Her Story
About Marcela
I've been in education for 30 years and in administrative leadership for over 20 years. I am currently the campus director for a Hispanic-serving institution university that has been around for 76 years, founded in Puerto Rico by a woman in 1949. We have over 30,000 students between Puerto Rico and the state of Florida, where we have 3 campuses. I came up the ranks, starting as a teacher, then moved into recruiting students, and worked my way into operations, management, and administration. I've been a campus president for over 16 years. My mentor, Gary Dagon Pat, saw passion and drive in me early on and believed more in me than I believed in myself at that time. He said it was something in my DNA that you couldn't teach, and encouraged me to expand my horizons beyond recruiting and learn about every department in a campus so that one day I would be a campus president. I was hungry for information and devoured everything I had to learn. I'm very detail-oriented, and that really drove me to be good at what I do. I love talking to people and teaching. I like to see people where they start and where they end off, helping them find a way when they have a dream but feel they don't have a way to get there. When people say they don't think they can do this, and they do it, and I see them walking across the stage, that's what is impactful for me.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Marcela
01What do you attribute your success to?
I definitely attribute my success to discipline. You have to be disciplined sometimes, even doing what you really don't want to do, or getting up extra early, and being in places where you have to be there two times in one day. For example, if I'm working and I have a commitment that I promised to be a mentor for a specific school of girls, and I said I will be there at 5 o'clock to do a panel discussion or moderate, or they send me their college letters and I look them over, I will do that. Does it sometimes take away from other things? Absolutely. But it's the discipline that you put in yourself every day to make sure that drives you, that you continue on the path that you're on. It's about showing other people that you can do what you do and you can help others along the way too.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I definitely say that it is a passion that you have within you. You have to be service-oriented, community service-oriented. Believe in yourself. Believe in having a seat at the table. I started my career where there were only men in operations and as a campus president. Forget about imposter syndrome. I actually moderated a panel not too long ago about that. Women have come a long way, and you deserve to be at tables. We are in leadership positions right now. Make sure that you never, ever, ever give up on what drives you. If it is a passion for you, be adaptable, be a lifelong learner.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I would say ethics and integrity are definitely my top two, and loyalty. It's about doing the right thing, you know, always, no matter in what situation. It's also who you are, it's your business card. It's when your name is said in rooms, it's how they perceive you, and that's integrity, just doing the right thing. Whatever you do, you do it with integrity.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Florida
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.