --> 00:09:29.966 A:middle You know, there's like, hundreds of people in hundreds of planes 00:09:29.966 --> 00:09:31.106 A:middle and flights in and out. 00:09:31.306 --> 00:09:36.006 A:middle And then, the, the next thing I remember was when we left LAX, 00:09:36.186 --> 00:09:38.016 A:middle we're driving down, we're driving 00:09:38.016 --> 00:09:40.406 A:middle down at Central Boulevard and I was like, "Wow, 00:09:40.996 --> 00:09:44.836 A:middle there's like 4 cars going one way and 4 cars coming coming, 00:09:44.996 --> 00:09:45.956 A:middle coming the other way." 00:09:46.736 --> 00:09:51.386 A:middle You know back, back in Belize, the main street was less than, 00:09:51.736 --> 00:09:56.536 A:middle is less than 10 feet wide, and, and that's the main street. 00:09:56.646 --> 00:10:02.346 A:middle And so, when, when we hit the 4 or 5 coming north, I was like, 00:10:02.346 --> 00:10:06.726 A:middle "Wow, 6 cars going one way, 6 cars coming the other way." 00:10:07.066 --> 00:10:09.536 A:middle I was just staring out the windows, I was amazed, 00:10:09.536 --> 00:10:11.026 A:middle I was shocked, you know. 00:10:11.346 --> 00:10:15.506 A:middle And, and and, and I would say about a week later, 00:10:15.506 --> 00:10:22.206 A:middle I was at at La High School, Los Angeles High, which was, 00:10:22.206 --> 00:10:25.676 A:middle you know, if you compare it to the school that, 00:10:25.676 --> 00:10:30.156 A:middle that I was in Belize, it was, is, it's like I don't know, 00:10:30.156 --> 00:10:34.156 A:middle if you, I mean it was so huge, it was big, you know, you know, 00:10:34.156 --> 00:10:37.056 A:middle no culture shock, you know. 00:10:37.576 --> 00:10:40.996 A:middle I means it was an experience that, that, 00:10:40.996 --> 00:10:45.576 A:middle that I will never forget, but I had to -- 00:10:47.176 --> 00:10:55.086 A:middle -- the process of acculturation was quick because me being 00:10:55.086 --> 00:11:00.416 A:middle from Central America, not speaking Spanish and me being 00:11:00.416 --> 00:11:05.656 A:middle from Central America, the black Americans 00:11:05.656 --> 00:11:09.346 A:middle or like African American people, if, if they look at me, 00:11:09.346 --> 00:11:10.816 A:middle they will automatically, 00:11:10.816 --> 00:11:13.016 A:middle automatically classify me as being black. 00:11:13.446 --> 00:11:15.846 A:middle They would think that I am, that I'm African-American. 00:11:16.356 --> 00:11:18.116 A:middle And back in my high school, 00:11:18.116 --> 00:11:20.306 A:middle I did not have a lot of Belizean friends. 00:11:21.156 --> 00:11:23.716 A:middle So, because of my height, I joined the basketball team, 00:11:23.976 --> 00:11:26.416 A:middle part of my initial aspirations to become a Laker. 00:11:26.806 --> 00:11:31.776 A:middle And, and, and, and I had, and all my circle of friends, 00:11:32.406 --> 00:11:35.226 A:middle they were, they were Americans. 00:11:36.126 --> 00:11:40.506 A:middle So, I had to like overnight learn about the crips 00:11:40.506 --> 00:11:42.186 A:middle and the bloods and the gangbangers, 00:11:42.186 --> 00:11:43.636 A:middle and which neighborhoods to go to 00:11:43.636 --> 00:11:47.216 A:middle and which neighborhoods not, not, not to go to. 00:11:47.766 --> 00:11:50.006 A:middle Who to talk to, and what to say, and how to act, 00:11:50.006 --> 00:11:54.056 A:middle and how to use slang languages and, and, 00:11:54.056 --> 00:11:59.136 A:middle and so just learning the, the street codes and, 00:11:59.136 --> 00:12:03.496 A:middle and the live living in, in, in the South LA area. 00:12:04.306 --> 00:12:07.616 A:middle So, you know, just means a lot to pick 00:12:07.616 --> 00:12:10.056 A:middle up in just a short period of time. 00:12:10.126 --> 00:12:13.596 A:middle >> How, how different was that experience? 00:12:13.596 --> 00:12:14.836 A:middle What was your, what was your school 00:12:14.836 --> 00:12:16.566 A:middle like in Belize beliefs compared to -- - 00:12:16.976 --> 00:12:18.586 A:middle I mean, I guess I'm curious 00:12:18.586 --> 00:12:20.776 A:middle about to the actual classroom instruction from being 00:12:20.776 --> 00:12:24.826 A:middle in a class in LA, USD with, you know, 25, 30 students 00:12:24.826 --> 00:12:26.196 A:middle or whatever it was, how does that differ 00:12:26.196 --> 00:12:26.976 A:middle from what it was like in Belize? 00:12:31.046 --> 00:12:33.126 A:middle >> Earlier, I talked about the experiences 00:12:33.156 --> 00:12:39.246 A:middle as a child growing up, walking the streets of Belize, when, 00:12:39.246 --> 00:12:45.726 A:middle you know, barefoot, you know, selling citrus, oranges, 00:12:45.726 --> 00:12:50.456 A:middle bananas, coconuts, watermelon, for 5 cents, 2cents, 3 cents, 00:12:50.456 --> 00:12:52.776 A:middle whatever it is, and just out there hustling. 00:12:53.046 --> 00:12:57.176 A:middle It's not that, that my family needed it to survive, 00:12:57.236 --> 00:13:00.626 A:middle but it was something that was, that taught to me, 00:13:00.736 --> 00:13:04.206 A:middle how to be independent, how to work hard, how to go out 00:13:04.206 --> 00:13:07.386 A:middle and sell, and how to make, and how to make money. 00:13:08.236 --> 00:13:12.346 A:middle And that, that, those experiences of, 00:13:12.456 --> 00:13:14.496 A:middle of like sometime, wake up in the morning 00:13:14.496 --> 00:13:19.086 A:middle and not having a full nutritional breakfast, 00:13:19.086 --> 00:13:23.576 A:middle whereas just a little bit of milk in a cup and a piece 00:13:23.576 --> 00:13:27.976 A:middle of bread and butter, and that's it. 00:13:28.046 --> 00:13:32.136 A:middle And the reason that those experiences were important 00:13:32.136 --> 00:13:37.656 A:middle to me is because when, when I was in school, it was in the, 00:13:37.656 --> 00:13:41.906 A:middle I would say, in the, the equivalent 00:13:41.906 --> 00:13:47.656 A:middle of the 10th grade that, that I got kicked out of school. 00:13:47.766 --> 00:13:54.356 A:middle And it wasn't because I was terrible, I didn't, 00:13:54.536 --> 00:13:58.516 A:middle I was a disruptive bad student, it was because for some reason, 00:13:58.606 --> 00:14:00.876 A:middle I could not pass Math. 00:14:01.556 --> 00:14:04.986 A:middle I passed my English, my history, my geography, my other, 00:14:04.986 --> 00:14:06.886 A:middle but math, I kept failing, failing, 00:14:06.886 --> 00:14:07.996 A:middle failing, failing, failing. 00:14:08.506 --> 00:14:11.696 A:middle And then, and then after a while, back, back then we had, 00:14:11.896 --> 00:14:15.386 A:middle we had corporal punishment, big old stick. 00:14:15.386 --> 00:14:18.616 A:middle If you fail a test, they, you know, let's say, for example, 00:14:19.056 --> 00:14:23.256 A:middle you have 10, 10 questions, you can't get any more than 3 wrong. 00:14:23.256 --> 00:14:27.136 A:middle So that somebody get 7 wrong, that means you get for whacks 00:14:27.136 --> 00:14:28.386 A:middle with the big old stick. 00:14:28.386 --> 00:14:29.896 A:middle >> Wow, that will teach you some math, or. 00:14:31.406 --> 00:14:32.486 A:middle >> No [inaudible] 00:14:34.346 --> 00:14:36.206 A:middle And that was in all subjects. 00:14:36.206 --> 00:14:38.426 A:middle So, trust me, many times, I would stand in front 00:14:38.426 --> 00:14:41.286 A:middle in the class with my hands out or just bending over 00:14:41.286 --> 00:14:43.666 A:middle and getting whack, whack by these teachers. 00:14:44.196 --> 00:14:48.246 A:middle So, in the 9th, 10th grade, I got kicked out because I, 00:14:48.456 --> 00:14:49.766 A:middle I could not pass math. 00:14:50.406 --> 00:14:55.206 A:middle So then, when I left school, I, I, I started to work 00:14:55.776 --> 00:15:00.026 A:middle at a Coca Cola bottling plant that makes, you know, 00:15:00.026 --> 00:15:01.416 A:middle you know, the soda coke. 00:15:02.016 --> 00:15:05.156 A:middle And you know, I used to work there loading trucks, you know, 00:15:05.156 --> 00:15:08.296 A:middle working, and, and just working and just, 00:15:08.296 --> 00:15:11.156 A:middle you know, at this plant. 00:15:11.686 --> 00:15:15.566 A:middle But I knew, based on the magazines I read and everything, 00:15:15.566 --> 00:15:18.476 A:middle that the only way I could accomplish my goal is 00:15:18.476 --> 00:15:19.696 A:middle if I continued school. 00:15:20.256 --> 00:15:26.376 A:middle So, at 13, 14 years old, I was working during the daytime, 00:15:26.476 --> 00:15:31.696 A:middle and at nighttime, I enrolled in a private school and, you know, 00:15:31.856 --> 00:15:35.106 A:middle just trying to take math classes to try to get back into school. 00:15:35.186 --> 00:15:39.736 A:middle And then, you know, like about a year later of doing that, 00:15:39.736 --> 00:15:42.326 A:middle my, my, my dad showed up. 00:15:42.526 --> 00:15:49.976 A:middle So, if we fast forward to LA High, a math teacher, 00:15:50.206 --> 00:15:55.176 A:middle Mr. Matthews, he, he came up to me one day 00:15:55.176 --> 00:15:58.476 A:middle in my algebra 1 class, and said to me, said 'Clive, 00:15:59.966 --> 00:16:03.406 A:middle I see you struggling," I'm like, "Yes.' 00:16:03.406 --> 00:16:06.786 A:middle And I said, "Listen, I know it, but for some reason, 00:16:06.786 --> 00:16:08.346 A:middle I keep filling the class." 00:16:08.646 --> 00:16:13.216 A:middle So, so he says to me, he said, "Listen, what is, 00:16:13.216 --> 00:16:18.966 A:middle let's say for example, the answer was x-3y All right." 00:16:19.096 --> 00:16:23.416 A:middle And then, and then he said, is that the answer? 00:16:23.416 --> 00:16:23.856 A:middle I said, Yes. 00:16:23.856 --> 00:16:27.026 A:middle He said, "Okay, what do you have there?" 00:16:27.026 --> 00:16:29.336 A:middle I look, it says, "x-y3." 00:16:29.336 --> 00:16:37.606 A:middle So, he said, "Listen, you have a mile 00:16:38.116 --> 00:16:41.656 A:middle you, you have a mild form of dyslexia 00:16:42.936 --> 00:16:47.416 A:middle because you know the work, but, but you writing the letters 00:16:47.416 --> 00:16:49.096 A:middle or the numbers backwards. 