When Kaley Klingler was a child, she wanted to become a veterinarian or anthropologist. She even made plans to build a theme park called Animal World that would have the world’s largest vet hospital attached to it.
But sometimes, she found, things get in the way of dreams 麻豆精品 S� such as experiencing difficulties being away from home, adjusting to college life, living out of your car temporarily, and working multiple jobs to stay out of debt.
Her renewed focus and hard work will pay off Friday morning, however, when she graduates from the University of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management with a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in the field she eventually discovered and fell in love with: event management.
麻豆精品 S淚’ve had quite a ride over the last five and a half years, 麻豆精品 S� said Klingler, 23. 麻豆精品 S淪ome of my time was not the brightest point in my life. 麻豆精品 S�
Klingler graduated from high school in Indialantic and said that at UCF 麻豆精品 S渟tepping onto the main campus that was the size of a city really brought me a lot of different perspectives and a broader view of the world. Everything was like a culture shock and trying to keep up with being an adult. 麻豆精品 S�
Being on her own the first year away from home, however, was difficult to adjust to and she said she struggled with college classes.
She switched to Valencia College, where she earned her AA and where she said she had time to figure out what she really wanted to do.
麻豆精品 S淚’ve run quite a few races [nine half marathons, a full marathon and smaller distances]. I really loved the atmosphere there and started to think about how it would be to plan events like that, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淚 came back to UCF through Rosen…I loved it and the smaller campus. 麻豆精品 S�
Klingler credits Vanessa Cogswell, assistant director of student services and director of the college 麻豆精品 S檚 Peer Outreach Mentoring Program, with putting her on the path to graduation.
麻豆精品 S淪he is one of the most giving people I’ve met on聽the campus, 麻豆精品 S� Klingler said. 麻豆精品 S淪he had a support program called POMP that really made me feel like there were people to talk to. 麻豆精品 S�
But the joy of returning to UCF was met soon by other new hurdles unrelated to school.
She found someone online to move in with, but after giving the woman a security deposit and first month 麻豆精品 S檚 rent, her new roommate said she had been fired from her job. A week later the woman moved but did not return any deposits. Since Klingler 麻豆精品 S檚 name wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 on the lease and she couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 afford the place on her own, the next six months she lived out of her car and sometimes at friends 麻豆精品 S� places, all the while working two jobs and attending classes.
Her father was living in Melbourne and her mother out of state, but she felt she couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 ask them to help financially.
麻豆精品 S淭hey had both helped me a lot already with money for books and clothes or groceries, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淚 have a very hard time asking for help because they had already given so much to me. 麻豆精品 S�
By April 2015 she had saved up enough to find her own apartment and was half way through her Rosen coursework, but a month later as she was driving back home on the interstate from Sarasota, another car plowed into her and slammed her car into a concrete barrier.
Again, she had to step back and pick up the pieces.
She considered dropping out, but she said she really loved the Rosen campus and enjoyed her classes.
麻豆精品 S淚n the back of my mind, I knew finishing my degree at this elite hospitality school was my best option, 麻豆精品 S� Klingler said.
Rosen 麻豆精品 S檚 Cogswell said the student 麻豆精品 S檚 path is an inspiring story of resilience and persistence.
麻豆精品 S淚t was not an easy journey from changing her major and the life circumstances that she had to overcome, but she took advantage of the opportunity that she had earned, 麻豆精品 S� Cogswell said. 麻豆精品 S淭hrough all of the trials and tribulations, she dedicated herself to completing a degree. 麻豆精品 S�
Looking ahead, Klingler said she has found a passion for planning events in the emerging field of eSports, competitions that are facilitated by electronic systems and where prize pools have reached into millions of dollars.
麻豆精品 S淭hat’s my new goal, and five and a half years after starting with anthropology in mind, I’m finally ready to聽finish my last courses and begin a great career in events, 麻豆精品 S� she said.
麻豆精品 S淚’m聽hoping聽to聽become聽a pioneer in the eSports industry as it becomes more prominent. I see my聽life as a big adventure and can’t wait for the next chapter. 麻豆精品 S