Oklahoma City University student Vanessa Anaya and President Martha Burger took similar educational paths to OCU. Anaya earned an Associate’s Degree in enterprise development at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and a Bachelor’s Degree in strategic communications from the University of Central Oklahoma before starting OCU’s Applied Behavioral Studies-Professional Counseling Program where she is a first-year graduate student.
During her studies at OSU-OKC, Anaya was active in the Martha Burger Student Mentoring Program. President Burger, who also attended Oklahoma State University and the University of Central Oklahoma before earning an MBA at Oklahoma City University, established the mentorship program at OSU-OKC in 2013 to recognize students who demonstrate academic accomplishment and achievement in leadership, citizenship, service and communication.
“I have always felt that it is important to support your university because it helps deserving students and positively impacts the community,” President Burger said.
Anaya said pursuing her graduate studies at OCU, which she describes as a dream come true, is possible because of the opportunities she was given through the mentorship program and her diligent work through her undergraduate studies.
“Participating in the mentorship program gave me a purpose beyond my personal goals to live a fulfilling life through acts that serve others,” she said. “It also meant that I had something worth sharing and gave me a way to push forward and help create a domino effect,” Anaya said.
Anaya said one of her mentees helped inspire her to pursue the field of counseling and psychology. She hopes to become a professional counselor and establish herself in a Ph.D. program where she can conduct research in psychological sciences.
Anaya said the importance of giving back to her community will stay with her for life.
“If we have all to ourselves, then we have nothing,” she said, “but if we have all to share, then we have everything.”