00:16:49.736 --> 00:16:54.746 A:middle So take your time, slow down, and check your work." 00:16:55.146 --> 00:17:00.736 A:middle Those, those three things my instructor told me slow down, 00:17:00.736 --> 00:17:03.386 A:middle take your time, and check your work. 00:17:04.076 --> 00:17:04.546 A:middle All right. 00:17:04.986 --> 00:17:08.266 A:middle When I started to do those things, I passed. 00:17:09.366 --> 00:17:14.166 A:middle Now, going back, going back to Belize, 00:17:14.166 --> 00:17:18.286 A:middle those instructors had no clue of what dyslexia was., 00:17:18.286 --> 00:17:24.596 A:middle they just thought that, "Hey, he can't pass math, 00:17:24.596 --> 00:17:25.456 A:middle you know, kick him up." 00:17:25.626 --> 00:17:31.486 A:middle And just imagine the hundreds of other students in my situation 00:17:31.546 --> 00:17:34.956 A:middle who suffered from a mild case of dyslexia, when all they had 00:17:34.956 --> 00:17:37.396 A:middle to do was slow down and check their work. 00:17:38.716 --> 00:17:42.376 A:middle So, so, so, so going, going forward, the, the, 00:17:42.406 --> 00:17:48.996 A:middle the classroom settings, it was engaging, it was exciting 00:17:48.996 --> 00:17:55.456 A:middle because I was being successful, I was passing my classes. 00:17:55.456 --> 00:18:00.476 A:middle I was energized, you know, having instructors who cared. 00:18:00.636 --> 00:18:03.356 A:middle >> Well, let me just say in terms of the scale of that, 00:18:03.356 --> 00:18:04.936 A:middle of that problem with mild dyslexia, 00:18:05.206 --> 00:18:06.776 A:middle so I have something very similar 00:18:06.776 --> 00:18:08.686 A:middle to that also, so does my daughter. 00:18:09.286 --> 00:18:11.326 A:middle The numbers are basically 1 in 6. 00:18:11.786 --> 00:18:13.846 A:middle So, if you think about your class, 00:18:13.846 --> 00:18:17.686 A:middle there are basically 5 students in every class in high school 00:18:18.126 --> 00:18:21.146 A:middle where they're not passing simply because of sort 00:18:21.146 --> 00:18:22.726 A:middle of what you just said, check your work, 00:18:22.726 --> 00:18:24.966 A:middle slow down, do it twice. 00:18:26.166 --> 00:18:28.586 A:middle Because you're trying to flip different things the second time 00:18:28.586 --> 00:18:29.406 A:middle if you do it twice. 00:18:30.046 --> 00:18:34.866 A:middle And it is, it is a pretty striking that every semester 00:18:34.866 --> 00:18:41.246 A:middle in my class, I have 60 kids, and I bring in, you know, 00:18:41.316 --> 00:18:45.596 A:middle 20 people every semester, where people just didn't realize. 00:18:45.596 --> 00:18:48.696 A:middle And I think part of the problem is, you know, the teachers, 00:18:48.696 --> 00:18:52.076 A:middle they mean well, but if you don't have this, 00:18:52.596 --> 00:18:53.536 A:middle you don't know what it is. 00:18:53.726 --> 00:18:57.336 A:middle And you just think that the student is lazy or isn't trying, 00:18:57.616 --> 00:18:59.536 A:middle or is smart but he's careless. 00:18:59.776 --> 00:19:04.976 A:middle He really is not careless, it's just, and you just don't see it. 00:19:05.046 --> 00:19:07.046 A:middle >> So, what happened next at LA High, 00:19:07.126 --> 00:19:09.856 A:middle were you able to pass after that? 00:19:10.006 --> 00:19:12.786 A:middle >> Yes. Well, I, I, yes. 00:19:13.426 --> 00:19:15.306 A:middle I did okay. 00:19:17.056 --> 00:19:20.026 A:middle Okay. I was in the basketball team, of course. 00:19:20.536 --> 00:19:26.136 A:middle I think for the 2 season or played, or the 2 season I was 00:19:26.136 --> 00:19:29.806 A:middle on the team, played like, 3 games. 00:19:29.806 --> 00:19:32.856 A:middle After we're up by 30, they're like, "Hey, 00:19:32.856 --> 00:19:34.946 A:middle Gordon, get in," you know. 00:19:34.946 --> 00:19:38.056 A:middle So, I think that my basketball dreams 00:19:38.056 --> 00:19:41.486 A:middle to join the Lakers ended in, in my senior year. 00:19:41.916 --> 00:19:47.336 A:middle So, then I was trying to figure out what do I have to do to get 00:19:47.336 --> 00:19:49.176 A:middle to college because I said, "Okay, 00:19:49.766 --> 00:19:52.776 A:middle my basketball dream is over, I have to go to college." 00:19:53.856 --> 00:19:59.386 A:middle And, and I remember, you know, my dad, God, God bless his soul, 00:19:59.386 --> 00:20:01.726 A:middle he, he passed away about nine years ago. 00:20:02.576 --> 00:20:07.826 A:middle On my 18th birthday, he, he leaned, 00:20:07.826 --> 00:20:11.976 A:middle half leaned into my bedroom door, I mean into my bedroom, 00:20:12.846 --> 00:20:14.206 A:middle and he just opened the door. 00:20:14.326 --> 00:20:16.986 A:middle And these were his exact words, he said, "Son, 00:20:18.656 --> 00:20:20.536 A:middle by the way, happy birthday. 00:20:21.866 --> 00:20:27.246 A:middle Today you're 18, and in America that means you are a man. 00:20:27.246 --> 00:20:30.046 A:middle Now, I heard you talking about this college stuff, 00:20:30.046 --> 00:20:34.856 A:middle I can't send you to college, I don't have the money for it. 00:20:35.396 --> 00:20:39.816 A:middle And if you want to go to college, you are on your own. 00:20:39.956 --> 00:20:43.386 A:middle If you want to stay here though, you will find a job 00:20:43.486 --> 00:20:44.656 A:middle and help pay the rent." 00:20:44.816 --> 00:20:46.746 A:middle I said, "Okay, dad, thank you." 00:20:46.846 --> 00:20:48.966 A:middle And then, he closed the door. 00:20:51.636 --> 00:20:56.486 A:middle About 5 minutes later, a commercial came on on the TV. 00:20:57.496 --> 00:21:00.466 A:middle "Be all you can be, join the army, 00:21:00.946 --> 00:21:04.496 A:middle well will give you $28,500 for college." 00:21:04.566 --> 00:21:06.746 A:middle I'm like, "Haha, that's it." 00:21:07.466 --> 00:21:09.966 A:middle I said the army is going to send me to college, I say yes. 00:21:13.526 --> 00:21:17.336 A:middle One week after I graduated from Los Angeles High School, 00:21:17.336 --> 00:21:23.176 A:middle I was in boot camp, one week later, because my only goal was, 00:21:23.176 --> 00:21:26.946 A:middle how am I going to get to college? 00:21:27.686 --> 00:21:30.266 A:middle I saw the army as an opportunity, 00:21:30.476 --> 00:21:33.106 A:middle and I jumped on the opportunity. 00:21:33.576 --> 00:21:34.746 A:middle And I signed the papers. 00:21:34.746 --> 00:21:38.166 A:middle My dad was glad he said, "Hey, where, where do I sign?" 00:21:39.056 --> 00:21:44.206 A:middle And my dad signed, and I signed, and I was in at Fort Sill, 00:21:45.116 --> 00:21:47.696 A:middle Oklahoma where I saw snow for the first time. 00:21:47.696 --> 00:21:50.076 A:middle I was like, "What the heck is this cold thing? 00:21:50.776 --> 00:21:57.186 A:middle So, then I, I joined the army at, at 18, I did my boot camp 00:21:57.186 --> 00:21:59.166 A:middle at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 00:21:59.476 --> 00:22:01.386 A:middle >> Clive, can I stop you real quick for a second? 00:22:01.386 --> 00:22:04.416 A:middle I just want to jump back for a minute here. 00:22:04.476 --> 00:22:08.456 A:middle How was it while you're in high school there? 00:22:08.456 --> 00:22:13.146 A:middle What do you think informed you that college was your next step? 00:22:13.146 --> 00:22:14.446 A:middle Was it, was it a teacher? 00:22:14.446 --> 00:22:15.206 A:middle Was it a counselor? 00:22:15.206 --> 00:22:16.966 A:middle Was it social media, not social media. 00:22:16.966 --> 00:22:19.206 A:middle Was it, you know, the media at the time, were you, 00:22:19.206 --> 00:22:20.996 A:middle you knew that this was the next step for you 00:22:20.996 --> 00:22:22.976 A:middle and that you could do that? 00:22:23.246 --> 00:22:25.216 A:middle >> It was a combination of two things. 00:22:26.106 --> 00:22:30.406 A:middle One, it was that drive that I had from when I was in Belize 00:22:30.406 --> 00:22:32.456 A:middle that one day that I have to be educated 00:22:32.456 --> 00:22:36.716 A:middle because I saw my cousins and families and friends 00:22:36.716 --> 00:22:38.956 A:middle and I knew the only way that you could get a decent life 00:22:38.956 --> 00:22:41.476 A:middle in the country of Belize is, is if you are a politician 00:22:41.476 --> 00:22:43.336 A:middle or a politician's son or daughter. 00:22:44.316 --> 00:22:48.976 A:middle And, and, and so, I did not see a real future 00:22:48.976 --> 00:22:51.396 A:middle for me back, back home. 00:22:52.206 --> 00:22:58.426 A:middle So, I knew that I had to continue this deep desire 00:22:59.036 --> 00:23:03.006 A:middle or this, this, this aspiration that I had. 00:23:03.006 --> 00:23:08.526 A:middle So, that, that was, that has, and was, and is always that, 00:23:08.526 --> 00:23:11.796 A:middle that, that thing that keeps me going, that drive. 00:23:13.586 --> 00:23:16.976 A:middle But I remember going to the college office 00:23:16.976 --> 00:23:20.856 A:middle at Los Angeles High School, and, and, and, 00:23:20.856 --> 00:23:25.736 A:middle and it was an experience that a lot of people would, 00:23:26.006 --> 00:23:30.456 A:middle would have been turned off to or have their dreams dashed. 00:23:30.536 --> 00:23:36.826 A:middle I went to the college office and asked the counselor, "Sir, 00:23:36.826 --> 00:23:39.206 A:middle could you give me some information about college?" 00:23:39.856 --> 00:23:43.716 A:middle His exact words to me were, "You're not college material, 00:23:44.176 --> 00:23:48.356 A:middle you're not college material, you don't need to apply to college." 00:23:48.416 --> 00:23:53.296 A:middle And I did not, that was not disappointing, I was not hurt 00:23:54.236 --> 00:23:56.186 A:middle because I said, "You know what, 00:23:56.186 --> 00:23:58.226 A:middle you're full of it and you are wrong. 00:23:58.286 --> 00:24:05.426 A:middle And I'm not going to let you discourage me or kill my dreams 00:24:05.426 --> 00:24:08.766 A:middle of seeking a higher education." 00:24:09.606 --> 00:24:09.906 A:middle All right. 