Tanya Sabando

I attribute my success to my willingness to help others and my ability to stay organized and multitask effectively. At work, they always tell me 'just go ask Sabando, she'll get it done,' and that's a really good feeling. The value is definitely shown from some of my upper leaders. Recently, our campus president called me into his office and I walked in ready to help, and he said 'that's one of the things I love, you just always say, what can I do to help?' But he wanted to thank me for a job well done - something was brought to someone's attention and it was more of 'hey, you did your job, and you did it very well.' Those things are rewarding within my current field. I also believe in taking time to fuel yourself with family and loved ones, because the things that make us smile are our gas to keep going every day. I need to laugh with them, I need to bond with them so that when I get up on Monday and I go help someone else, it's even with more of a heart to go help and do what I do every day. My family fuels me to keep doing what I love.

Stay sharp, and know that a pleasant attitude always gets you way, way more recognition and representation. Do your best and have your confidence to walk in there. We are everything, and just be yourself. Use your talents and don't be shy. I meet a lot of young women that are just kind of shy and don't have that confidence in there yet, and I get it - it takes a while for it to grow. I'm only 46, that's why it's here now. But stay confident within what you know. Lead with what you know, and lead with your confidence. Be kind with it, be humble with it, and you will definitely grow and continue to grow. Be eager to grow. Be eager to help. Sometimes my helping is what's gotten me into positions - by now, I've just got the experience because I'm always helping. I wish I would have been a little bit more eager when I was younger. Just be confident, be eager, and be yourself. And go for everything you want to go for, because you can do it.

Being influential and intentional in your influence is most important to me. That representation of what you give is influential to someone else. You just never know what part of you you're giving that is needed, and someone else might pick up on it. So as long as you're positive and humble, that influence is easy to pick up where it is needed. Be influential, most of all, and be intentional in your influence. It matters. Someone is watching, someone needs it, even when you don't know. I'm also huge on family and get-togethers. I tell my students and my kids that when you're running at work non-stop and doing everything, sometimes you need to take a minute to sit down and take the good times of just family. You don't have to cook, you don't have to clean, just sometimes just think of sitting with family, having a good time, and just laughing. To me, our loved ones and the things that make us smile are our gas to keep going every day. We need that little gas - I need to laugh with them, I need to bond with them so that when I get up on Monday and I go help someone else, it's even with more of a heart.