Veresia Emari Yon

      I am a higher education professional originally from Tallahassee, FL, and recently discovered my love for higher education a little over a year ago. My passion for helping students started at an early age. In high school, I worked in the library as a media aid, and helping students uncover their love for reading sparked that affinity. In college, I helped my classmates formulate a class schedule that best caterers to their needs, which was another activity I found joy in. Upon starting this program, I was unsure of what I wanted to do in higher education. I knew I would be able to impact the lives of students no matter what track I decided to pursue. After ultimately choosing the Intercollegiate Athletic Administration path, the pieces of my once blurry professional path began to fall together. Being a graduate student is an exciting time, full of opportunities for development and growth. During this journey, you are immersed in knowledge as you emerge into a student affairs professional. This process involves engaging with the learning material, working in internships, and developing new skills that will prepare you to become successful. 

      Working as an administrative assistant with the Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) Fellowship Program exposed me to the intricacies of higher education. The guidance of the VEST program coordinator and VEST faculty allowed me to explore the various interdisciplinary efforts required to run a department. During my time in this program and working at my job, I adored new opportunities to work with students every day. When I helped with the Open Doors admission process, I connected personally with students and encouraged them throughout their interview process. Open Doors is a summer program that invites HBCU students to UVA and gives them the opportunity to learn about conducting research.

      Self-reflection is an integral part of the educational and professional development journey, and throughout this program, I was required to do a lot of self-reflection. Self-reflection allowed me to identify my strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Therefore, as a graduate student or practitioner-scholar, you should frequently self-reflect to stay on track with your academic and professional goals. One of the key benefits of this program was the mass amount of reflection we were asked to do.