MORE ABOUT GILBERT
Graduation Date: June 2009
Hometown: La Grange, Illinois
High School: Lyons Township High School
Awards & Achievements:
- Dean's List
- Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society
- Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
- Golden Key Honor Society
- Psi Chi Honor Society
- 2006 Winter Service Immersion Participant to Los Angeles
Campus Involvement:
- Resident advisor to judicial board
- Student Life consultant
Current Employment:
- Resident advisor (2nd floor Sanctuary)
- Apple campus representative
- Chicago Public Schools Training and Development intern
Gilbert Vega
Area of Study:Industrial/Organizational Psychology
I chose my major because… I was always interested in business, but had a love for psychology. This major just makes sense; it allows me to be in a business setting yet engage all the personal interaction I desire. I love the psychology faculty members and their knowledge and insight allowed me to gain valuable experience as well as made we want to pursue the five year bachelor’s of arts/master’s of sciences program here at DePaul.
My favorite thing to do on campus is… go to the Student Center. It is a great place to catch up with your peers, as well as make connections with individuals who work in the various offices throughout the building. It is pretty hard to get out of the Student Center in less than an hour because of all the interaction that happens there.
I decided to attend DePaul because… I attended a leadership conference here my junior year of high school and I fell in love with the campus. Lincoln Park is a beautiful area with many surrounding neighborhoods that have unique histories. I absolutely love the fact that I am a 10-minute El ride away from downtown and all the attractions that are available in our amazing city of Chicago. Not only this, but I was interested in attending a university that was in an urban area and a place where I would have interactions with my professors, and thus the decision to attend DePaul was simple.
The learning environment here at DePaul is… never ending. Everywhere you go on campus provides you with another opportunity to learn something new. There are a plethora of organizations on campus that assure you will be informed about some topic no matter where you travel on campus. This is one of the best aspects about DePaul, you are sure to learn something new and exciting every day!
The class I most enjoyed here was… my Honors capstone class. In this class, Dr. Farkas [political science professor] challenged me to think in a different way about my life (past, present, and future) and it allowed me to better understand the direction I want to take in my life. Although it was challenging at times, this class provided me with practical knowledge that I am able to utilize on a daily basis.
When I have free time, I like to… explore the city with my girlfriend. We both are extremely involved on campus and whenever we get a free moment, it is nice to leave campus and experience different cultural, sporting and other activities the city has to offer.
At DePaul, service learning is… life changing. At DePaul, you are given various opportunities to engage in service activities and they provide you with perspectives on life you never thought possible. You are able to work with groups of people that you may have never worked with had you not attended such a university, and it changes you as a person in so many different ways. You able to participate in service here in Chicago, but also in various other states and countries through service immersion opportunities. If you enjoy service, DePaul is your dream come true!
The Honors Program at DePaul… is challenging, but necessary for a complete academic experience. The professors who teach the classes in the Honors Program are amazing and provide students with a seminar atmosphere where sharing of knowledge is not solely one dimensional, but where everyone has a chance to teach one another. Another great aspect of the Honors Program is Nancy Grossman [Honors Program assistant director]. She is one of the most caring individuals I have met at DePaul and she does everything she can to assure her students are getting the best experience possible, and also cares for her students as if they where her own children.
What I remember most about my first quarter at DePaul is… my resident advisor (RA) reaching out to me and helping me transition into college life. The first quarter of college can be intimidating, but when you have support via friends, family, RAs you feel as if no task is insurmountable. With the help of my RA, I was able to successfully adjust to my new life. Due to his impact on my life, I decided to become an RA to strive to provide the same guidance and reassurance that I received as a first year.
My greatest success as a student here has been… becoming a resident advisor. As an RA, I have been able to actively make a difference in the lives of my fellow students. Interactions with my residents have broadened my knowledge base and made me an overall better person. My staff and supervisor have assisted in my personal and professional development and the overall Residential Education Department has contributed to the many memories I will forever cherish about DePaul.
After graduation, I plan to… find a job in human resources at a company in the city, attain my goal of making $100,000 a year, get married, and enjoying the real world with all of its successes and challenges.
The one thing I’d like to say to students considering DePaul… if you are looking for a university that will incorporate learning with diversity and experiential learning opportunities, then DePaul is the place for you. The professors know you on a first name basis, and there is often a small student to teacher ratio. DePaul has an organization for everyone and you truly have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.
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