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If Pedro Santos puts his mind to something, he dedicates himself to getting it done. So when he decided it was time to go back to school and get his degree he wasn't going to let two jobs get in his way.
“It's hard to balance, but you have to want it. If you want it, you'll make it happen,” Santos said in his Norwalk condo.
Santos works as a caterer for two companies and as an administrative assistant for General Electric. But he wants more from his life and is determined to get his degree in business administration.
To that end, he turned to the IDEAL program at the University of Bridgeport. Keeping his life running smoothly has been difficult, but he is nearing the end of his coursework. The university said his grades have remained excellent, despite his busy work life.
Santos said it is important for people today to go through the college experience and get their degrees. His nephew recently quit college after his first year. Santos told him he will regret that immensely. “College gives you the tools to succeed,” he said.
For his own purposes, Santos isn't sure what he'll do once his degree is in hand. He has plans to remain in the corporate world and enjoys working with General Electric. He would like to rise up in the company's ranks and the degree is part of that plan.
"I was thinking about the future, and how I wanted to grow and how I needed to network,” he said.
Santos imagines he'll also continue catering as a side job for a while because he enjoys it, and the extra money never hurts. “I have to keep working,” said Santos. “Everything today is so expensive.”
As he nears completion, Santos said he hopes others, including his nephew, take to heart and heed his message of perseverance. “It is so important not to give up. Just always try to be positive in life and be willing to help others.”
