College Senior Spotlight

Rukhsar, after her high school graduation in 2018, is now completing her senior year at UCLA. Upon graduation, she plans to enter the field of education. During a recent check-in, she shared two ways in which DTS has played a role in supporting her success and in valuing her overall wellness.  Seeking practical and relevant job experience prior to graduation, she applied to be a site coordinator for a teen mentoring program at the Islamic Center of Hawthorne. Rukhsar felt overwhelmed by all that was required to apply for the position.  She shares, “I reached out to DTS for help with polishing my resume, proofreading my supplemental questions, and for coaching on how to best present myself during the panel interview. After meeting and practicing with DTS staff, I felt really prepared and confident in my abilities.”

Now, as a teen mentor at the Islamic Center, Rukhsar shares her insights and appreciation for wellness as the foundation for a productive life. She helped create a Health and Wellness Day to “encourage the prioritization of mental health in such a strong work and school-oriented culture; teaching our students stress management is an important step in developing their navigational capital for higher education.” Her participation in DTS’s topical workshops, as well as regular one-on-one sessions with our Wellness Counselor, cultivated her belief in the importance of these practices.