00:24:09.906 --> 00:24:12.656 A:middle And I saw friends and family members 00:24:12.656 --> 00:24:14.126 A:middle who barely finished high schools, 00:24:14.126 --> 00:24:17.006 A:middle who are on the block not, not doing anything. 00:24:17.226 --> 00:24:21.216 A:middle And I said, I'm not going to be like, like them, and never going 00:24:21.216 --> 00:24:23.216 A:middle to let anybody, counselor or not, 00:24:23.596 --> 00:24:26.076 A:middle tell me that college is not in my future. 00:24:27.016 --> 00:24:30.616 A:middle So, I just walked out and I swear, it did not faze me, 00:24:30.616 --> 00:24:32.596 A:middle I wasn't upset, I wasn't offended. 00:24:33.276 --> 00:24:38.066 A:middle I did not take it personal, it was just some individual 00:24:38.996 --> 00:24:42.076 A:middle who had a negative thought, belief, bias. 00:24:42.076 --> 00:24:45.556 A:middle I don't, you know, I'm not going to say was racist, 00:24:45.866 --> 00:24:47.026 A:middle I might even go there. 00:24:47.516 --> 00:24:50.276 A:middle He told me that I'm not college quality and I said, "Okay, 00:24:50.276 --> 00:24:52.206 A:middle thank you," and I left. 00:24:52.206 --> 00:24:54.516 A:middle And I never thought about him again 00:24:54.516 --> 00:24:55.976 A:middle in my life until now, I guess. 00:24:56.126 --> 00:24:59.466 A:middle >> Wow. Thanks, thanks for reflecting on that 00:24:59.466 --> 00:25:00.936 A:middle and sharing that, that piece of it. 00:25:00.936 --> 00:25:04.886 A:middle I didn't mean to interrupt your, your, your telling up to 00:25:04.886 --> 00:25:06.696 A:middle that point about being at boot camp now. 00:25:07.266 --> 00:25:13.926 A:middle >> Yeah. And then just, just just to close off on that, I, I, 00:25:13.926 --> 00:25:17.526 A:middle I from, from boot camp, I went to my first, 00:25:17.526 --> 00:25:21.106 A:middle my first duty station which was in Fort Carson, Colorado. 00:25:21.866 --> 00:25:24.096 A:middle And it's just so funny that, that, 00:25:24.686 --> 00:25:30.496 A:middle that here is this 18 year old, this 18 year old soldier 00:25:31.196 --> 00:25:34.876 A:middle who was kicked out of the 10th grade 00:25:34.876 --> 00:25:39.056 A:middle because he did not, couldn't pass math. 00:25:39.056 --> 00:25:44.446 A:middle Here I am in the army as a land surveyor, and being a surveyor, 00:25:44.446 --> 00:25:48.396 A:middle you've got to do log, [inaudible] and like, 00:25:48.506 --> 00:25:54.656 A:middle ike logarithms and the, the, the, the minute, the second, 00:25:54.656 --> 00:25:57.376 A:middle latitude and longitude, and a whole bunch of calculations 00:25:57.376 --> 00:25:58.886 A:middle and everything, you know. 00:25:58.886 --> 00:26:04.696 A:middle And, and so, so my, my MOS was an 82 Charlie, 00:26:05.236 --> 00:26:08.366 A:middle which is a land land surveyor, for those of you 00:26:08.366 --> 00:26:10.426 A:middle who are listening, sometimes you see those guys 00:26:10.426 --> 00:26:12.376 A:middle on the streets and, you know, they're looking 00:26:12.376 --> 00:26:15.016 A:middle through these little telescope-looking 00:26:15.066 --> 00:26:16.066 A:middle type instruments. 00:26:16.706 --> 00:26:19.456 A:middle You know, it's like a theodolite, and you stare 00:26:19.456 --> 00:26:21.336 A:middle through it and you measure this. 00:26:21.336 --> 00:26:23.876 A:middle And this is before before I did GPS. 00:26:24.526 --> 00:26:32.016 A:middle So, I had to use land like the stars, the moon, and land, 00:26:32.016 --> 00:26:36.486 A:middle land recognition, places, towers, and, you know, just, 00:26:36.566 --> 00:26:41.516 A:middle just to bring in the exact coordinates of, of, 00:26:41.636 --> 00:26:44.336 A:middle of, of certain locations. 00:26:44.776 --> 00:26:46.996 A:middle S,o I did you use a lot of math. 00:26:47.736 --> 00:26:51.746 A:middle And then, I got lucky because after spending 2 years 00:26:51.746 --> 00:26:54.876 A:middle in Colorado, I got orders to go to Germany, 00:26:54.966 --> 00:26:57.116 A:middle and which I gladly took. 00:26:57.986 --> 00:27:03.446 A:middle And at, at 19 years old, 19 and a half, I was stationed in, 00:27:03.446 --> 00:27:07.316 A:middle in Baumholder, Germany, which is 00:27:07.316 --> 00:27:10.036 A:middle about two hours south of Frankfurt. 00:27:10.846 --> 00:27:13.566 A:middle And the 2 years I spent in Germany, oh my god, 00:27:13.906 --> 00:27:15.596 A:middle Europe is a beautiful country. 00:27:15.626 --> 00:27:18.766 A:middle I mean Europe is beautiful, Germany is awesome. 00:27:19.286 --> 00:27:21.596 A:middle I got to travel, I've been to Italy, 00:27:21.596 --> 00:27:23.706 A:middle Spain, I've been to Morocco. 00:27:23.706 --> 00:27:26.236 A:middle I've been to [inaudible], I've been to Brussels, 00:27:26.236 --> 00:27:27.986 A:middle I've been to Italy, all over. 00:27:27.986 --> 00:27:30.656 A:middle Just imagine a young 20 year old single GI, 00:27:31.616 --> 00:27:34.656 A:middle has no care in the world but to just travel 00:27:34.656 --> 00:27:37.716 A:middle and eat and drink and travel. 00:27:39.146 --> 00:27:42.136 A:middle You know, but during the whole time, 00:27:42.886 --> 00:27:49.426 A:middle I knew that In 4 short years, total of 4 short years, 00:27:49.636 --> 00:27:52.446 A:middle this will be over, and my main goal was to, 00:27:52.446 --> 00:27:54.176 A:middle as soon as the 4 years are finished, 00:27:54.706 --> 00:27:56.846 A:middle I will be going to college. 00:27:57.386 --> 00:28:00.376 A:middle So, so even though I was enjoying myself, 00:28:00.376 --> 00:28:03.716 A:middle I was traveling the world and everything, my main goal was 00:28:03.716 --> 00:28:08.106 A:middle to be as successful as possible because when I got out, 00:28:08.106 --> 00:28:09.896 A:middle I had my college paid for. 00:28:11.696 --> 00:28:15.736 A:middle >> So, where did you end up going to college afterwards? 00:28:16.836 --> 00:28:21.596 A:middle >> I, when I got out, I lived in, in LA, right off of Adams 00:28:21.596 --> 00:28:25.176 A:middle and Normandy, not, not too far from, from where they, 00:28:25.676 --> 00:28:28.876 A:middle they, LA where I started. 00:28:30.056 --> 00:28:34.976 A:middle I applied to Cal State, Los Angeles, -- 00:28:35.046 --> 00:28:36.946 A:middle -- which is at Cal State Dominguez Hills. 00:28:37.596 --> 00:28:40.356 A:middle Those, those were the two schools. 00:28:40.696 --> 00:28:45.136 A:middle Of course, what, of course, Trade Tech is right there 00:28:45.136 --> 00:28:50.406 A:middle and West LA College right there, but I wanted to get away. 00:28:50.406 --> 00:28:53.756 A:middle Because when I got back from a 4, 4 years in the army, 00:28:54.596 --> 00:28:58.736 A:middle I went back to my neighborhood and I saw a bunch of my friends. 00:28:59.506 --> 00:29:01.606 A:middle Some of them who didn't finish high school and some of them 00:29:01.606 --> 00:29:03.886 A:middle who did, they were just hanging out on the block. 00:29:03.976 --> 00:29:08.556 A:middle And this one, one of my friends, his name is Leroy, I'm like, 00:29:08.556 --> 00:29:09.656 A:middle "Hey, Leroy, what's up?" 00:29:09.656 --> 00:29:11.236 A:middle I said, "Hey, what are you doing?" 00:29:11.736 --> 00:29:12.856 A:middle Leroy said he's chilling. 00:29:13.486 --> 00:29:16.666 A:middle I'm like, "Leroy when I left 4 years ago, you were chilling, 00:29:16.986 --> 00:29:19.736 A:middle I'm back, you're still chilling, you're not freezing yet?" 00:29:19.896 --> 00:29:22.266 A:middle And he says, "No, man, I'm still chilling." 00:29:22.616 --> 00:29:27.286 A:middle And Leroy had accomplished nothing since high school. 00:29:28.136 --> 00:29:30.696 A:middle He was just hustling, odd jobs here and there, 00:29:30.696 --> 00:29:32.036 A:middle and I was like, "Wow, no. 00:29:32.356 --> 00:29:34.976 A:middle There's no way I could go to Cal State, Los Angeles 00:29:34.976 --> 00:29:37.576 A:middle and come right back to the same neighborhood, 00:29:37.926 --> 00:29:39.546 A:middle been around the same friends." 00:29:39.936 --> 00:29:43.856 A:middle You know, and I said, you know, I couldn't do it. 00:29:44.506 --> 00:29:48.506 A:middle So, I said, "I'm going to try to get away from the LA area." 00:29:48.506 --> 00:29:51.956 A:middle And, and to answer your question, 00:29:51.956 --> 00:29:54.806 A:middle I applied to Cal State, San, San Bernardino, 00:29:55.606 --> 00:29:59.616 A:middle with approximately a little less than 2 hours away, which, 00:29:59.886 --> 00:30:03.736 A:middle which was far enough, but not too far away in case you know, 00:30:03.736 --> 00:30:05.316 A:middle there's emergency, I could come back. 00:30:05.726 --> 00:30:08.166 A:middle But I went to Cal State San Bernardino, 00:30:08.346 --> 00:30:10.006 A:middle which, to get my Bachelor's. 00:30:10.326 --> 00:30:15.076 A:middle And, and the reason was just to get away from home and from the, 00:30:15.076 --> 00:30:20.026 A:middle and from the environment that was not, that was not going 00:30:20.026 --> 00:30:22.546 A:middle to be conducive to my plans. 00:30:23.136 --> 00:30:24.726 A:middle >> So how was your experience in college? 00:30:24.826 --> 00:30:28.276 A:middle I mean, you're going in as someone who has the maturity 00:30:28.276 --> 00:30:31.846 A:middle of 20,22 year old who's also went 00:30:31.846 --> 00:30:33.726 A:middle through boot camp and, and was in the army. 00:30:33.726 --> 00:30:36.976 A:middle Like, how was, how was that different? 00:30:37.206 --> 00:30:39.476 A:middle >> Everybody called me old when I got here 00:30:39.526 --> 00:30:41.866 A:middle because I stayed in the dorms. 00:30:42.426 --> 00:30:47.096 A:middle And I am 22 and all my other classmates they're, 00:30:47.166 --> 00:30:49.746 A:middle they're are 4 years, 4, 5 years younger than me. 00:30:50.386 --> 00:30:52.246 A:middle And I was the only guy with a car, 00:30:52.756 --> 00:30:54.966 A:middle I was the only guy with a steady check. 