Kaylan Avila

Kaylan Avila—Campus job affirms career path.

Student Profile

Like all college students, Kaylan Avila has big plans for the future.

While the longtime Beaumont resident is wrapping up her time at Crafton Hills College – she graduated in May – she has plans to start a nursing program at San Bernardino Valley College in the fall. And while moving to a new school may be a bit nerve-wracking to some, Avila said she is better prepared thanks to her experience at Crafton.

“I’m happy with the opportunity I got here because I got more from (the experience) than I thought I was going to,” she said.

The 2017 Beaumont High School graduate is a first-generation college student who picked Crafton because - ultimately - it was close to home. But once stepping foot onto campus, the 19-year-old learned there was a lot more to campus life at CHC than she originally thought.

Avila quickly immersed herself into the experience and sought and received support from her instructors. Then the honors program came calling. She also applied and was accepted to take part in Crafton’s ISEEK – Increasing Student Engagement, Employment & Knowledge - program, which provides part-time job opportunities to Crafton students. Jobs are available on-campus or elsewhere in town and neighboring communities, such as the city of Yucaipa and Wells Fargo. Avila opted to work in CHC’s Health and Wellness Center to gain a real-life perspective on the profession she planned to pursue. The job allowed her to discover what she was “capable of doing,” she said.

“I want to become a nurse because I want to be able to help people and ultimately give back to the community,” Avila said. “The nurse practitioner at the center really helped explain everything to me that I needed.”

Balancing it all is no easy task, but Avila credits her family – particularly her parents – for instilling in her a strong work ethic. She also hopes her story inspires other first-generation college students to follow in her footsteps.

“My parents never got the opportunity to go to college, but I want a better life for myself and ultimately a better life for them as well,” Avila said. “I always tell people to not knock a junior college because I am really happy with (my experience) as I got to do a lot of research and present that research which I am now trying to get published.

“I want to tell everyone to push through. Going to college is a bit intimidating, especially when having to figure it out all on your own, but do your research and persevere,” she said.