by Zoe Lance

Edward Padilla, ’10 B.A. Performing Arts

A graduate of CSUCI’s Performing Arts program, Edward Padilla is the prospect research manager and database specialist at CSU Los Angeles. In this role Padilla maintains the university’s donor database and finds prospective donors to support the university’s educational mission. “What I like most about my job is the team of individuals I work with on a daily basis,” he said. “I often have to be creative and think outside of the box.”

After graduating, Padilla worked as a CSUCI staff member in the Division of Academic Affairs for nearly five years. He also spent time working with the Los Angeles-based California International Theatre Festival.

Padilla credits his student work experience in CSUCI’s Division of University Advancement for leading him to donor relations.

“My experiences in academics, as a student assistant and a staff member at CSUCI, have helped shape my professional career and shown me the importance of enjoying what you do for a living,” he said. “I learned how to be professional, accountable and the importance of keeping relationships and finding new ones.”

“In my Performing Arts classes, I learned the value of patience, teamwork, putting in 120 percent, and that it is OK to fail.”

Padilla is currently working on a master’s degree in public administration at CSU Los Angeles.

Melissa Mirkovich-Scholes, ’05 B.A. Liberal Studies

Melissa Mirkovich-Scholes is a senior sales representative at SAGE Publications, an independent academic publisher based in Thousand Oaks. In her role as the textbook division’s research methods and statistics specialist, Mirkovich-Scholes works with faculty all over the United States and Canada to provide social science textbooks for their course. Since joining SAGE in 2008, she has received company awards, taken leadership roles and mentored fellow sales representatives.

“I love working with college professors and challenging myself to learn more,” she said. “SAGE is an amazing company with great values that remind me of CSUCI: a dedication to education, making the world a better place and the familial feel. I am grateful to be a part of the SAGE and CSUCI families.”

Mirkovich-Scholes says that her CSUCI experience in student leadership gave her confidence and skills that make her successful today.

“I learned to be innovative and use my critical thinking skills to create something out of nothing,” she said. “I learned to take chances and try something new. I am part of a larger family and I make a difference.”

She stays in touch with the CSUCI community by volunteering with the Alumni & Friends Association.

© Spring 2017 / Volume 21 / Number 01 / Bi-annual

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