“Santa Fe College has transformed my life in numerous ways. As a first-year student, I initially started out on an Associate of Arts, Sports Management degree track. The campus was closed, and I had to adjust to distance learning through Zoom. In this very unstable year, I found kinship through participation in eSports. Being involved with the SF eSports team was a fully virtual environment. Admittedly, at times, it was difficult to form relationships since I never actually spoke with anyone in-person.
The bulk of my friendships came from the Santa Fe intramural flag football team. This experience was one that I will never forget throughout my time at Santa Fe. The relationships that have formed from this team are still highly active and a huge part of my life. Participating in these activities was a great stress reliever and taught me what it means to be a team on and off the field. My friends and I were more than teammates, we are also students. We practiced the same rules on the field as well as in the classroom which was to succeed. I would say that any student at Santa Fe College should participate in an intramural sport. Intramural sports teach individuals to be leaders in the sport, and in their collegiate careers.
During my second year, I was lucky enough to gain a position as a work-study student at the Academic Advising Center. Working with professional advisors was a turning point for my education. I reassessed my interests and decided that I would like to study Journalism.
At SF, my communication skills skyrocketed. My ability to communicate with people is a trait that will push me into the workforce. I hope to apply this skill by continuing to connect with others. For now, my aspirations for the future consist of graduating from the University of Florida, applying to graduate school and obtaining a master’s degree, enabling me to pursue a stable and comfortable career where I can utilize my strengths.
One key strength is that when I must talk about something, I do a better job when I write about it. I would like to consider myself a storyteller. My future career plans consist of getting a job in either public relations or marketing. Eventually, I would like to represent a company on my behalf and someday have my own business in the audio-visual industry.
The greatest skill that I acquired at SF was the ability to manage my time properly. There are many distractions when first attending college and it is easy to let your studies fall off a cliff. The ability to push yourself and stay focused on your goals is one of the main reasons why I am now a student at the University of Florida. I am extremely grateful to be at UF as it is a privilege to be here. Without the help of my professors, advisors, and students at Santa Fe, I would not be in the position that I am today.”
Tyler Giambalvo, A.A. degree, Journalism track, Florida Pre-Paid program recipient
Discover the fun and friendship gained through intramural sports at SF.