“When it came time to choose my path after high school, a huge decision was whether to attend college or to bypass those and pursue knowledge on my own with the possibility of being jobless even with a degree. Yet with my decision to attend Chico State, I have realized there are so many profound benefits from the experience. Aside from a bachelor’s degree on my resume, there are things that did not previously cross my mind. I have gained competencies, not only in academics but in intercultural aspects, interpersonal skills, confidence speaking in front of others in a way to inspire and provoke intellectual curiosity,” said business administration major, Alex Duree-Feriss.

“Being among students with other interests and fields of study has granted me that intellectual curiosity to learn about the world and all that it has to offer, as well as the endless possibilities that are out there if one is to pursue them. When visiting my friends from home in Healdsburg, California. that never left, they seem to have the same mindset as when we parted ways after high school. Meanwhile, I feel like I have gained ten years in my short four years here in Chico. I am eternally grateful for my experiences and the motivation they have given me to be a lifelong learner and inspire that knack for discovery in others,” Duree-Feriss said.

Franky Renteria can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_arts on Twitter.