San Diego State University College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts

Lucia Alvarez-Malo Flores Advocates for Communities

Named Outstanding Graduate in the School of Communication

Lucia Alvarez-Malo Flores Advocates for Communities

by PSFA News Team

May 14, 2020

May 14, 2020

Lucia Alvarez-Malo Flores, a major in Communication, has been named 2020 Outstanding Student by the School of Communication.

During her time at SDSU, Alvarez-Malo Flores was very involved in Student Life and Leadership, specifically, Commuter Life. She was a Sophomore Surge mentor and then became Lead Mentor with the opportunity to mentor younger commuters, helping them find the communities and resources that they needed to be successful at SDSU.

Alvarez-Malo Flores was also a board member of the Hispanic Business Student Association and a member of Lambda Pi Eta. “Getting involved at SDSU is one of the best decisions I have made,” said Alvarez-Malo Flores. “I got to meet and bond with really amazing people and increase my network. My experience at SDSU wouldn’t have been such a positive one if I had not gotten involved.”

Adjusting to college life as a commuter was a challenge for Alvarez-Malo Flores. Going back and forth between home and school was stressful, and she was constantly worried about finding parking or avoiding traffic. Finding her “home away from home” in Commuter Life helped as she bonded with other students who were also in the same situation. “My mentors in Commuter Life showed me the resources that I needed in order to enhance my experience at SDSU,” she said. “They gave me the motivation that I needed to join other clubs and organizations, study abroad, and get more involved in my own major.”

Alvarez-Malo Flores studied abroad in Europe with the School of Communication and found it an unforgettable experience. “I couldn’t grasp the importance of studying abroad until I experienced it for myself,” she said. “I got to bond with other amazing Communication students like never before, as well as with the Communication faculty, and learned about the importance of teamwork and being a mindful traveler.”

Alvarez-Malo Flores received the AS Study Abroad Scholarship which was a big help, and she saved for her study abroad trip for a year before she went.

As for career goals, Alvarez-Malo Flores would like to obtain a master’s degree in Public Health and Latin American Studies and use it to one day be able to advocate for communities that are often forgotten. “I hope to work side-by-side with these communities, helping improve their health and health education by applying a multicultural approach,” she explains.

“I hope that everyone in my graduating class is able to make the life that they dream and hope for,” says Alvarez-Malo Flores. “Get involved and find your place at State!”

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.

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