Alexis Minie
From Ventura College to Community Leadership
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share how much Ventura College means to me. It feels like I talk about my time there to anyone and everyone who will listen!
To give you a little background, I graduated from Granada Hills Charter High School in 2012. At the time, I knew I wasn't quite ready for a four-year university, so I chose to attend Ventura College. It turned out to be the best decision I could have ever made for myself.
A lot of people discouraged me at the time, perpetuating the stigma around community college and telling me to "aim higher." I am so glad I didn't listen to them. I graduated with my AA in Communications in 2014, and to this day, my time at VC remains one of the absolute highlights of my life. I had an amazing experience with incredible teachers, an excellent education, and lifelong friends. Most of all, Ventura College is what made me fall in love with Ventura County, and I am so happy to have been back living and working here since 2016.
Since leaving VC, that foundation in communications has completely shaped my trajectory. I went on to attend a four-year university in Philadelphia for my junior year of college, and then transitioned to a four-year university in Florida for my senior year, where I ultimately graduated from the University of Tampa in 2016 with my Bachelor’s in Communications.
Today, I’m back in the community that raised my career, serving as the Vice President of Advancement for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, where I have been now for nearly 5 years. I also serve as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and educational rights holder for a local teen in foster care. In both of these roles, I get to advocate for youth development and mentorship every single day, and I constantly share my Ventura College story with the kids I serve to show them that there is no single "right" path to success. To continue growing in this heart-led work, I've also gone back to school and am currently working toward my MBA in Nonprofit Management.
My time at Ventura College gave me the confidence to forge my own path and a deep love for this community.
Are you interested in sharing your VC story and connecting with fellow alums? Contact Grace Falzone-Miller, Alumni Relations Specialist at gfalzonemiller@vcccd.edu or sign up below:
