MCC Campus Connections Podcast: Episode 17

# Ep17 Eric Valdez & Monica Loayza

# MCC Campus Connections Podcast - Episode 17: Student Success & Career Growth at Midwestern Career College

## *Podcast Transcript*

**Geovanny Mayorga** 00:00

All right, everyone and welcome once again to Midwestern Career College Campus Connections. My name is Geovanny Mayorga, and we are recording from our 203 North LaSalle campus. I’d like to welcome everyone to our new episode. Now we are speaking to two of our previous guests on the podcast before. We spoke to them more specifically about their personal journey. Now we’ll be speaking to them more about what they do and the services they provide for you, the student here at Midwestern Career College. So if you’ve seen their podcast or their episode in the past, welcome Eric Valdez and Monica Loayza. How are you guys?

**Eric Valdez** 00:55

Gio, thank you so much for having us.

**Monica Loayza** 00:58

Hi Gio, thank you for having us again.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 00:58

Looking forward to our conversation. It’s always fun to have you guys on the episode. What’s going on? Anything new?

**Eric Valdez** 01:04

Exciting? Well, nothing new in my world, just looking to plan a getaway this year, looking to hopefully go to Asia.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 01:17

Japan, really?

**Eric Valdez** 01:20

It’s been two years since I’ve left the country. I really believe this is my year to travel again. Why Japan? I love their culture. I haven’t been to Asia, so I really am interested.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 01:34

Yeah, how about you?

**Monica Loayza** 01:38

Trying to survive this weather, but at the same time happy that we are here one more time, and just getting new hobbies in life. So I’m very much focused on singing abilities right now. That’s something that has helped me cope with the weather here, and at the same time discover new talent.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 02:03

Nice, America’s Got Talent?

**Monica Loayza** 02:07

Honestly, I wish I could go. It’s something about music. I’ve always been a big fan of concerts and music in general. But this year has been more of a discovery of singing. I used to do it when I was younger. It’s a way to connect, and you have to connect with the things that you like.

**Eric Valdez** 02:35

And guess what I got her for Christmas?

**Geovanny Mayorga** 02:38

Karaoke?

**Eric Valdez** 02:41

I feel bad for her neighbors.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 02:46

Nice. So in the previous episode, we spoke more specifically about your journey. This particular episode will speak more about the services you provide to students here at Midwestern Career College, and they’re great services. You’ve both done an excellent job with all the resources that you’re providing students and how you’re preparing students for success. So let’s talk a little bit about Eric, what you’re doing for students and student services.

**Eric Valdez** 03:14

Yes. Hi everyone. This is Eric Valdez, your Student Services Coordinator. I’m updating the Student Services website and LibGuides with new resources for you. So we have new domestic violence resources, we have substance abuse resources. So if you are experiencing substance abuse, please reach out to me or utilize the resources that I have added on the site. I am also the housing liaison for students experiencing homelessness. So if you are experiencing homelessness, please reach out to me. I’m here to support you, and I can connect you with great resources. We also have a new guide for students. So if you are a new student, we do have a step-by-step guide for your specific program to get you acclimated for your first day. We also offer academic advising. If you’re looking for academic advising, go to the Student Services site, click on Academic Advising, look for your academic manager or advisor, fill out the tutoring form, and I’ll connect you with those requests.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 04:19

Nice. And Monica, what are you doing now with Career Services?

**Monica Loayza** 04:25

Well, Career Services, as you probably already know, helps you with your resume, practicing a mock job interview, preparing you to land a job and keep your job, and becoming a great professional in the field you have chosen. We’ve been focused this past month and last year on building new MCC Career Talk episodes and sessions. Basically, the idea is to create a safe environment where you get to mingle with other students from other programs and share experiences with one another. Eric joins the sessions too, so we can talk about how to build your resume, your LinkedIn, how to land a job, and mock interviews. But we also cover important topics like how to keep a balance between your work life and student life, and any other support that you might need throughout the program. Once you become a graduate, you can always be in contact with Career Services. The idea is for you to keep this long-term relationship with the school and never lose the support that the school provides.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 05:53

Yeah, wonderful. And I know you guys work together, and you should work together. Part of what we do is ensure that students are successful before and while they work with Career Services. That means making sure they’re healthy, physically and mentally nourished, which connects to the programs you work on, Eric, including domestic violence and homelessness resources. Obviously it’s important for them to be healthy in that sense, so that they can go ahead and work with Monica in a healthy sense and be successful trying to get their career on the right track. So talk a little bit about the domestic violence and homelessness work that you do.

**Eric Valdez** 06:37

So if you are experiencing homelessness, I am the housing liaison for MCC, so I connect you with resources and guide you. If you want to talk or vent, I have an open-door policy in my office, so you can just come and talk. All of those resources are located on the Student Services website, as well as the domestic violence resources. I added a PDF manual. If you click on the manual, it will connect you with resources here in Chicago and the surrounding areas. I am currently working on Ohio resources, but I did add mental health resources for Ohio, as well as substance abuse and domestic violence resources for Ohio.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 07:33

Wonderful. And then you guys work together with the career talks, right?

**Monica Loayza** 07:40

Yes, we really like the events that we host here at our different campuses. We can go to Naperville, Evergreen Park, and LaSalle, and obviously our Ohio students get the chance to meet with us virtually. We keep a very open communication when it comes to helping any of the students, whatever their struggle is. The idea is to create the support they need. I believe that this is so important, especially because they go into healthcare fields. We need to be sure that we are preparing professionals who are capable of sustaining support for humans, because ultimately that’s what they’re going to work with, whether in healthcare or business.

**Eric Valdez** 09:31

So it’s pretty cool. We want a welcoming environment, but also a safe environment. That’s why Monica came up with the Career Talks, and we collaborate together. It’s good that students are getting jobs and placement, but a lot of students are either nervous or unaware of the resources that we do have. So that’s why we wanted to build this together and utilize the services and resources that we do have.

**Monica Loayza** 09:56

It was very interesting to see the students in the first session, and then how they evolved throughout the sessions. At the end, we gave them a certificate of participation, and we saw that they were more confident. We had both international and domestic students. Some of them got hired already, some others continue finishing their program. But we saw that they built self-confidence and gained the support that they require.

**Eric Valdez** 10:26

And they also network with each other.

**Monica Loayza** 10:35

Yes, and build their LinkedIn and their portfolio. That’s always important. I like to mention in workshops that the first networking is the classroom they’re creating. You might not know it now, but maybe your classmate can endorse you later on or recommend you for a job. It’s a very important activity for them to start creating these networking skills.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 11:14

Yeah, and the culture itself is important. I think it’s something that you both have worked hard at. Eric, you worked hard especially with creating the Game Lounge to make sure that students have a fun, welcoming, safe environment. Talk a little bit about that.

**Eric Valdez** 11:31

So the Game Lounge is a safe environment, but also a playful environment. You can also eat your lunch there. It’s kind of a combination of your lunch room and your game room, where you can unwind, eat your food, and have fun. We have Pac-Man, Uno, cards, and a bunch of games where students can just come and play, have a good time, and unwind.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 12:07

How is the market in terms of our programs? What does the market look like for our students seeking careers?

**Monica Loayza** 12:16

Very encouraging, and it’s fast growing. I’d like to invite all the audience listening to us and our students to know that healthcare has been a fast-growing environment, and even though we had COVID and the pandemic, the demand for jobs never stopped. In fact, it has increased. I always get employers reaching out from different programs, including dental assisting, medical assisting, radiology, MRI, and electroneurodiagnostic technology. We’re also preparing our IT students and business students. The demand is there, the market is growing, and the adaptability we want from our students is important too.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 14:07

For sure. Before we get to job placement, what services are provided to students so they can get to that stage of being placed within their field?

**Monica Loayza** 14:19

All the students can access Career Services through the LibGuide available in their student portal. There they can find templates for resumes tailored to each program, interview questions, how to build LinkedIn, how to prepare for interviews, and professional attire guidance. Through our social media, we’ve also been posting videos on how to dress professionally, how to prepare for the job interview, and do’s and don’ts at the workplace. Students can also meet with me one-on-one. I do that every week, often every day, for mock interviews and career coaching.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 17:00

As students go through their time here with us, Eric, in Student Services you’re also responsible for some of the events or holiday happenings. Talk a little bit about that.

**Eric Valdez** 17:15

Yeah. We’re really inclusive here and very diverse as well. So we love events. We’re going to celebrate Valentine’s Day next week and Phlebotomy Recognition Week. We’re also going to celebrate Black History Month. March is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re going to celebrate Student Services Month next month with new events, resources, and awareness.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 17:47

And then we have graduation coming up in June as well.

