Cecil Dexter
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
When a student is choosing to re-enroll in college, they are hoping to attend an institution that is going to support their career goals and propel them forward, toward a successful career, and this has most certainly been the case for Cecil Dexter.
He originally enrolled at Cerro Coso Tehachapi in 2019, but was forced to drop out so he could continue working full time to avoid housing and financial insecurity.
However, in Fall of 2022 he re-enrolled in the Forestry program and quickly learned that this would be a career that would allow him to positively impact the environment which had always been a goal of his.
Though Cecil originally expected to slowly acclimate to college life, he quickly found himself involved in a few on-campus activities. He is currently part of the Student Government Association and is the president of the Forestry Club which has strengthened his leadership skills. He is also glad things turned out this way because he has made many friendships that have supported his academic goals.
The highlights of his college experience thus far have been winning the Renegade Spirit award, going to Humboldt with the Forestry Club, attending the Society Of American Foresters Conference, and touring Cal Poly Humboldt and Berkeley.
Though Cecil has evolved into a leader, role model, and determined student, one of his biggest challenges when first attending college was that he was incredibly shy. However, the community he has created here has helped him break out of his shell and he now considers himself a social butterfly.
A professor who has helped him evolve along the way is Dr. Renaldo Arroyo. He says that Arroyo wants to see all of his students develop a passion for the subject, and explains in depth the reasons why they should care about the subject instead of just teaching the facts. Cecil's favorite part of the course was the trips to the Panorama Vista Preserve with his classmates.
Cecil is expected to graduate with an associates in science and hopes to find himself working in forest restoration. He also wants to take time to travel and see the world with his spouse, as he transitions from college life to the next place in his journey.
His words of advice for incoming students are, “Join a club, and if you don’t see one you like, make it! Clubs might not seem that important but the network of like-minded students and professors is indispensable, and the opportunities that come up because you’re in a club are endless!”
