Preparing for a career with a positive impact

It was during an overnight visit to CMC in her senior year of high school that Dana Villasenor ’24 began to understand CMC’s secret sauce.

“CMC believes in its students and treats them as adults who can change the world,” she said.

As a young adult dreaming big about her future, Villasenor appreciates the networking and career opportunities at CMC. She also appreciates the mutual respect the College instills in students.

That mutual respect—and understanding—has deepened since she came to campus.

“CMC has supported me—and others like me—financially so our economic status does not impact our academics.” She values the help CMC has provided to close potential gaps.

Villasenor has taken advantage of the many offerings CMC provides for students. She is preparing to study abroad in Austria this semester, which will be her first time outside the United States and Mexico. “I am so excited about this opportunity and I think it will make me grow as a person.

Planning to lead a “life with empathy,” Villasenor hopes to leave CMC for a career that will not only benefit her personally but will make a positive impact on the community.

Recently she interned at Starting Over Inc. in Riverside, Calif. The organization helps formerly incarcerated and unhoused people through reentry assistance, advocacy, policy change, and civil engagement. Additionally, as a Dunbar Fellow, she co-created a podcast called Captive Audience: A free podcast, that interviews formerly incarcerated individuals about their struggles and their accomplishments. Villasenor believes that the podcast has allowed members of this population to be humanized, leading to “a greater understanding of what needs to be improved in the criminal justice system,” she said. The podcast’s first episode is officially released and available on Spotify, YouTube, and Soundcloud.