00:30:55.236 --> 00:31:00.546 A:middle My my GI benefits were coming in, I had a TV, big holes, 00:31:00.676 --> 00:31:02.986 A:middle Kenwood 500 watt speakers, 00:31:03.316 --> 00:31:06.716 A:middle and all these stereo equipment in my dorm room. 00:31:07.406 --> 00:31:09.586 A:middle And so, you know, you know, 00:31:09.586 --> 00:31:11.446 A:middle I was the party room, I'm not going to lie. 00:31:12.086 --> 00:31:17.106 A:middle And and, and I think in less than a semester, I got kicked 00:31:17.106 --> 00:31:21.316 A:middle out of the dorms because I was partying too much, you know, 00:31:21.316 --> 00:31:23.516 A:middle you know, you know, stereo speakers, 00:31:23.926 --> 00:31:29.146 A:middle but even though I was partying and this, and this, and, 00:31:29.146 --> 00:31:33.636 A:middle and this and that, that was secondary to my purpose 00:31:33.676 --> 00:31:34.816 A:middle of getting that Bachelor's. 00:31:34.816 --> 00:31:35.716 A:middle Because I said at the times 00:31:35.716 --> 00:31:39.446 A:middle that I will get this BA degree in, in 4 years. 00:31:40.206 --> 00:31:46.896 A:middle So, you know, I, I socialized a lot, but I was very disciplined. 00:31:47.256 --> 00:31:51.876 A:middle And I, and I thank the military for, for, for giving me that, 00:31:52.076 --> 00:31:54.246 A:middle that discipline and structure Why? 00:31:54.956 --> 00:32:00.056 A:middle On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday till 00:32:00.056 --> 00:32:03.096 A:middle about 4 o'clock, it was nothing but school studies, 00:32:03.096 --> 00:32:04.626 A:middle school studies, school study. 00:32:05.956 --> 00:32:09.176 A:middle Friday night, Saturday, and Saturday night, 00:32:09.176 --> 00:32:13.186 A:middle I socialized a lot, I enjoyed myself a lot. 00:32:14.126 --> 00:32:21.066 A:middle On Sunday, I, I detox then I re, then I rehydrated on Sunday, 00:32:21.136 --> 00:32:24.816 A:middle and Monday, I was back to business again. 00:32:25.226 --> 00:32:27.346 A:middle School, school, school, school, school, school. 00:32:27.736 --> 00:32:29.216 A:middle Now, I did work two jobs. 00:32:29.216 --> 00:32:34.366 A:middle I worked, I worked at a group home, it's a kind of boys home, 00:32:35.546 --> 00:32:38.186 A:middle delayed late shift from like 10 at night 00:32:38.186 --> 00:32:39.536 A:middle to like 7 in the morning. 00:32:39.636 --> 00:32:44.146 A:middle And I also worked on campus in the EOPS office. 00:32:44.636 --> 00:32:47.626 A:middle So, I had two jobs plus my military benefits, 00:32:47.626 --> 00:32:49.616 A:middle and I went to school full-time. 00:32:50.556 --> 00:32:54.256 A:middle But I was really disciplined about not 00:32:54.456 --> 00:32:59.456 A:middle to allow my social life to interfere with my academic, 00:32:59.456 --> 00:33:02.916 A:middle with my academics, I was really serious about that. 00:33:02.916 --> 00:33:07.426 A:middle And that allowed me to finish in exactly 4, 4 years 00:33:08.206 --> 00:33:11.236 A:middle >> And when, how and when did you decide what you were going 00:33:11.236 --> 00:33:11.826 A:middle to major in? 00:33:16.046 --> 00:33:22.756 A:middle >> My first year, I was not sure, and so, one, one day I, 00:33:22.756 --> 00:33:28.466 A:middle I sat in my room, well then, then, in my apartment 00:33:28.466 --> 00:33:29.506 A:middle because it was kicked off. 00:33:29.636 --> 00:33:32.606 A:middle I mean, I was kicked out the dorms, so, I had an apartment, 00:33:32.756 --> 00:33:33.436 A:middle which by the way, [inaudible]. 00:33:34.616 --> 00:33:37.376 A:middle I got kicked off my first two apartments also 00:33:37.376 --> 00:33:39.976 A:middle for excessive partying. 00:33:40.466 --> 00:33:44.026 A:middle So, so, when I was in my third apartment in one year, I said, 00:33:44.026 --> 00:33:46.816 A:middle "You know, I've got to cut this out because it makes no sense 00:33:47.056 --> 00:33:48.626 A:middle to be packing up every 3 months. 00:33:48.626 --> 00:33:52.056 A:middle And moving somewhere else is, it was too much stuff." 00:33:52.056 --> 00:33:56.396 A:middle So, one, one, one day, I was sitting in my apartment, 00:33:56.396 --> 00:33:59.136 A:middle and I said, "Okay, what the heck am I going to major in? 00:33:59.136 --> 00:34:02.636 A:middle Because right now, I'm a sophomore and time is going." 00:34:03.246 --> 00:34:07.256 A:middle And I tried to assess my skills and I said, "You know what, 00:34:07.496 --> 00:34:10.376 A:middle one of the things that most of my friends do, 00:34:10.376 --> 00:34:13.026 A:middle all my friends used to come to me with boyfriend problems. 00:34:13.026 --> 00:34:14.056 A:middle girlfriend problems. 00:34:14.456 --> 00:34:16.676 A:middle My mom does, my dad does, my grandparents did, 00:34:16.766 --> 00:34:18.696 A:middle and they all had problems and issues." 00:34:19.086 --> 00:34:23.986 A:middle And notice that, that I had a genuine care and concern 00:34:23.986 --> 00:34:26.636 A:middle for the wellbeing of my friends. 00:34:26.636 --> 00:34:31.776 A:middle And I would listen, and I will always be giving suggestions 00:34:31.776 --> 00:34:36.386 A:middle and giving, giving a bunch of, you know, of recommendations. 00:34:37.146 --> 00:34:41.326 A:middle And I said, "You know what, I'm going to try to major 00:34:41.326 --> 00:34:47.936 A:middle in psychology," because I, I found that it was something, 00:34:48.036 --> 00:34:53.306 A:middle at the time, I did not know what, what, what psychology was, 00:34:53.716 --> 00:34:57.476 A:middle but that was the only major that matched up to the 00:34:57.476 --> 00:35:01.226 A:middle to the basic skills and interest that I had in working, 00:35:01.226 --> 00:35:04.596 A:middle assisting, and, and like helping me helping individuals. 00:35:05.196 --> 00:35:10.206 A:middle So I tried psychology as a major and liked it. 00:35:11.206 --> 00:35:15.846 A:middle Watson, Freud, Skinner, all that stuff, it was fascinating to me. 00:35:15.846 --> 00:35:19.516 A:middle The classical conditioning and, and bring the bell and the dog, 00:35:19.746 --> 00:35:21.706 A:middle the dog salivate solid, good stuff. 00:35:21.706 --> 00:35:23.406 A:middle Oh man, it was great, I loved it. 00:35:23.686 --> 00:35:27.826 A:middle So, I decided to major in psychology. 00:35:30.336 --> 00:35:34.846 A:middle As I started my senior year, I discovered that, "Hey, 00:35:34.846 --> 00:35:38.396 A:middle guess what, there's not much you could do with a degree, 00:35:38.526 --> 00:35:40.196 A:middle with a bachelor's in psychology. 00:35:40.966 --> 00:35:43.676 A:middle Not much, you have to go for a masters." 00:35:43.676 --> 00:35:46.636 A:middle And so, I said, "Okay." 00:35:47.586 --> 00:35:56.496 A:middle So, then I bought the Barons book to study for the GRE and, 00:35:56.666 --> 00:36:00.076 A:middle and the heard it's about 6 months. 00:36:00.076 --> 00:36:02.676 A:middle "Okay, Clive let's, let's study for this." 00:36:03.016 --> 00:36:05.806 A:middle 5 months, "Okay, Clive, let's study for this." 00:36:05.886 --> 00:36:08.236 A:middle 3 months out, "Okay, Clive, you better get ready." 00:36:08.756 --> 00:36:12.766 A:middle 2 months out, "Oh, oh, time is, okay, the GRE is coming up." 00:36:13.176 --> 00:36:23.256 A:middle 1,1 month out, "Danm, ooh" 10 days, 987653421, 00:36:23.256 --> 00:36:26.856 A:middle and the morning of, "Oh my god, this is a thick book, 00:36:26.856 --> 00:36:28.226 A:middle I don't' think I'm going to get this." 00:36:29.096 --> 00:36:33.986 A:middle So, so, and tno, I'm not advising anybody out there to, 00:36:34.156 --> 00:36:39.766 A:middle to do this but I'm just blessed man and, and, and that, that, 00:36:40.126 --> 00:36:43.106 A:middle that I believe the Lord has had a different plan for me. 00:36:43.686 --> 00:36:47.156 A:middle Because I went and I took the GRE without even prepping 00:36:47.156 --> 00:36:49.796 A:middle for it, and, of course, I bombed it. 00:36:50.576 --> 00:36:53.896 A:middle So, here I am, "Wow, I'm graduating, 00:36:53.896 --> 00:36:54.946 A:middle I have a bachelor's degree." 00:36:55.676 --> 00:36:59.816 A:middle I barely squeaked at 2.98 AGPA, 2.9, barely, 00:36:59.816 --> 00:37:01.886 A:middle almost a 3, but not a 3.0. 00:37:02.716 --> 00:37:07.966 A:middle So, I said, "Okay, what the heck am I going to do now?" 00:37:08.116 --> 00:37:11.756 A:middle So, I applied for grad schools both 00:37:11.756 --> 00:37:15.226 A:middle at Cal State Dominguez Hills and at Season. 00:37:16.096 --> 00:37:22.986 A:middle And I went to I went to Dominguez Hills and, 00:37:23.056 --> 00:37:30.736 A:middle and they accepted me on, on, on a condition that, that, that, 00:37:31.296 --> 00:37:35.026 A:middle that I have to perform quite well during, 00:37:35.276 --> 00:37:36.546 A:middle during my first semester. 00:37:36.546 --> 00:37:37.476 A:middle I said, "Cool, okay." 00:37:38.056 --> 00:37:41.246 A:middle And then, I went to Cal State Northridge and they said 00:37:41.246 --> 00:37:44.586 A:middle that they will accept me also, you know, 00:37:44.586 --> 00:37:50.406 A:middle knowing that I had a well below GRE score but they said, 00:37:50.736 --> 00:37:54.326 A:middle basically, they're willing to accept me on the condition 00:37:54.326 --> 00:37:58.166 A:middle that if I perform well during my first semester. 00:37:58.716 --> 00:38:01.226 A:middle Then so, I, I got, I got 00:38:01.226 --> 00:38:06.296 A:middle into the graduate program on a probation basis. 00:38:06.886 --> 00:38:11.856 A:middle And, of course, I did well, I excelled, I got all A's my, 00:38:12.256 --> 00:38:16.616 A:middle my first year in grad school, and so they, 00:38:17.266 --> 00:38:20.416 A:middle they formally enrolled me in after, after the first year. 00:38:20.906 --> 00:38:23.056 A:middle >> Well, why were you an A student in graduate school 00:38:23.056 --> 00:38:24.396 A:middle and not in your Bachelor's? 00:38:24.456 --> 00:38:25.006 A:middle What changed? 00:38:25.666 --> 00:38:28.146 A:middle >> Honestly, I'll tell you, undergraduate is 00:38:28.146 --> 00:38:30.526 A:middle so much harder than graduate school. 00:38:31.016 --> 00:38:34.626 A:middle I mean at graduate school, it's a lot of research time 00:38:34.626 --> 00:38:36.716 A:middle and effort in doing we started studying 00:38:36.716 --> 00:38:38.506 A:middle and writing reports and papers. 