Natalia Zepeda

Student

“I always knew I’d go to college because my mom was always encouraging me. She went to SMC, too.”

Women of the SMC world! There’s strength in your numbers and you are not alone! When you need advice, counseling, or just a pat on the back, make your way over to the Women’s Center. You’ll find a lot of friendly faces there waiting to greet you: Natalia Zepeda’s among them. “It’s kind of interesting because, when my mom was at SMC, she also worked in the Women’s Center. And it’s a great place to work in, because everyone there is so friendly and helpful,” says Natalia. “A lot of women at SMC need our help, and we provide it in a number of ways: financial, counseling—whatever you need. Even men come in to use our services. We’re open to everybody.”

Natalia’s mom went on from SMC to a career in acupressure. But Natalia has another kind of ‘pressure’ in mind in the career she’s getting ready for. “I want to go into the business management side of the music industry, because music is what I love,” she says. “I play music—violin and piano—but I’d rather manage musicians than be one myself. Plus, if you discover the right people and they’ve got the right sound, you can make a lot of money.” And as a single mom with a two-year-old daughter, Natalia knows that developing skills at SMC is crucial to her future.

“I’ve had some excellent teachers at SMC, like Ms. Schapa for Accounting,” says Natalia. “She has a lot of real-world experience and makes studying finances very easy and practical. I’ve got a long way to go before I get into ‘the business.’ But SMC people make it all feel like it’s a group effort. And I know I’ll get there.”

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