After graduating from Valencia in 2002, Jennifer transferred to the University of Florida where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Food and Resource Economics. Her concern for breaking the barriers of access into higher education for underrepresented and underserved populations led her to pursue a career in higher education. She continued at the University of Central Florida where she earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and is now pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership: Higher Education and Policy Studies. Jennifer credits her educational success to the support and guidance she received during her years at Valencia as a Bridges to Success student. She currently works with Valencia students as the manager of Student Services on the West Campus. Becky works as an RN at Winnie Palmer Hospital, where she was nominated for the Nurse of the Year Award in 2014 by her peers. She wrote and published a resource book devoted to the bedside nurse, and manages a website and blog called Expert GN that offers resources Santos recently received UCF’s Award of Excellence for maintaining a high cumulative GPA. He plans to graduate in May at the age of 60, and credits Valencia for helping him rise from homelessness. He continues to work at Second Harvest Food Bank, helping feed needy children in four counties. His eight-year career has been life changing, giving him the opportunity to meet the likes of Chelsea Clinton and to travel the world. Alexandra is enrolled in the master’s program at Syracuse University in New York for Library and Information Sciences. She also leads a student organization that hosted an “Edible Banned Book Fair,” where on display were edible representations of books that had been banned in the United States. Ismael Charrouf is finishing his last semester at the University of Central Florida, majoring in Latin American Studies with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. Over the course of his time at UCF, Ismael has participated in a number of international programs and has gotten the opportunity to travel and represent his school abroad. Last summer he went to Istanbul as winner of the “High and Dry: Addressing the Middle East Water Challenge” essay contest, where he met with American, Arab and Turkish experts on water scarcity in the Middle East from both the public and private sectors. The conference was sponsored by the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Program for Strategic Research and Studies at UCF, where Ismael has been awarded the program fellowship this semester, focusing the core of his research on Saudi food security. Most recently, Ismael was chosen to compete in the 16th annual London International Model United Nations conference as part of a team of 12 students from the United Nations Association at UCF. There he represented the Sudan in the League of Arab States, this being the first year that the committee was simulated in Arabic. Ismael is currently also working on the capstone project for his Latin American Studies degree which will discuss the concerns over the newly proposed Nicaragua Canal and the opportunities it presents to that country. To be featured in Class Notes, visit valenciacollege.edu/alumni/class_notes and fill in the submission form or mail to: Class Notes Editor, Valencia Alumni Association, 1768 Park Center Dr., Orlando, FL 32835. The Alumni Association can also help to spread the word! Let us know about your meetups, networking events, annual retreats, reunions and save-the-dates that your fellow alumni might like to attend or did attend with you. Whether it’s getting a group together for sporting events, charity fundraisers, a day at the parks or just brunch and lunch, let us know. And if you send pictures, we might just include them in the next issue. We can share your adventures and good times with our readers, so that next time they can plan on joining in on the fun! And don’t forget: If you have an idea for a future article, please contact the Alumni Association. Send all suggestions to: alumni@valenciacollege.edu
Jennifer Mezquita, ’02
Becky Kwitowski, ’96, ’98
for student nurses and graduates. Becky is also a preceptor to many Valencia nursing students and new graduate nurses.
Santos Maldonado, ’07
Alexandra Heidler, ’09
Ismael Charrouf, ’12
Let Everyone Know What You’ve Been Up To!
