This Student of the Month Believes It Takes Passion to be Successful

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From left: Tracy Terry, instructor; Stephanie Walton, student of the month; Brenda Boers, Student of the Month committee member; and Claudia Baretto, associate professor.

LOS LUNAS, NM (05/01/2013)(readMedia)-- Stephanie Walton, the latest student of the month at UNM-Valencia Campus, believes her academic success can be attributed to her passion.

"I don't think academic success has anything to do with being a super genius," she said. "I think it has more to do with your passion for a subject. With that passion you can do anything."

Walton is majoring in biochemistry and has hopes of going to medical school to become a physician or a physician's assistant. For a while she considered becoming a medical lab technologist, but some teachers pushed her to consider her dream, her passion.

"Med school has always been a dream of mine," she said. "But I didn't think I was good enough."

Claudia Baretto, associate professor of biology, and Tracy Terry, chemistry instructor, convinced her she did have what it takes. Baretto and Terry, in fact, are the teachers who nominated Walton for the Student of the Month Award. Walton has been given the nickname of "Stretch" by Baretto.

"Stretch took a leadership role in motivating her lab partners to complete the activities in an organized and conscientious manner," Baretto wrote in her nomination of Walton. "Without fail, her group collected high quality data. Furthermore, her up-beat attitude and pleasant nature ensured that her group enjoyed learning as they carried out the lab exercises."

Baretto went on to discuss how Stretch is "demanding of herself, but is also a modest and fun person. She has just begun serving our campus as a tutor at the Learning Center where she will make a superb role model."

Terry echoed what Baretto had to say. "Her (Walton) energy is infectious and brightens the mood of the CHEM 111 students as well. Students are often intimidated by chemistry. Having a tutor who approaches chemistry with excitement and a positive attitude makes the subject matter seem more accessible to new students."

But this excitement and passion weren't always words used to describe Walton's approach to education. She said that her first attempt at college in her home state of Texas was not successful. In fact her first attempt at college right after high school was a complete failure due to her admitted urge to party rather than study. That led Walton's mother to pushing her daughter to get a job.

Which she did for some time. Walton also had a child, Rylee, and moved to Valencia County so that her then- boyfriend and father of her daughter could be closer to his parents.

In 2009, she started taking classes at UNM-Valencia as a part-time student. With a little maturity and the admitted motivation of her daughter, Walton has become a focused student.

She now loves the culture here, the diversity, green chile and now biochemistry.

"It takes a certain maturity level and some inspiration from teachers you have," Walton said. "And with some passion for a subject, you can do anything."