Past Professional Experience Highlights: Working with incarcerated students Favorite Quote: It’s easy to judge. It’s more difficult to understand. Understanding requires compassion, patience, and a willingness to believe that good hearts sometimes choose poor methods. Through judging, we separate. Through understanding, we grow. ~ Doe Zantamata What I most love about the DRC: The incredible team What I love most about Palomar: The sense of community One thing I have learned over the pandemic: How to use zoom
Education Goal: Three-Dimensional Arts: Ceramics Career Goal or Interest: My goal is to be an arts educator/activist. I want my work to support my community by providing tools for healing, connecting/reconnecting to ancestral ceremonial practices, and empowering those who are othered within society. DRC Student Ambassador Priority: As a former special education teacher and a longtime advocate for those who are labeled disabled, I hope to continue my work as someone who supports different thinkers and others within the disability movement. My hope is to be a contributing part of a thriving community that empowers its members.
Favorite Quote:The point is: People improve when they get external love and support. How can we hold it against them when they don’t? – Michael, The Good Place
What motivates me in the work of building accessible learning and spaces for interaction for students: Accessibility benefits everybody. Everyone, at some point in their lives, will find themselves in a position wherein accessible technology, services, etc. can help.
What is key to creating community at Palomar: Kindness and the bravery to explore new people, places, and situations.
Something else about me: I have notes scattered on paper and internet devices on ideas that I think would make great tv shows.
Past Education highlights: Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from SDSU; Master of Science Degree from Fresno State in Rehabilitation Educational Counseling and Counseling; Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor since 2013. Professional Experience Highlights: I have worked in the Community Colleges for over 20 years. I also teach study strategies, anxiety and stress wellness, and nervous system techniques. Favorite Quote: No matter what path you take there will always be a lesson to learn. What I most love about the DRC: The DRC has the most phenomenal and professional staff that care about students and students’ success. Something else about me: I have an amazing son and daughter. My daughter is currently studying at UC Santa Barbara. I consider myself a lifetime student, as well as a teacher. Some of my greatest mentors have been family, friends, teachers, college professors, colleagues, and many students who have played major roles in shaping my character, supporting my path toward evolving, and challenging me to keep growing. I also have a passion for travel; it has promoted a deeper sense of understanding, discovering, connecting, and going outside my comfort zone.
Past Education highlights: Master’s Degree in Counseling with an Emphasis in Education from University of San Diego, Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from University of Montana
Past Professional Experience Highlights: I have worked in higher education for the past 11 years, 9 of those years supporting students with disabilities to ensure equal access to education. Previously I worked in the foster care system for 5 years and spent a year as an Adult Case Manager.
Favorite Quote: Be the change you wish to see in the world.
What I most love about the DRC: I love working in the DRC because I am proud to be a part of a team of like-minded people who’s focus is seeking equity for our students.
What is one thing I do that the DRC: I am a co-founder of Social Connections, a group that meets monthly to create a safe-space for students to socialize and have fun. While I am no longer hosting the groups I am happy that it continues to thrive!
One thing I have learned over the pandemic: Anything is possible, you just have to think outside the box.
Something else about me: I am an avid traveler (pre-COVID) and have been to 28 countries and counting. I love getting off the beaten path and learning about different cultures. So far my favorite country to visit was Vietnam.
Past Education highlights: Sandy received her Bachelor’s in Child Development with a minor in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She went on to complete her Masters in Social Work from California State University, San Marcos.
Professional Experience Highlights: Sandy currently serves as a Disability Support Programs and Services Counselor and previously served as a FAST Scholars and NextUp Counselor at San Diego Mesa College. She has an extensive background in social work, case management and counseling.
Something else about me: During her spare time she enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Career Goal or Interest: I am interested in becoming a math professor.
DRC Student Ambassador Priority: I want to work on bettering our current systems at Palomar by making learning more universally accessible so that everyone can be included. I also hope that in this role of Student Ambassador that I am able to be the voice for those who need it.
Education highlights: Master’s of Art: Education (Counseling) – San Diego State University; Master’s of Science: Special Education – National University; Bachelor’s of Art: Economics – University of California, San Diego; Clear Education Specialist Teaching Credential Past Professional Experience Highlights: K-12 Educator and Community College Water Polo Coach What I most love about the DRC: The support, and willingness to collaborate. Everyone in the D.R.C. is so friendly and go above and beyond to support our students and each other! What is one thing I do at the DRC: One of the things I do in the D.R.C. is act as a liaison between the Athletics department and the D.R.C., and provide counseling services to students that qualify both for the D.R.C. and are on one of our Collegiate Sport teams. What is key to creating community at Palomar: A willingness to collaborate and have hard conversations. Something else about me: I am married to my community college sweetheart (we began dating as community college athletes), and she also works in the education setting teaching students with disabilities.
Past Education highlights: Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from SDSU; Bachelor’s Degree in Recreational Therapy from SDSU Current Education highlights: I have worked as a Full Time DRC/EOPS Counselor at Palomar College for approximately 13 years and worked as an Adjunct Counselor for DRC and EOPS for approximately 5/6 years. Past Professional Experience Highlights: Worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for 17 years in the private sector. I worked closely with clients who were injured on-the-job and I would assist them in returning to suitable gainful employment. Proudest moment or accomplishment at the DRC: To see a DRC Student who has worked extremely hard each semester be handed their diploma at Graduation!! What I most love about the DRC: I love how everyone on the DRC Team works closely with each other for the sole purpose of supporting every single student and helping them reach their educational goals and dreams. Person with a disability who expanded/shaped my mindset and daily work and why: I have worked with many, many students who I greatly admire and look up to every day. They may have to work a lot harder than the average student, but their perseverance, determination and motivation blow me away. So many of these students when they came to Palomar College did not think they were College Material. Due to hard work, their attitudes began to change step-by-step and as a result there are countless number of students who have their Master’s, Bachelor’s, Associate’s Degrees and Certificates and are greatly contributing to society today. All these students have shaped my mindset to work hard each day, do the best I can do and get up again if I fall down.
Past Education highlights: M.S. in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling at Sacramento State University; Assistive Technology Applications Certificate at CSUN; Deaf Studies coursework at Palomar College Past Professional Experience Highlights: Director of Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program at University of San Francisco – Branch Campuses Favorite Quote:Compliance does not equal equity: access exists on a continuum. What is equitable is almost always compliant, but what is merely compliant is almost never equitable. – Dr. Amanda Kraus Proudest moment or accomplishment at the DRC: Establishment of Faculty Hour @ the DRC, soon to be renamed Access & Equity Hour @ the DRC One thing I have learned over the pandemic: Many of the things we said, across our institution and throughout higher education, could never be done – turns out we could have been doing them all along. This particularly applies to policies and practices that have created barriers or disproportionately placed burdens on students and employees with disabilities. We now have almost two years of proof that we can do better. Person with a disability who expanded/shaped my mindset and daily work and why: Andrea Dalzell, Public Figure, @TheSeatedNurse. Andrea and her life story are a constant reminder to me of how the inclusion of disabled persons in all work spaces and career fields inspires innovation and improves outcomes for patients/clients/customers in those industries. STEM-related academic and career fields, in particular, tend to exclude individuals like Andrea, and she is living proof for the argument that disabled students and professionals belong everywhere that non-disabled people disproportionately occupy.
Contact Information
Disability Resource Center
Palomar CollegeLocation: DSPS Building1140 W. Mission Road,
San Marcos, CA 92069