00:38:39.336 --> 00:38:43.306 A:middle There's a lot of theory and and practice, whereas undergraduate, 00:38:43.306 --> 00:38:45.896 A:middle there's a myriad of different subjects and stuff. 00:38:45.896 --> 00:38:50.926 A:middle So, so, at least for me, my past structure 00:38:50.926 --> 00:38:53.246 A:middle and discipline helped me a lot in grad school because I had 00:38:53.246 --> 00:38:55.336 A:middle to focus and do a lot of research and write. 00:38:56.306 --> 00:39:02.476 A:middle Whereas my undergraduate was really tough, but grad, 00:39:02.476 --> 00:39:07.126 A:middle grad school was, was, was, was fun. 00:39:08.606 --> 00:39:08.956 A:middle But -- 00:39:10.046 --> 00:39:12.286 A:middle -- and I'm sure, I'm sure, I'm sure that you're going 00:39:12.336 --> 00:39:14.856 A:middle to touch on this soon. 00:39:15.146 --> 00:39:19.646 A:middle I applied to the MFT program at at Cal State Northridge, 00:39:19.646 --> 00:39:22.916 A:middle which is MFT stands for Marriage Family Therapy program. 00:39:23.786 --> 00:39:28.406 A:middle And during my first semester, especially, 00:39:28.406 --> 00:39:33.066 A:middle in my practical terms, when they're talking about, you know, 00:39:33.166 --> 00:39:35.986 A:middle it's very, it's very, it's very touchy feely type, 00:39:36.646 --> 00:39:39.306 A:middle and it's nothing against the occupation, 00:39:39.306 --> 00:39:40.536 A:middle it's nothing against the major. 00:39:41.236 --> 00:39:43.816 A:middle But, but, but it wasn't for me. 00:39:44.656 --> 00:39:49.966 A:middle You know, you sit there and yes, I hear you saying 00:39:49.966 --> 00:39:51.556 A:middle that you were very angry 00:39:52.186 --> 00:39:56.886 A:middle about this deep feeling you have a nice sense this emotional 00:39:58.356 --> 00:40:01.226 A:middle issues, you know, and I was like, "No, no, 00:40:01.226 --> 00:40:02.576 A:middle that's not for me, that's not for me." 00:40:03.546 --> 00:40:06.336 A:middle So then, I had, I had to look at my options. 00:40:07.466 --> 00:40:11.676 A:middle And there were to two individuals at, at CSUN, 00:40:11.866 --> 00:40:14.156 A:middle this African-American lady, 00:40:14.156 --> 00:40:18.096 A:middle her name is Dr. Katie Fern [phonetic], God, 00:40:18.096 --> 00:40:20.696 A:middle God bless her soul, who was in charge 00:40:21.536 --> 00:40:25.486 A:middle of the Graduate Equity Program at, at Cal State Northridge. 00:40:25.996 --> 00:40:29.246 A:middle And Dr. Greg Jackson, African-American male who was 00:40:29.246 --> 00:40:33.606 A:middle in charge, who was the chair of the Career Counseling Programs. 00:40:33.686 --> 00:40:39.736 A:middle And both of those individuals to meet me under their wings. 00:40:41.106 --> 00:40:48.016 A:middle And, and Dr. Jackson, you know, would call me and sat me down. 00:40:48.556 --> 00:40:54.096 A:middle And, and, and, and he mentored me, and he molded me 00:40:54.096 --> 00:40:57.836 A:middle into the professional that, that I am today. 00:40:58.516 --> 00:41:00.646 A:middle Every single thing that I know in counseling, 00:41:00.646 --> 00:41:02.656 A:middle every single thing that I do in my job here, 00:41:02.656 --> 00:41:08.316 A:middle at LA Valley college, I owe it to Dr. Greg, Greg Jackson. 00:41:08.996 --> 00:41:09.886 A:middle >> Why do you think he picked you? 00:41:13.346 --> 00:41:17.846 A:middle At the time, I did not see it, but he saw something in me 00:41:17.846 --> 00:41:23.476 A:middle that I did not know that I have. 00:41:25.046 --> 00:41:28.226 A:middle And what that it is, I could only surmise or guess, 00:41:29.286 --> 00:41:34.196 A:middle but, but, the, he, he, 00:41:36.076 --> 00:41:40.566 A:middle I like to laugh and joke and, and, and things, and, and, 00:41:40.566 --> 00:41:43.186 A:middle then and then, sometimes in a serious situation, 00:41:43.686 --> 00:41:46.256 A:middle I like to make light, light of it. 00:41:48.126 --> 00:41:54.336 A:middle But what, what, what, Dr. Jackson taught me, basically, 00:41:54.336 --> 00:41:57.886 A:middle is like, "Listen, if you're serious about this, 00:41:58.336 --> 00:42:00.986 A:middle this occupation, this field of counseling, 00:42:01.556 --> 00:42:03.286 A:middle you're dealing with individuals. 00:42:03.286 --> 00:42:06.266 A:middle You're dealing with their, with their trust, you're dealing 00:42:06.266 --> 00:42:08.766 A:middle with their emotions, you're dealing with their feelings. 00:42:08.766 --> 00:42:11.706 A:middle You're dealing with their intimate thoughts 00:42:11.706 --> 00:42:15.156 A:middle and beliefs, and life experiences. 00:42:15.156 --> 00:42:20.986 A:middle And you have to develop that, that sense of maturity. 00:42:21.506 --> 00:42:23.686 A:middle Whereas when you're working with your clients, 00:42:23.686 --> 00:42:25.506 A:middle when you're working with your students, 00:42:25.866 --> 00:42:27.466 A:middle they have to be able to trust you. 00:42:27.526 --> 00:42:30.026 A:middle And if you appear laughing and joking, 00:42:30.026 --> 00:42:32.856 A:middle and if you're not serious about this, I could easily let you go. 00:42:33.506 --> 00:42:37.186 A:middle But, but, but I'm not going to do that. 00:42:37.186 --> 00:42:39.916 A:middle And if, if you want your students, or your clients, 00:42:40.006 --> 00:42:43.406 A:middle or your patients to respect and to develop that trust, 00:42:43.406 --> 00:42:46.666 A:middle where they could open up and tell you, 00:42:46.906 --> 00:42:50.726 A:middle and speak on the issues that are really affecting them, 00:42:51.286 --> 00:42:53.836 A:middle you need to grow up, you need to be mature. 00:42:54.316 --> 00:42:55.946 A:middle You're not an undergraduate anymore. 00:42:55.946 --> 00:42:57.256 A:middle You're not in the service anymore. 00:42:57.256 --> 00:42:58.336 A:middle You're not partying anymore. 00:42:58.626 --> 00:43:00.006 A:middle This is for real here. 00:43:00.086 --> 00:43:04.446 A:middle And I am training you to be a professional counselor." 00:43:04.536 --> 00:43:09.866 A:middle And, and, and, and that talk right there, 00:43:10.256 --> 00:43:15.046 A:middle and many other talks after that too, really, really molded me 00:43:15.046 --> 00:43:19.116 A:middle into the professional that, that, that I am right now. 00:43:19.246 --> 00:43:23.096 A:middle And then, Dr. Fern, Dr. Katie Fern, 00:43:23.196 --> 00:43:25.726 A:middle just a brief history about her. 00:43:27.266 --> 00:43:31.776 A:middle She, she is, she was born in Mississippi on the cotton fields 00:43:31.776 --> 00:43:34.396 A:middle and everything, and, and she got her doctorate 00:43:34.396 --> 00:43:37.116 A:middle in English, and she came here. 00:43:37.616 --> 00:43:43.746 A:middle And she wrote, it's called the Patricia Roberts Harris, 00:43:44.146 --> 00:43:45.806 A:middle Harris Fellowship, of course, 00:43:45.806 --> 00:43:49.566 A:middle Patricia Robert Harris was the first African-American female 00:43:49.946 --> 00:43:52.146 A:middle Secretary of Education. 00:43:53.106 --> 00:43:59.016 A:middle And so they, they, they had 14 fellowships in her name. 00:44:00.066 --> 00:44:02.876 A:middle So, the first year Dr. Fern wrote, wrote, 00:44:02.876 --> 00:44:04.136 A:middle wrote it she didn't get it, 00:44:04.656 --> 00:44:06.166 A:middle the second year she wrote, she got 2. 00:44:06.166 --> 00:44:09.706 A:middle Now, keep in mind that we're, CSUN was competing 00:44:09.706 --> 00:44:13.276 A:middle with universities like UCLA, Harvard, Yale, 00:44:14.046 --> 00:44:18.386 A:middle I mean the entire country, and it was only 14 total 00:44:18.486 --> 00:44:21.936 A:middle that were offered by the Department of Education. 00:44:22.406 --> 00:44:24.666 A:middle And Dr. Fern wrote the first year, she got 2. 00:44:25.616 --> 00:44:29.066 A:middle The, the third year she wrote it, she got all 14. 00:44:30.016 --> 00:44:30.376 A:middle >> Wow. 00:44:30.796 --> 00:44:31.996 A:middle >> All 14. 00:44:32.086 --> 00:44:34.806 A:middle And there are other counselors right here this campus, 00:44:34.806 --> 00:44:36.896 A:middle like my my colleague in EOPS, 00:44:36.896 --> 00:44:40.616 A:middle his name is, Alma, Alma Olivares. 00:44:41.066 --> 00:44:48.406 A:middle Alma, myself, and 12 other individuals were fortunate 00:44:48.406 --> 00:44:53.146 A:middle enough to have been awarded one, one of these fellowships 00:44:53.306 --> 00:44:56.356 A:middle that paid for our graduate program, 00:44:57.376 --> 00:44:59.456 A:middle that paid for all our books, 00:44:59.676 --> 00:45:03.036 A:middle sent us on conferences throughout the year, 00:45:03.036 --> 00:45:09.386 A:middle and gave us a monthly stipend of like 500 or 600 bucks. 00:45:10.046 --> 00:45:13.586 A:middle I got the fellowship during my second semester at CSUN, 00:45:13.586 --> 00:45:16.576 A:middle my first semester, I was working two jobs. 00:45:16.576 --> 00:45:18.176 A:middle I was working at a group homestill, 00:45:18.786 --> 00:45:21.156 A:middle and I was working at UPS. 00:45:21.756 --> 00:45:25.826 A:middle So then, I went toEOPSfrom like 10 at night to about 2 00:45:25.826 --> 00:45:28.376 A:middle in the morning, I go home at 2:30, 00:45:28.376 --> 00:45:31.706 A:middle I slept to about 6, o'clock. 00:45:32.076 --> 00:45:36.126 A:middle Then, I went to work at the grouphome from 8 to about 2. 00:45:36.256 --> 00:45:40.746 A:middle And then, about, about 3:30, I went to CSUN 00:45:40.746 --> 00:45:42.936 A:middle and I went, I went to school. 00:45:43.716 --> 00:45:46.256 A:middle So, the first year, I mean the first semester was tough 00:45:46.256 --> 00:45:48.866 A:middle in grad school, I hsd to go to school full time, 00:45:49.286 --> 00:45:53.316 A:middle knowing that I was on probation during my first semester 00:45:53.316 --> 00:45:54.566 A:middle and working 2 jobs. 00:45:55.206 --> 00:45:59.146 A:middle So, when I was offered the opportunity to be a fellow 00:45:59.226 --> 00:46:04.266 A:middle and get all these paid for, one, one of the things I was told, 00:46:04.266 --> 00:46:07.566 A:middle "Hey, if you want to be a fellow, you have to switch 00:46:08.806 --> 00:46:11.556 A:middle from being a Marriage Family Therapist 00:46:12.356 --> 00:46:13.716 A:middle into career counseling." 