Guest Post: My PAU Journey by Edelysse Lopez

Once upon a time, I was a Biology major fresh out of high school in 2001. I wasn’t passionate about science but felt the pressure to choose a major. My mother was a Biochemist, so the easiest choice at the time was to follow in her footsteps. I went to California State University Northridge (CSUN). I learned rather quickly that I was not motivated or passionate enough about science to pursue Biology. After 3 semesters, I was put on academic probation. I transferred to a community college to raise my GPA. During this time, I had a lot of time to think about what was next for me. After much thought, I was reaccepted into CSUN and changed my major to Child and Adolescent Development. I began working at a developmental preschool that further ignited my passion for working with children. After finding an area that I was passionate and excited to learn about, I graduated in 2008 (7 years later!) with my bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent development.

My original plan was to go to grad school to study child psychology, but after purchasing my first home, I could not afford to work full time and go to school full time. There were not many online programs during this time, so my options were limited. I loved my job! I worked with parents and offered them guidance in parenting. I worked closely with children, guiding them in problem solving, social interaction, and life skills. I took pride in my work for 15 years. Then the pandemic began. My school closed and I found myself as a stay-at-home mom of a 9-year-old, a 2-year-old and 6-month-old. During this time, I invested in a family business to pay the bills, but I missed working with families and having passion in what I did.

I decided in 2023 that it was time to pursue my dream. At the age of 40, I finally had the time and opportunity to go back to school. I searched for a university that I felt matched my personal and professional values. After extensive research, I ended up “putting all my eggs in one basket” and applied to the Palo Alto University (PAU) Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. My undergrad GPA was unimpressive to say the least. I appreciated that the university not only looked at my transcripts, but considered my personal perspectives on life, counseling and my own personal growth journey. I was determined to show that I was not the same, confused 18-year-old student I was as a freshman in college. I took the time to write a thoughtful and powerful personal statement. When I got the email that I was asked back for an interview, I knew that this was my chance to show the university how passionate I was about becoming a counselor.

When I was accepted into PAU, a new fire ignited inside of me. I was ready to become a student again, eager to learn and experience such a special program that was the perfect fit for me. I was privileged to have the support of my husband, 3 children and my parents as I began my academic journey at PAU. The professors that I’ve had so far have all been compassionate, understanding, intelligent and empathetic. I have learned so much about not only counseling, but about myself as a leader and a “baby counselor.” I’ve made some wonderful friends in my cohort, which is something that doesn’t happen often at my age. My cohort has also taught me so much about humility, vulnerability and drive. The courses that I have taken so far have been curated in a way that keeps us engaged, interactive and curious. I learn more every quarter about how important social justice and advocacy are regarding counseling. While the breaks in between quarters are very much needed, each course brings a new excitement for me that I hadn’t felt during the beginning of my undergrad years. To stay engaged in the PAU community, I took on a leadership role as secretary for Chi Sigma Iota, an international honor society that values academic and professional values in counseling.

I’m excited for what’s to come and to continue to be an active learner of all things counseling. A good friend told me, “If you don’t learn something about yourself in graduate school, you’re doing it wrong.” I’m happy to say that so far, I finally feel that I’m doing it right.