Nicolas Arredondo gets down to brass tacks, establishes plan for promising business career at STC
Student of the Week: Nicolas Arredondo
Overcoming challenges while pursuing an associate and finally a bachelor degree from South Texas College, Nicolas Arredondo credits his family for instilling in him a work ethic that enabled him to fight hard for the things he wanted.
Recently receiving his Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership (BASOL) with his mother Graciela in December, Nicolas says the experience enabled them to bond and push each other through rigorous coursework.
“We had a lot of late nights with energy drinks and late dinners,” Nick said about studying with his mother. “We would sit at the table just doing our homework and helping each other. She would always be the one pushing me, and sure enough it paid off. We would have to work at 7:45 in the morning and we would be up at all hours just pushing each other.”
Working in banking for more than 10 years, at one point, Nicolas says he worked three jobs while managing his school work. He said he would work full-time at a local bank and then bartend on the weekends. During the week, he would attend classes at night or take advantage of STC online classes to get ahead.
“My family always taught me that I had to work hard for what I wanted. I realized early that no one was going to do it for me and that I had to do it for myself,” he said. “I started as a part-time teller and then worked my way up to a prime banker, but I also needed more money so I bartended on the weekends that way it didn’t interfere with my work schedule. Working and going to school made me very disciplined on my actions and showed me how to manage everything.”
“My family always taught me that I had to work hard for what I wanted. I realized early that no one was going to do it for me and that I had to do it for myself. I started as a part-time teller and then worked my way up to a prime banker, but I also needed more money so I bartended on the weekends that way it didn’t interfere with my work schedule. Working and going to school made me very disciplined on my actions and showed me how to manage everything.”
Now that he has received his BASOL degree, Nicolas says he wants to pursue his Master’s degree and eventually attend law school. BASOL refers to the first competency-based bachelor's degree from a Texas public institution focused on skills that will help students prepare for a position of leadership in business, government, non-profit, or educational organizations.
“I like the numbers aspect of banking, the accounting and face to face interaction,” Nicolas said. “I like customer service and producing reports. It has been a very rewarding career but it got to the point where I realized I needed my degree. I saw all these people in banking who have degrees and it made me want to pursue my degree because I didn’t want to be at the bottom of the tank.
“A degree opens more doors so I realized I needed my education,” Nicolas said. “I took three years off, but it’s never too late. You can’t ever quit. You have to know that everything will pay off and it’s all very rewarding. Just remember you are doing this to better your career and your future. That will eventually benefit you and your family in the future.”
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