00:46:13.836 --> 00:46:17.076 A:middle At the time, I did not know what career counseling was, 00:46:17.076 --> 00:46:20.916 A:middle but I said, "I will switch," and I switched over, 00:46:20.916 --> 00:46:23.866 A:middle and the rest is history. 00:46:23.866 --> 00:46:28.026 A:middle I got my, my, my graduate degree in Educational Psychology 00:46:28.026 --> 00:46:32.346 A:middle and Counseling with an emphasis in Career Counseling. 00:46:33.046 --> 00:46:37.826 A:middle And during my second year in the program, 00:46:37.826 --> 00:46:43.086 A:middle I did an internship here at La Valley College. 00:46:43.616 --> 00:46:47.966 A:middle And at the time, Dr. Dr. Bruce, Bruce Thomas was, 00:46:48.056 --> 00:46:49.486 A:middle was the department chair. 00:46:50.456 --> 00:46:59.046 A:middle That was back in 1995 when I did my internship here. 00:47:00.186 --> 00:47:05.276 A:middle And, and I guess I did a decent job during my internship 00:47:05.276 --> 00:47:07.396 A:middle because Dr. Thomas said, "Clive, -- 00:47:10.046 --> 00:47:13.876 A:middle -- after you graduate, okay, I want you apply here, 00:47:14.376 --> 00:47:17.286 A:middle because I will do everything possible to try 00:47:17.286 --> 00:47:20.506 A:middle to hire you upon, upon graduating." 00:47:20.586 --> 00:47:23.976 A:middle And that was back in 1995, 96. 00:47:23.976 --> 00:47:27.666 A:middle And then, and then upon, 00:47:28.676 --> 00:47:33.866 A:middle soon after I graduated and I came here, he then introduced me 00:47:33.956 --> 00:47:39.896 A:middle to the then Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Yasmin, 00:47:39.896 --> 00:47:46.776 A:middle Yasmin Dellahoussaye, who, who I met and, and she, she also, 00:47:47.316 --> 00:47:50.646 A:middle I guess, talked to a couple people and then I was hired 00:47:50.726 --> 00:47:52.756 A:middle as a limited counselor here. 00:47:52.856 --> 00:47:57.366 A:middle And then I was a limited counselor for about 3 years, 00:47:57.366 --> 00:48:01.136 A:middle and then, and then I was offered an opportunity 00:48:01.136 --> 00:48:04.356 A:middle for a tenure track position at La Mission College, 00:48:04.856 --> 00:48:06.496 A:middle which I interviewed and I got. 00:48:06.606 --> 00:48:10.786 A:middle And then, then I got tenured at,at LA Mission College, 00:48:11.456 --> 00:48:15.016 A:middle I did 5 or 6 years there, and then I came back, 00:48:15.076 --> 00:48:16.756 A:middle back to Valley College. 00:48:17.086 --> 00:48:18.656 A:middle >> Well, let me ask you this question. 00:48:19.156 --> 00:48:22.186 A:middle I know right now counseling is very competitive in terms 00:48:22.186 --> 00:48:25.606 A:middle of tenure track position, what advice would you give 00:48:25.606 --> 00:48:29.946 A:middle to part-time counselors and also graduate students out there 00:48:29.946 --> 00:48:31.856 A:middle that are looking to follow your pathway? 00:48:33.076 --> 00:48:34.546 A:middle >> Great, great, great question. 00:48:35.476 --> 00:48:38.976 A:middle Okay. Let me start with, with the graduate students. 00:48:43.106 --> 00:48:48.736 A:middle Going through a actual internship, like, 00:48:48.736 --> 00:48:50.976 A:middle like for example, the internship here at, 00:48:50.976 --> 00:48:56.056 A:middle at LA Valley College is a 1 year commitment, minimum, 00:48:57.166 --> 00:48:59.816 A:middle with a minimum of 15, well, 00:48:59.816 --> 00:49:05.876 A:middle a range of 15 to 25 hours per week. 00:49:07.076 --> 00:49:07.946 A:middle And that is vital. 00:49:07.946 --> 00:49:11.966 A:middle Why? You're exposed to all aspects, 00:49:12.356 --> 00:49:14.616 A:middle not just of what the community college system is about , 00:49:14.616 --> 00:49:16.106 A:middle hat the counseling department is, 00:49:16.506 --> 00:49:18.246 A:middle what the counseling department does. 00:49:18.476 --> 00:49:20.866 A:middle How we work with students, how we work with, 00:49:20.866 --> 00:49:25.006 A:middle with our undecided students as they try to declare a major. 00:49:25.416 --> 00:49:27.176 A:middle How we work with the probation students, 00:49:27.176 --> 00:49:29.006 A:middle how we work with our transfer students. 00:49:29.006 --> 00:49:30.906 A:middle How we work with the general population. 00:49:31.446 --> 00:49:34.086 A:middle They engage in workshops, and bus trips, 00:49:34.086 --> 00:49:36.326 A:middle and meeting with university representatives. 00:49:36.746 --> 00:49:39.556 A:middle They are exposed to the entire -- 00:49:42.456 --> 00:49:45.536 A:middle -- gamut of activities of what a counselor is. 00:49:45.936 --> 00:49:49.196 A:middle And if you compare this, this, this, this internship 00:49:49.766 --> 00:49:54.106 A:middle to other schools out there, they're more focused 00:49:54.106 --> 00:49:58.126 A:middle on like specific tasks and duties, 00:49:58.496 --> 00:50:02.586 A:middle whereas at Valley College, we expose the interns to everything 00:50:02.766 --> 00:50:04.136 A:middle that a counselor does. 00:50:04.496 --> 00:50:10.226 A:middle So, so, so upon graduation, when that intern 00:50:10.336 --> 00:50:14.396 A:middle who is now a para-professional, when he or she is sitting 00:50:14.396 --> 00:50:16.656 A:middle across from an interviewing -- 00:50:19.056 --> 00:50:21.806 A:middle -- when he or she is sitting across from an interview panel, 00:50:22.846 --> 00:50:28.446 A:middle he or she has a brief or a whole plethora of experiences 00:50:28.806 --> 00:50:31.466 A:middle that they could lean on and talk about. 00:50:32.126 --> 00:50:35.866 A:middle They're not specialized only in Valley province or only 00:50:36.176 --> 00:50:41.096 A:middle in EOPS [inaudible], they could speak on every single thing. 00:50:41.146 --> 00:50:46.306 A:middle And, and to me, that is more impressive. 00:50:46.836 --> 00:50:49.336 A:middle If a graduate intern is knowledgeable, 00:50:49.336 --> 00:50:55.166 A:middle and he or she is very aware of many different aspects of things 00:50:55.436 --> 00:50:56.826 A:middle that a counselor does. 00:50:57.836 --> 00:51:02.806 A:middle Now, if you look at, at a limited or adjunct counselor 00:51:02.806 --> 00:51:05.176 A:middle who is trying to become a tenure track counselor, -- 00:51:08.066 --> 00:51:12.836 A:middle -- one, once, once you're in, once you're doing hourly, 00:51:12.836 --> 00:51:16.076 A:middle I don't care if it's 3 hours , or 7 hours, or 20 hours. 00:51:16.076 --> 00:51:21.026 A:middle If you're in UPS, if you're in DSPS, if you're were working 00:51:21.026 --> 00:51:23.796 A:middle in thee Valley province, if you, where you're working, 00:51:24.406 --> 00:51:26.036 A:middle a counselor is a counselor, is a counselor, 00:51:26.036 --> 00:51:28.696 A:middle it doesn't matter where, where you are. 00:51:29.516 --> 00:51:33.226 A:middle So, one, you need to stop talking about, "I want to get 00:51:33.226 --> 00:51:35.196 A:middle to General counselling," of course, everybody would 00:51:35.196 --> 00:51:36.856 A:middle like to get to, get to general counsel. 00:51:38.206 --> 00:51:42.526 A:middle For the 3,4 years I worked, I worked GDPA, I worked in SSD, 00:51:42.526 --> 00:51:47.586 A:middle I worked in EOPS, I worked in Cal Works, I worked in 4 00:51:47.646 --> 00:51:51.226 A:middle or 5 different places, but it doesn't matter. 00:51:51.226 --> 00:51:54.696 A:middle I was still working with students, and I was learning. 00:51:55.266 --> 00:51:59.056 A:middle So when I did get that opportunity to apply 00:51:59.056 --> 00:52:03.646 A:middle for a full-time tenured position, I had experiences 00:52:03.646 --> 00:52:06.446 A:middle and skills, broad experiences and skills. 00:52:07.376 --> 00:52:09.826 A:middle So, one, you need to have that positive attitude 00:52:09.916 --> 00:52:16.116 A:middle and you need to, I don't care as I said, which department 00:52:16.116 --> 00:52:17.396 A:middle or program you're working with, 00:52:17.396 --> 00:52:21.286 A:middle you do the best possible job always. 00:52:21.476 --> 00:52:27.976 A:middle Always have a positive attitude, keep your work ethics as high -- 00:52:28.046 --> 00:52:28.886 A:middle -- as needed. 00:52:30.076 --> 00:52:33.726 A:middle Network, network, network, get to know the people 00:52:33.726 --> 00:52:35.216 A:middle who make that decision. 00:52:35.306 --> 00:52:38.006 A:middle The Department Chair of the counselors, 00:52:38.006 --> 00:52:41.146 A:middle especially the senior and seasoned counselors. 00:52:41.946 --> 00:52:45.876 A:middle Get to know your, your administrators. 00:52:46.896 --> 00:52:50.126 A:middle Do not, do not get caught up in politics. 00:52:50.926 --> 00:52:52.946 A:middle You will not tenured, you'll have, 00:52:53.536 --> 00:52:57.086 A:middle there's no contract protecting you and your job, so, 00:52:57.086 --> 00:52:58.626 A:middle leave the politics alone. 00:52:58.926 --> 00:53:04.316 A:middle You just do you Job, network, get to work 00:53:04.356 --> 00:53:07.456 A:middle and service your students as much as possible. 00:53:07.496 --> 00:53:10.386 A:middle Whereas you could build a reputation, and good reputation 00:53:10.706 --> 00:53:14.066 A:middle where students would say, "Hey, I work with this counselor, 00:53:14.476 --> 00:53:15.996 A:middle hey I want to see that counselor, hey, 00:53:15.996 --> 00:53:18.176 A:middle I want to make an appointment with that counselor." 00:53:18.676 --> 00:53:21.966 A:middle If you do the best possible job and you have a good rapport 00:53:22.306 --> 00:53:26.386 A:middle with as many student students as possible, you work really hard, 00:53:27.096 --> 00:53:29.766 A:middle you network with the administrators in the apartment. 00:53:30.286 --> 00:53:33.266 A:middle Even if you have not picked up here at the Valley College, 00:53:33.546 --> 00:53:37.886 A:middle let's say for example, you, you go to Santa Monica, or PEERS, 00:53:38.206 --> 00:53:43.166 A:middle or CUC, they will call back, and officially 00:53:43.166 --> 00:53:45.636 A:middle and unofficially check your reference. 