Alicia Cabrera, Biological Sciences student

Biological Sciences student Alicia Cabrera dreams of one day opening a big cat rescue in her native Ecuador, where she can provide a place for the animals to be active in conditioning and enrichment programs that will also provide for their psychological well-being. Cabrera strongly feels that NCC has provided her with her own personal enrichment and has opened the door to experiences she otherwise would have missed out on.

The idea of taking what she's learned here and applying it to a sanctuary for helpless animals seems to come naturally to Cabrera, who always dreamed of a career in aiding people but found herself wanting to give a voice to animals who cannot speak for themselves. Cabrera applies the logic that NCC faculty members and her fellow peers helped her find her own voice, and she wants to return that favor in her future career.

"Here at NCC, I've found very important people in my life. It really feels like I belong here," Cabrera explains. "I have the most interesting professors, and I enjoy that they all have a natural-born passion for what they do. I've met students and teachers here who have made a difference in my educational and career choices."

Prior to enrolling in college, Cabrera wasn't as outgoing as she is now. She credits Director of Student Life, Frank Pologruto, for reaching out to her and encouraging her to get involved in Student Senate.

"I'm grateful to Frank Pologruto for getting me involved and keeping me involved," she says. "He gave me that opening to get into Student Senate and student orientation. I know that I wouldn't have pushed myself to do it."

Cabrera has enjoyed many of the benefits of being involved with Student Senate, including the chance to make her voice heard and to let students and the community know about all of the positive changes to NCC's main campus.

"This is the first place where I feel like I can really get involved with the community," says Cabrera. "We're also the first class to try to get the Community Garden started. Student Senate really pushed for funds for the project, and we also have six different clubs involved. The fact that the community knows that we're trying to make this happen here is really important. People of all ages are involved. Other school districts are involved. Major corporations are involved. It's a big thing."

Spoken like a student who has big things ahead of her.