COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In some methods, Maria Baltazar’s journey to working at Tennessee Tech College was a brief journey down the road and, in others, a world trek marked by selfless sacrifice and love.
A Cookeville native, Baltazar’s earliest recollections of Tech stem from the fourth grade, when fireplace injury at her elementary college precipitated her class to be briefly relocated to Tech’s campus. Baltazar remembers how the college made the displaced college students really feel at house, even giving them t-shirts that stated “Little Eaglets” – a nod to Tech’s id because the Golden Eagles.
In later years, Baltazar’s dad and mom, who didn’t have the chance to pursue increased schooling, would drive by the college and proclaim to their younger daughter, “You’re going to go there sometime.” Baltazar did precisely that, turning into the primary technology in her household to achieve a school diploma, alongside along with her sister.
The daughter of working-class Guatemalan immigrants, Baltazar remembers how her dad and mom’ journey to the USA laid the inspiration for the success she would later uncover.
“They actually got here right here with perhaps a plastic bag with some further garments in there, simply trying to have a brand new life … hoping that, for my sister and me, we may have a unique future and completely different path,” Baltazar defined on a recent episode of Tech’s “Faculty City Discuss” podcast.
Baltazar’s mom labored in the course of the day, so her father, who labored an evening shift job, would typically be the one to attend occasions in the course of the college day with Baltazar.
“Considering again now, it makes me emotional as a result of I’m simply so appreciative,” stated Baltazar. “I do know he was drained and I do know he had lengthy nights, and he would sleep much less, however he can be current. After which identical with my mother … Their jobs have been bodily. The labor was completely different than me coming house after sitting in an workplace or in school.”
Baltazar went on clarify that, whereas her cultural heritage had emphasised family work for younger girls, her dad and mom decided from an early age that she can be afforded alternatives to get a proper schooling.
“Culturally, a whole lot of the instances for a feminine, for a daughter at a younger age, they’re having to cook dinner and clear, after which you are able to do your homework, however that was form of on the again burner,” stated Baltazar. “My dad and mom didn’t try this with us. They all the time have been like ‘No, you want to make good grades, you want to do your homework.’”
When Baltazar graduated along with her first of two levels from Tech’s Faculty of Schooling, she knew it represented a milestone for not solely herself however her complete household. So, when it got here time to participate within the Tech custom of adorning her mortarboard for graduation, Baltazar knew simply what to say.
Whereas many college students opted for humorous messages, the highest of Baltazar’s commencement cap learn, “For my dad and mom. They got here with nothing and gave me all the pieces.”
Following commencement, Baltazar fulfilled her purpose of turning into a kindergarten instructor on the very place the place her love of schooling first took maintain as a younger youngster: Jere Whitson Elementary College in Cookeville.
The varsity is thought for its caring college and employees, deep sense of neighborhood and sizable inhabitants of scholars from immigrant and non-English talking households.
“My coronary heart was very a lot at Jere Whitson at any time when I needed to be a instructor – simply wanting to return and encourage these college students, that faculty particularly, and form of give again to the place I got here from,” Baltazar stated.
Baltazar taught by way of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and was settling again into the classroom when her alma mater got here calling with a possibility within the college’s new Office of Access, Belonging and Community Outreach.
“[The university] had seen the rise in Hispanic college students coming to campus and have been simply wanting to listen to our journeys and what they might do to assist these college students,” stated Baltazar, who defined that the brand new workplace had been engaged on a job description for a further employees member for a while. “From there, earlier this yr, they created a place on this workplace as a recruitment specialist.”
In line with a college one-pager, the Workplace of Entry, Belonging and Neighborhood Outreach seeks to “create a campus local weather the place all persons are revered and valued, and everybody has a possibility to seek out connection and belonging” – one thing Baltazar sees as a pure extension of her years within the classroom.
“We simply work on doing our greatest to create an accepting atmosphere the place they [students, faculty and staff] really feel like they belong – simply serving to them get related to completely different assets, whether or not it’s locally or the college, to really feel at house and discover their folks,” she defined.
As we speak, Baltazar appears at Tech with deep gratitude – not only for her schooling or profession, however for altering the trajectory of her household’s future.
“It simply gave me that chance to make my dad and mom’ sacrifices price it,” stated Baltazar. “I’m very excited to see the place I can go and who I will help on this journey.”
Take heed to Baltazar’s full “Faculty City Discuss” interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora and different platforms.
‘They came with nothing and gave me everything.’ Tech recruitment specialist honors immigrant family was first revealed by Tennessee Tech, and republished with permission.
