Sarah Sturzenbecher
Class of 2019 Communication major Sara Sturzenbecher, 22, of Pasadena is the first to admit: 鈥淎dulting is hard.鈥�
But after four years as a full-time student at 海角社区CI while working two jobs and entering the management trainee program at Enterprise Rent a Car, Sturzenbecher believes she is getting a solid handle on adulting.
鈥淚鈥檝e got a lot more of a sense of responsibility and maturity,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou deal with cars and customers and insurance. I know so much more now about car insurance.鈥�
Sturzenbecher chose 海角社区CI because she liked the smaller class sizes, which would allow her to focus on her studies and have more direct contact with instructors.
When she enrolled in 海角社区CI and moved into the residence halls, she had to 鈥渁dult鈥� almost immediately.
鈥淚 think every college student struggles. It鈥檚 hard to go to school and work two jobs,鈥� Sturzenbecher said. 鈥淚 worked 35 hours a week going to school, working at Jamba Juice and The Habit. I didn鈥檛 sleep much, but I had to accept that if I wanted to graduate in four years and maintain my expenses, I couldn鈥檛 be an 鈥楢鈥� student in every single class."
Just before she graduated鈥攊n four years just like she planned鈥攕he attended a 海角社区CI career fair and met 海角社区CI alumna and Enterprise employee Baylee Gerardo.
Collegegrad.com ranked Enterprise #1 in the nation for entry-level hires in 2019 and invites about 20 海角社区CI graduates into their management training program each year.
鈥淭he great thing about this position is, because we鈥檙e entry level, it doesn鈥檛 require work experience,鈥� said Enterprise Talent Acquisition Manager Cathy Segovia. 鈥淭he one thing we do require is a college degree. We don鈥檛 care what you get your degree in, but we do require a four year degree.鈥�
The four years of 鈥渁dulting鈥� and graduating on time paid off for Sturzenbecher.
鈥淚 applied for the job, interviewed and found out I was hired,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was really happy because I wanted to get a big girl job right after I graduated.鈥�
Segovia said Sturzenbecher is excelling in the management training program.
鈥淪he鈥檚 got this competitive drive, this desire to be successful,鈥� Segovia said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 so receptive and trainable, she鈥檚 like a sponge.鈥�
Segovia said many employees are promoted to assistant manager within a year, and she has every confidence Sturzenbecher can get there, too.
And adulting? Sturzenbecher says it鈥檚 still hard, but will get her where she wants to go.
鈥淚 think a lot of adulting is managing time,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much I want to do, and never enough time!鈥