Ali Arteaga
What was your program of study at Riverland? When did you attend?
I attended Riverland during my junior and senior year of high school (2010-2012). I pursued the Associates of Arts degree and was six credits shy of completing that degree plan.
What is your career/job now?
Upon leaving Riverland, I served in the U.S. Air Force, obtained my B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Towson University in Maryland, and worked in vocational ministry. I am now in graduate school pursuing my M.A. in Mental Health Counseling.
How did the program help you prepare for the career you are in now?
The program also helped me to begin developing life skills such as time management, prioritization skills, interpersonal communication skills, and healthy study habits, which have proved to be immensely helpful both in the workplace and as a graduate student.
What were some of the positive outcomes of attending Riverland?
The diversity of students in the program helped prepare me for the diversity I encountered in the Air Force.
What would you tell others who may be considering Riverland for their education?
PSEO at Riverland is an opportunity no high schooler should pass up.
Was there a faculty and staff person who made an impact on you while you were at Riverland?
Professor Tillmann fostered one of the safest learning environments I’ve ever experienced. I never wanted to miss his class. Professor Wink (I think this was her name) taught me how to be a critical consumer of information, and she was one of the first teachers to begin broadening my worldview.