Determination to prove her strength is what drives Brenda Garcia toward success.
The 25-year-old and her three siblings were raised by their single mother, moving around Southern California until settling down in Norwalk. Garcia joined the Marines immediately after high school, inspired by a recruiter and the urge to show doubters her capabilities.
She served from June 2017 through November 2021, achieving the rank of sergeant. The experience taught her how to be a better leader and introduced her to her husband, Hugo. After training in North Carolina, she was stationed in Hawaii for three months and then served mainly in Okinawa, Japan.
“You learn a lot throughout, but what you end up remembering the most is the bonds you have with people,” Garcia said, adding that she still keeps in touch with her high school recruiter, among other connections.
With a young son at home and a daughter on the way, Garcia and her husband left their administrative jobs in the military and moved to Whittier to spend more time with family.
Garcia eventually hit a wall in the corporate world, so she enrolled at Whittier College to earn a degree and advance her career further. The second-year student is currently majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing, hoping to become a marketing manager.
“I like learning more about the business decisions people are making, and I like being able to improve a place from within,” Garcia said.
Her husband followed suit and is in his first semester studying business administration. He hopes to be a project manager and work in HR.
The Garcias found a welcoming community on campus thanks to the Veteran Resource Center, easily making friends with fellow veterans like Liza Vasquez ’24. And because of the John Greenleaf Whittier Scholarship and the Yellow Ribbon Program, their studies have remained affordable.
Garcia is thankful for testing and tutoring resources from the Center for Advising & Academic Success and Student Accessibility Services helping her bridge the gap as a nontraditional student.
“It’'s also important to be very open and honest about how the military affects our mental health,” Garcia said. “Some of us need extra time, or a quiet space, or just the pressure of not everybody being around us while we're taking a test, along with the other resources.”
Outside of class, Garcia is the commuter representative on the Associated Students of Whittier College and president of the Poet Warriors Club. She is currently working on fundraising for January’s Student Veterans of America national conference. Additionally, Garcia works for an event planning company. It can be overwhelming at times, especially when combined with the fact that she is often the oldest student in the classroom, but Garcia says it’s worth it.
“Though it was difficult being a woman in the military, we can show others it’s possible,” she said. “And I want others to please take advantage of all the resources Whittier has to give, because they’re there for a reason.”
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