00:53:46.486 --> 00:53:49.526 A:middle Because if you interned from here or if you adjunct here 00:53:49.526 --> 00:53:52.916 A:middle and you work with, at the Career Transfer Center, or in relation 00:53:52.916 --> 00:53:56.506 A:middle to the Career Transfer Center, and you go to Southwest college, 00:53:56.506 --> 00:53:58.966 A:middle trust me, I have colleagues over there who are going 00:53:58.966 --> 00:54:00.946 A:middle to call me off the record and say, "Hey Clive, 00:54:01.476 --> 00:54:07.106 A:middle did Jane Doe work in the counseling department?" 00:54:07.106 --> 00:54:10.316 A:middle "Yes." "Did they do a good job?""Yes." 00:54:10.316 --> 00:54:13.826 A:middle "All right." 00:54:14.206 --> 00:54:18.206 A:middle So, work hard to know your job, put the time and effort in. 00:54:18.396 --> 00:54:20.956 A:middle Do your research, learn everything you could 00:54:20.956 --> 00:54:23.706 A:middle about the UC, the CSU, the private schools. 00:54:24.186 --> 00:54:26.906 A:middle Learn everything possible about these new technologies, 00:54:26.906 --> 00:54:30.446 A:middle about the new PeopleSolve, about SIS system. 00:54:30.886 --> 00:54:33.656 A:middle We want to hire counselors who could come in running, 00:54:33.656 --> 00:54:39.996 A:middle who does not bring baggage, no, no biases. 00:54:40.676 --> 00:54:44.206 A:middle No, no agenda, they're just students first. 00:54:45.106 --> 00:54:49.816 A:middle And always remember that a good fit is important, 00:54:50.866 --> 00:54:53.266 A:middle good fit is important in any department. 00:54:54.376 --> 00:54:57.876 A:middle >> So, Clive, if I'm a student, I come to the, come to talk 00:54:57.876 --> 00:55:00.876 A:middle to you, what are the, what are the things that you offer 00:55:00.876 --> 00:55:02.386 A:middle in your, in your counseling sessions? 00:55:04.276 --> 00:55:06.626 A:middle >> Okay. keep, keep in mind that, that, 00:55:06.626 --> 00:55:11.886 A:middle that we service many different students, and those are 00:55:11.886 --> 00:55:12.956 A:middle in different categories. 00:55:12.956 --> 00:55:17.996 A:middle For example, we have our first, first semester students who, 00:55:18.266 --> 00:55:22.336 A:middle to a large extent, they are, they are undecided. 00:55:24.066 --> 00:55:27.326 A:middle Then, we have students, you know, therefore, 00:55:27.836 --> 00:55:33.466 A:middle our career awareness, our career counseling plays a very, 00:55:33.466 --> 00:55:37.076 A:middle very important role in that process. 00:55:37.116 --> 00:55:39.956 A:middle So, we have students who are, who are undecided, 00:55:40.506 --> 00:55:43.956 A:middle we have students who will have interest in transferring 00:55:44.436 --> 00:55:48.156 A:middle to the UC, the CSUs, to a, to any of the, 00:55:48.156 --> 00:55:50.436 A:middle of the university systems. 00:55:51.026 --> 00:55:54.786 A:middle We have students who are, who are returning students. 00:55:55.346 --> 00:55:59.886 A:middle We have students who are traditional and untraditional, 00:55:59.886 --> 00:56:02.176 A:middle or non-traditional students. 00:56:02.306 --> 00:56:05.586 A:middle We have veterans, you know, I mean, 00:56:06.056 --> 00:56:11.216 A:middle many of our students, also, they are dealing with, with, with, 00:56:11.216 --> 00:56:14.646 A:middle with, with personal issues 00:56:14.756 --> 00:56:17.396 A:middle that may be affecting their personal and, 00:56:17.846 --> 00:56:20.876 A:middle and academic lives. 00:56:22.076 --> 00:56:29.646 A:middle So, so, so, as a counselor, you have to be aware of and know how 00:56:30.006 --> 00:56:32.406 A:middle to deal with all the different types 00:56:32.776 --> 00:56:35.106 A:middle of students when they come in. 00:56:36.026 --> 00:56:39.246 A:middle Yes, most students have the same, I mean, 00:56:39.246 --> 00:56:40.956 A:middle have a sort of core questions. 00:56:41.326 --> 00:56:43.356 A:middle Okay. "Which classes do I take? 00:56:43.756 --> 00:56:45.436 A:middle Which classes do I need for this major? 00:56:45.566 --> 00:56:48.656 A:middle which University offers these, these, these, these classes?" 00:56:48.936 --> 00:56:50.846 A:middle And those, and those are standard questions. 00:56:51.336 --> 00:56:56.796 A:middle But a good seasoned counselor will be able to really assess 00:56:56.796 --> 00:56:59.726 A:middle and look at the underlying issues or, 00:56:59.806 --> 00:57:03.206 A:middle or the overlying issues that may be affecting 00:57:03.206 --> 00:57:04.966 A:middle that student's academic progress. 00:57:05.366 --> 00:57:10.226 A:middle And you have to be able to, to assess, be able to assist, 00:57:10.226 --> 00:57:11.836 A:middle and make the appropriate referrals. 00:57:12.426 --> 00:57:15.796 A:middle Because, and this is something I hate, and I'm not saying any 00:57:15.796 --> 00:57:19.546 A:middle of my colleagues, in and outside college or district does this, 00:57:19.646 --> 00:57:22.266 A:middle but if anything that comes into my office and says, 00:57:22.626 --> 00:57:24.766 A:middle "I want to major in BioChem," 00:57:25.146 --> 00:57:28.136 A:middle and any counselor just gives them a paper with some classes 00:57:28.136 --> 00:57:30.436 A:middle and tell them, goodbye, that is not counseling. 00:57:32.046 --> 00:57:32.936 A:middle That is not counseling. 00:57:33.336 --> 00:57:34.136 A:middle All right. 00:57:34.556 --> 00:57:37.386 A:middle One, one, one, one simple way to assess is, 00:57:37.386 --> 00:57:40.616 A:middle is just simple questions. 00:57:41.116 --> 00:57:43.956 A:middle "Why do you want to major in BioChem? 00:57:44.746 --> 00:57:45.726 A:middle What is BioChem?" 00:57:45.776 --> 00:57:47.896 A:middle And those are simple questions, 00:57:48.066 --> 00:57:51.036 A:middle by just asking those two questions, you able to assess 00:57:51.436 --> 00:57:57.866 A:middle if the student has that career maturity or that or that, 00:57:57.866 --> 00:58:01.996 A:middle or the occupational maturity to understand exactly what he 00:58:01.996 --> 00:58:03.286 A:middle or she is getting into. 00:58:03.386 --> 00:58:07.696 A:middle Now, many of our students do understand what they're getting 00:58:07.696 --> 00:58:09.886 A:middle themselves into, but many students heard 00:58:09.886 --> 00:58:13.866 A:middle that this is a good major, or they were told this is something 00:58:13.866 --> 00:58:16.496 A:middle that you might, might be good at, so they just want to do it. 00:58:17.016 --> 00:58:20.796 A:middle But I as a counselor, it is upon me to help the students 00:58:20.796 --> 00:58:24.086 A:middle to explore, to get a true, because the last thing I need is 00:58:24.086 --> 00:58:25.416 A:middle for them to take a bunch of classes 00:58:25.416 --> 00:58:28.716 A:middle and in any particular major, and then a semester or two later, 00:58:28.716 --> 00:58:30.456 A:middle they discovered that this is not the major 00:58:30.456 --> 00:58:33.286 A:middle that I will wanted to pursue. 00:58:33.286 --> 00:58:35.876 A:middle And until we get guided pathways, 00:58:36.126 --> 00:58:39.976 A:middle they need to start over again. 00:58:40.046 --> 00:58:43.466 A:middle >> As you described that, Clive, and thank you for, for, 00:58:43.466 --> 00:58:46.296 A:middle for sort of giving us a taste or a flavor 00:58:47.286 --> 00:58:49.156 A:middle of what good counseling looks like 00:58:49.156 --> 00:58:51.136 A:middle and what a student would experience coming 00:58:51.136 --> 00:58:51.986 A:middle through your office. 00:58:52.306 --> 00:58:55.116 A:middle And we have a couple minutes left here and I know that, 00:58:55.116 --> 00:58:58.196 A:middle as you talked about that, you were highlighting aspects 00:58:58.196 --> 00:58:59.396 A:middle of the Career Transfer Center. 00:58:59.396 --> 00:59:04.066 A:middle And so, as as we kind of wrap this up here, how, can you share 00:59:04.066 --> 00:59:07.276 A:middle with us in a, in a sentence or two, you know, some of the, 00:59:07.316 --> 00:59:08.896 A:middle the resources that are available 00:59:08.896 --> 00:59:10.066 A:middle through the Career Transfer Center, 00:59:10.406 --> 00:59:12.576 A:middle where students can find the Career Transfer Center, 00:59:12.576 --> 00:59:13.796 A:middle and why they should go there? 00:59:13.926 --> 00:59:15.526 A:middle >> Okay. Yeah, sure. 00:59:16.506 --> 00:59:19.106 A:middle The Career Transfer Center is located 00:59:19.106 --> 00:59:20.596 A:middle within the Counseling Department 00:59:20.596 --> 00:59:23.276 A:middle in Student Services Annex Building, which is just 00:59:23.276 --> 00:59:25.766 A:middle to the left of Financial lane, just the left 00:59:25.766 --> 00:59:28.036 A:middle of Admissions and Records. 00:59:29.046 --> 00:59:33.666 A:middle This is an office where all students need 00:59:33.666 --> 00:59:35.016 A:middle to stop by, you know. 00:59:35.016 --> 00:59:37.916 A:middle And many students believed that he or she could do this on, 00:59:37.956 --> 00:59:40.176 A:middle on their own, and, and there are few students out there 00:59:40.536 --> 00:59:44.096 A:middle who could navigate through this whole process on his or her own. 00:59:44.806 --> 00:59:48.836 A:middle But the majority of students need to stop and talk to us. 00:59:50.266 --> 00:59:53.356 A:middle From the first semester student who just got here from, 00:59:53.406 --> 00:59:55.826 A:middle from high school, we will help you 00:59:55.826 --> 00:59:59.766 A:middle to explore what your academic, what your academic options are. 01:00:00.536 --> 01:00:03.936 A:middle We'll help you to explore 01:00:04.046 --> 01:00:06.756 A:middle which options, like like, for example, at the Career Center, 01:00:07.476 --> 01:00:10.666 A:middle we have, we offer workshops for undecided students 01:00:10.666 --> 01:00:12.556 A:middle and we offer a one-on-one counseling, 01:00:13.066 --> 01:00:15.426 A:middle career counseling for students also. 01:00:15.836 --> 01:00:18.226 A:middle We help you to explore your interest, your skills, 01:00:18.226 --> 01:00:21.286 A:middle your values, your likes, your dislikes, your, 01:00:21.856 --> 01:00:23.646 A:middle your personality types. 