Spotlight
Women Who Keep Merced College Running Share Their Wisdom
Spotlight
Women Who Keep Merced College Running Share Their Wisdom
“Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. Never be afraid to ask questions. Don’t forget yourself, your needs, your health. If you focus first on yourself, everything else will fall into place.”
Marisol Zaragoza | Accountant, Business and Fiscal Services
By Luciana Chavez Special to Merced College
In recognition of Women’s History Month, we asked several successful Merced College women to talk about their work and offer advice to other working women.
They first agreed that the way Merced College supports work/life balance, through efforts like the Well-Being Institute, helps them perform effectively.
“They welcome you here,” said Administrative Assistant Magali Laureano Perez. “If you go to someone with a question, they’re always happy to help. From my first day here, I felt that in a way I had never felt at other jobs before.”
Human Resources (HR) Technician Christa Bruner returned to full-time work in 2023 after years working part time to be available for her school-age children. At Merced College, she has enjoyed continued flexibility.
“Last week, my boys had their first tennis match, and I was able to leave at 3 to see them,” Bruner said. “We can make arrangements to do that. It’s not always easy. We all have important jobs to do, but the college values that balance.”
Added Accountant Marisol Zaragoza: “I see the college as a family. They know we’ll get our work done. We try to focus on health, positivity and happiness here, and it makes a difference. It makes the workplace enjoyable.”
Contract Training Coordinator Dorota Mimms says the effort is sincere.
“I feel like their emphasis on well-being is more than a platitude or checking some box,” Mimms said. “At every turn, they reinforce that taking care of oneself is a better way to work and live well.”
Let’s get to know these women better.
Christa Bruner
HR Technician
Years at Merced College: 2 years full time after 7 months short-term
How do you help keep Merced College moving through your work?
When people walk into our office, I’m the first person they see. I field all questions, not just about HR. So I do a lot of directing people to other buildings and resources. I also support the recruiting and hiring of permanent employees from beginning to end—getting hiring committees together, scheduling interviews, and sometimes taking part in interviews. I also hire all short-term employees.
It’s great meeting every new Merced College employee. I love HR because there’s a lot going on every day. We’re working with everyone else’s timelines so positions get filled, departments have the people they need, and the college as a whole can function efficiently for our students.
Share an example of mentorship you’ve received from another woman on campus.
I look at my HR coworkers, mostly women and a couple of men, as a work family. When I first started, I was new to the field. They were all so helpful and willing to share their knowledge, so I never hesitate to ask questions. ‘What does this mean? Why do we do it this way? Am I thinking about this the right way?’ They’re so great. Especially in HR, where we deal with sensitive and private information, knowing I can ask anything makes me feel confident about the process. I know that those connections, especially with my female colleagues, make a huge difference.
Do you have any advice for working women?
Find something you enjoy doing, and take the time to get to know your coworkers beyond work. Figure out how you can support each other and have fun with each other, too. That makes work more meaningful.
Magali Laureano Perez
Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Technology & Institutional Effectiveness
Years at Merced College: 3 years in April
How do you help keep Merced College moving through your work?
I work with Vice President Arlis Bortner to ensure our division runs smoothly by managing his calendar, scheduling meetings, coordinating with his directors and our dean, and handling everything that needs his immediate attention. One of my bigger tasks is managing renewals, like for software for our division and the district, making sure all of those are up to date. Then I complete requisitions for purchasing supplies, laptops, whatever our IT team needs.
I can also be pulled into projects. The most interesting one came last year when IT rolled out the Okta app, which manages our multi-factor authentication on campus. Everyone had to sign up for it. Clara North, our IT Project Coordinator, was creating step-by-step instruction videos for it and she asked me to record the voiceovers. I had a lot of fun doing it.
Share an example of mentorship you’ve received from another woman on campus.
Clara has guided me in all the work we do. Also, she’s a mother of two like me. She shares her experiences juggling work, school, family and that’s inspiring. We give feedback to and bounce ideas off each other. And when I get to work with her on projects, I can learn from her while also supporting her.
Do you have any advice for other working women?
Advocate for yourself. If you’re looking for career growth, tell your supervisor and ask if they can recommend something to help you. Also, everyone should develop open communication with their supervisor, so you feel comfortable when something comes up. And surround yourself with supportive colleagues and mentors. People with positive things to say will help you have a positive mentality yourself.
Marisol Zaragoza
Accountant, Business and Fiscal Services
Years at Merced College: 7 years
How do you help keep Merced College moving through your work?
My work behind the scenes helps the college operate. We make sure the financial information and paperwork is accurate so that Merced College is financially stable and able to do the most for its students. That’s our mission.
For example, we received a big federal grant during COVID. We were able to upgrade and maintain our HVAC system, put in our entry system and work on our greenhouse project. At Los Banos, it helped us start work on the outdoor gymnasium. The COVID block grant funded over 100 important projects. It felt good knowing we were able to use that money to accomplish so much.
Share an example of mentorship you’ve received from another woman on campus.
My colleague Liveth Barragan is a budget analyst who has this way of simplifying complex things, breaking them down. We have bosses, but we all go to her first with questions because she’s so knowledgeable. She takes the time to answer all questions, no matter how busy she is. I’ve learned so much. I used to work for a CPA firm, and that’s completely different work than governmental accounting. Liveth has always been my rock. She’s never once made me feel bad about seeking information. That has helped me gain confidence in my work. She tells me often, ‘I know you can do this.’ She uplifts me. She’s so humble and patient with everyone. She’s a wonderful mentor.
Do you have any advice for working women?
Embrace your strength. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. Never be afraid to ask questions. Don’t forget yourself, your needs, your health. If you focus first on yourself, everything else will fall into place. And support other women in the workplace. When we uplift each other, it makes a world of difference and we can all succeed.
Dorota Mimms
Contract Training Coordinator, Workforce Education
Years at Merced College: 6 years
How do you keep your part of Merced College moving along through your work?
As the training coordinator at our Business Resource Center, I meet with local employers and listen to the challenges they’re facing with their workforces. Then I connect them with resources to address their needs. And that could be anything—office and technical skills, career technical training and apprenticeships, or psychosocial rehabilitation. We have certification programs and can find internships to give employees new skills or professional development that will help them improve. We can train them in soft skills, communicating and working on teams that are not so strong among the younger generation. There is a large demand for that now.
We can also create customized training from nothing. That’s when it gets really exciting. A couple of weeks ago, we visited a business where welders were struggling in a certain area. One of our welding instructors joined us to see the operation and make a recommendation. The company gave us a wish list, we worked on a plan, and now we have an agreement to send instructors to do an on-site training. It’s exciting because we get to tap into our vast talent pool of Merced College instructors and quickly respond to the needs of local industries. In that way, my colleagues and I help strengthen the region’s workforce.
Share an example of mentorship you've received from another woman on campus.
It has been a privilege to work so many years with someone who just recently retired—Jonae Pistoresi. This woman was a tenacious trailblazer, a force to be reckoned with. She was passionate, at times exacting. She had a deep desire to pursue excellence and expected that from all of us, and yet she was so generous with her praise. She was remarkably able to see you as a whole person.
Knowing Jonae and watching her career and her day-to-day interactions with our team, she showed me that, to do great work, you have to lean into your humanity. She would approach tasks wholeheartedly. She was meticulous about knowing faces and names. She was the best example of a leader, and I will keep those lessons with me always.”
Do you have any advice for working women?
Seek out individuals who challenge you as much as they champion you. It is a unique relationship that allows you to be both safe and vulnerable. I found that dynamic has given me the freedom to be bolder and more innovative.