**Eric Valdez** 17:50

Yes, graduation is coming up. Information is located in your student portal. Just click on graduation. It will be June 27, Saturday. But we’re still under the development process, so details will be coming soon.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 18:06

And once we get to the point of graduation, what now is our placement rate? Because I know it’s pretty high for placing our students in the career that they’ve chosen.

**Monica Loayza** 18:17

Yes, we make sure all programs get 70% and higher, and some programs get up to 100% placement. We want you to be part of that portion. The feedback we get from employers after students graduate is amazing. You can find comments and feedback from our employers on our website. We make sure the students get the skills they require and the professionalism component that Career Services has developed throughout the years. You can be the best MRI technician, but if you do not develop the skills of professionalism, you might not be able to sustain a job over time. So part of that 70%, 80%, and 100% placement comes with long-term sustainability. We want you to get the job, but stay there for a long term.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 20:10

Absolutely. Finishing up, anything that students need to know?

**Eric Valdez** 20:16

Well, since we’re still on the topic of graduation, if you do know of a keynote speaker, please reach out to me. We’re looking for a keynote speaker right now. Also, if you’re looking for your scrubs, your order ID, forms, tutoring form, all of those forms are listed on the Student Services site. In classrooms, I have created a barcode. Each department will have a barcode listed there, and when you scan it, it directs you to the actual sites.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 21:01

And anything students need to know on your behalf?

**Monica Loayza** 21:04

I would invite all students to reach out to careerservices@mccollege.edu if you want me to check your resume. I also have a link in my email signature so you can book an appointment with me right away so we can discuss your career goals and interview process. I also invite all students to our upcoming Career Fair on May 20 at our Evergreen Park campus. We’ll have another one for LaSalle in October. That day we can also do LinkedIn headshots, and big employers will be there for our dental assisting, medical assisting, sterile processing, and surgical technology programs in Evergreen Park.

**Eric Valdez** 22:22

Also keep a lookout for the new domestic student ambassadors. We actually had their interviews today, and they got accepted. We took videos and pictures, so keep a lookout.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 22:33

We’ve done some information on student ambassadors before, but provide that information again.

**Eric Valdez** 22:38

So if you’re interested in becoming a student ambassador, the deadline is done for this specific term, I believe, but you do have the next one coming in six months. If you are interested in becoming a domestic student ambassador, please reach out to either the Director of Admissions, Aaron Hughes, or the admissions team. Or you can reach out to me as well, and I can connect you with them.

**Monica Loayza** 23:05

Yes, that program is amazing. We have so many students that come with ideas and creativity, and they like to engage with other students. They come to talk in orientation class. You’re already working on your networking skills and communications and your portfolio, and you make sure employers get to see you too.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 23:32

It’s a very important program, and I’ve seen firsthand how some of the students are already working on their managing skills within their program, especially in Naperville. They do a lot of stuff helping their fellow students. You get a good sense of what it’s going to be like in the real world when you’re working in a group of people that you may end up leading.

**Eric Valdez** 24:01

Happy to share that we actually chose Naperville candidates. So we do have a domestic ambassador for Naperville, one for LaSalle, and one for Evergreen Park.

**Monica Loayza** 24:17

And one more thing about that is when you are asked in your interview about a specific project, or if you were part of a program, that is exactly the information you want to provide. You can say that you were an ambassador of the school, that you connected the community and students, and that you managed your time. You can talk much more about one project that ultimately showcases your personality, your abilities, your commitment, and your long-term direction.

**Eric Valdez** 24:51

And let me give an example. So our domestic student ambassador, Latifa Griffin, came up with a great club, the Tooth Club. She was able to get a partnership with Colgate and Listerine, and was able to get free goodies, and she’s going to utilize that for her portfolio.

**Monica Loayza** 25:11

Yeah, she’s about to finish the program and already got job offers.

**Eric Valdez** 25:15

So proud of you, yes.

**Geovanny Mayorga** 25:18

So congratulations to everyone. This was a fun episode. I hope you guys had fun. Thank you for doing it. Always like to have you guys here. Maybe we can do this on a regular basis. Thank you, everyone. You can follow us on YouTube, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, so we’re out there. Please provide us with your feedback. We’d love to hear from you and talk to you on the next episode. Thank you, everyone.

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February 27, 2026 (Spotify)