01:00:23.646 --> 01:00:26.566 A:middle And then we'll look and see which options, which majors, 01:00:27.016 --> 01:00:29.616 A:middle which universities, which occupations 01:00:29.616 --> 01:00:33.406 A:middle out there best matches your individual interests, skills, 01:00:33.406 --> 01:00:37.076 A:middle values, and your personality types. 01:00:38.046 --> 01:00:40.356 A:middle For those of you who are planning to transfer 01:00:40.926 --> 01:00:43.616 A:middle to a university after you've decided on a major, 01:00:43.616 --> 01:00:46.016 A:middle or if you have a major, a major declared already, 01:00:46.536 --> 01:00:49.586 A:middle you really need to come in and talk to us to find out exactly 01:00:49.916 --> 01:00:53.656 A:middle which courses that you need to complete in order 01:00:53.786 --> 01:00:57.976 A:middle to transfer in a timely manner. 01:00:58.216 --> 01:01:01.106 A:middle These requirements to go into the UCs and the CSU, 01:01:01.206 --> 01:01:06.506 A:middle and the private schools change a lot, and we do not want you 01:01:06.506 --> 01:01:09.006 A:middle to be taking any unnecessary classes. 01:01:09.476 --> 01:01:13.056 A:middle Now, one of the important things is that every student needs 01:01:13.406 --> 01:01:15.756 A:middle to complete a CSEP, which is a student, 01:01:15.926 --> 01:01:18.226 A:middle which ia Comprehensive Student Educational Plan. 01:01:19.236 --> 01:01:22.506 A:middle And basically, if you come in and say, "Hey, Gordon, 01:01:22.506 --> 01:01:26.576 A:middle I'd like to transfer to UCLA in BioChem." 01:01:26.626 --> 01:01:31.156 A:middle I will sit with you, I will see where you are currently, 01:01:31.596 --> 01:01:33.826 A:middle I will assess where you want to go. 01:01:33.826 --> 01:01:37.046 A:middle And we'll put together a plan of all the classes that you need 01:01:37.046 --> 01:01:41.606 A:middle to take from here until you transfer in the right sequence, 01:01:41.656 --> 01:01:43.876 A:middle in the right order, semester by semester, 01:01:43.876 --> 01:01:46.516 A:middle so that when you leave my office, 01:01:46.566 --> 01:01:50.556 A:middle you know exactly what you have to do it a systematic, 01:01:51.056 --> 01:01:54.356 A:middle planned out fashion, and it's written right on the paper, 01:01:54.356 --> 01:01:55.596 A:middle every single semester. 01:01:55.946 --> 01:01:57.786 A:middle You take these classes, and that class, 01:01:57.786 --> 01:01:59.496 A:middle and that class, and that class. 01:02:00.066 --> 01:02:03.876 A:middle Now, some, some of the other services that we offer, 01:02:04.336 --> 01:02:09.066 A:middle we offer a bunch of workshops dealing with, with, with, 01:02:09.276 --> 01:02:10.566 A:middle with students' success. 01:02:10.566 --> 01:02:15.096 A:middle From resume writing, to interview techniques, to, 01:02:15.216 --> 01:02:17.826 A:middle to undecided major workshops. 01:02:17.916 --> 01:02:22.326 A:middle We also have bus trips going to various, like for example. 01:02:22.326 --> 01:02:25.936 A:middle we go to UCLA, we go to CSUN, we go to Cas State LA, 01:02:26.016 --> 01:02:27.926 A:middle we go to UC San Diego, 01:02:28.286 --> 01:02:31.386 A:middle we have many workshops, I mean bus trips 01:02:31.496 --> 01:02:33.726 A:middle that we offer every single semester. 01:02:33.726 --> 01:02:36.016 A:middle Why? You need to be exposed. 01:02:36.016 --> 01:02:39.286 A:middle There are universities other than UCLA and CSUN, trust me, 01:02:39.686 --> 01:02:41.146 A:middle there are 23 Cal States 01:02:41.146 --> 01:02:44.646 A:middle and there are 9 schools in the UC system. 01:02:45.486 --> 01:02:47.876 A:middle We have representatives that comes out, that, 01:02:48.066 --> 01:02:50.076 A:middle that come out from the different universities, 01:02:50.076 --> 01:02:52.846 A:middle we have people coming here from Berkeley from CSUN, 01:02:52.906 --> 01:02:56.546 A:middle and from Cal State LA, from San Diego State, and they come here, 01:02:57.076 --> 01:02:59.936 A:middle to the counseling office, just to sit and meet with you. 01:03:00.646 --> 01:03:03.266 A:middle So, it doesn't matter if this is your first semester 01:03:03.686 --> 01:03:05.036 A:middle or your fifth semester. 01:03:06.016 --> 01:03:09.836 A:middle Early College awareness, early career awareness is vital 01:03:10.356 --> 01:03:13.736 A:middle if you plan to leave Valley College in a timely manner. 01:03:14.426 --> 01:03:18.436 A:middle So, for those of you who do not know what your major is yet 01:03:18.436 --> 01:03:21.616 A:middle or which university you would like to go to, 01:03:21.976 --> 01:03:23.356 A:middle come in and talk to us. 01:03:23.416 --> 01:03:25.996 A:middle So, at least, you're exposed to what the process is. 01:03:26.356 --> 01:03:30.796 A:middle Those of you who have at least 30 or more units that are, 01:03:31.046 --> 01:03:33.936 A:middle that are transferable, you need to be talking 01:03:33.936 --> 01:03:35.586 A:middle to these University representatives. 01:03:35.586 --> 01:03:38.446 A:middle You need to come and talk to us in the Counseling Department 01:03:38.706 --> 01:03:40.806 A:middle to explore what your options are. 01:03:41.456 --> 01:03:46.076 A:middle Because the last thing you need to do is to have 60 plus units 01:03:46.076 --> 01:03:48.606 A:middle and then you miss the application filling period, 01:03:48.606 --> 01:03:50.626 A:middle then, you have to wait a whole extra year 01:03:51.106 --> 01:03:55.956 A:middle because you did not know it is time to transfer. 01:03:56.696 --> 01:03:58.616 A:middle >> There is a lot to know and a lot, 01:03:58.616 --> 01:04:04.846 A:middle a lot that the students benefit from by, by having this resource 01:04:04.846 --> 01:04:06.096 A:middle that we have on campus here. 01:04:07.126 --> 01:04:10.776 A:middle Thank you so much, Clive for, for coming in this afternoon 01:04:10.776 --> 01:04:13.506 A:middle and sitting down, and, and sharing with us your, 01:04:13.506 --> 01:04:17.026 A:middle your story, the path that led you here to Valley College 01:04:17.126 --> 01:04:20.196 A:middle and for explaining to us and giving us more insight 01:04:20.196 --> 01:04:23.176 A:middle into what what good counseling looks like, 01:04:23.176 --> 01:04:25.976 A:middle how students can use the resource, the, 01:04:26.086 --> 01:04:28.986 A:middle the variety of different services 01:04:28.986 --> 01:04:30.776 A:middle that the Career Transfer Center provides. 01:04:32.456 --> 01:04:34.346 A:middle When the students want to look for you, they can find you 01:04:34.346 --> 01:04:35.556 A:middle in the the annex building 01:04:35.556 --> 01:04:38.036 A:middle where the Career Transfer Center is at, any other ways 01:04:38.036 --> 01:04:39.066 A:middle that they can contact you? 01:04:39.496 --> 01:04:41.316 A:middle >> Yes, Scott, John, first, first of all, 01:04:41.316 --> 01:04:44.286 A:middle I would thank you for, for giving me and my, 01:04:44.556 --> 01:04:47.056 A:middle and the department the opportunity to come and talk, 01:04:47.056 --> 01:04:48.516 A:middle and talk to our students. 01:04:48.636 --> 01:04:53.796 A:middle Yes, you could look up, you could find me by just coming 01:04:53.796 --> 01:04:56.826 A:middle into the counseling department and asking for Gordon 01:04:56.826 --> 01:04:58.116 A:middle at the Career Transfer Center. 01:04:58.596 --> 01:05:01.836 A:middle You could also find that my email and phone number 01:05:01.836 --> 01:05:04.196 A:middle in the student, in the directory, 01:05:04.196 --> 01:05:08.086 A:middle which is on our website, lavc.edu. 01:05:08.086 --> 01:05:11.596 A:middle You can find, the, the campus directory. 01:05:12.436 --> 01:05:17.066 A:middle But if yI'm busy, we have, you know, 01:05:17.066 --> 01:05:18.736 A:middle a bunch of other counselors there. 01:05:19.166 --> 01:05:20.536 A:middle You could just walk in 01:05:20.606 --> 01:05:23.446 A:middle and schedule a quick 10,10 minute appointment, 01:05:23.446 --> 01:05:26.986 A:middle if you just want to answer some general questions. 01:05:27.386 --> 01:05:32.246 A:middle or you could call in on Tuesdays or go online on Tuesdays also 01:05:32.646 --> 01:05:34.706 A:middle and schedule a 30 minute appointment, 01:05:34.706 --> 01:05:40.186 A:middle which we will schedule one, one week in advance. 01:05:40.186 --> 01:05:43.606 A:middle If, if you're bringing in transcripts from, from, 01:05:43.656 --> 01:05:48.086 A:middle from out of state or transcripts from a different school 01:05:48.086 --> 01:05:51.946 A:middle or university, we asked you to have the transcript sent 01:05:51.946 --> 01:05:53.986 A:middle to us directly to Admissions 01:05:53.986 --> 01:05:56.236 A:middle and Records here at La Valley College. 01:05:56.726 --> 01:06:00.926 A:middle Once those transcripts are, are posted at the system, 01:06:01.466 --> 01:06:04.736 A:middle then you are able to come in, and we will sit with you 01:06:04.736 --> 01:06:06.676 A:middle for a one hour appointment, 01:06:06.956 --> 01:06:09.796 A:middle whereas we evaluate those transcripts. 01:06:09.916 --> 01:06:12.146 A:middle And then we would then assess what your, 01:06:12.146 --> 01:06:15.586 A:middle what your educational goal or objective is. 01:06:16.006 --> 01:06:17.566 A:middle And we will then evaluate the transcripts 01:06:17.566 --> 01:06:20.736 A:middle and tell you what remaining classes, if any, that you need 01:06:20.736 --> 01:06:23.426 A:middle to take here at, at La Valley College. 01:06:23.526 --> 01:06:27.126 A:middle So, definitely you can make appointments online or in person 01:06:27.236 --> 01:06:30.956 A:middle with myself or one of the many other counselors here 01:06:31.736 --> 01:06:32.976 A:middle at the college. 01:06:33.076 --> 01:06:33.976 A:middle >> Very well, thank you very much. 01:06:33.976 --> 01:06:34.906 A:middle >> Thank you so much, Clive. 01:06:35.066 --> 01:06:35.376 A:middle >> All right. 01:06:35.376 --> 01:06:37.036 A:middle Great. Thanks.