Name: Nicole Cordoba
Year: Senior
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Courtesy: Nicole Cordoba
Her Campus (HC): Hi Nicole, thanks for talking to us! To look back on your time here at Florida State, let’s start off with what first drew you to this university?
Nicole Cordoba (NC): Florida State University wasn’t necessarily my “dream” school; I applied to various schools in Florida and was accepted into all of them, but FSU was the only school that felt like home the second I walked onto campus during my tours. My experiences at other in-state universities, including UF, felt dry and unwelcoming. I remember being told that “other schools ask what you can do for them, but FSU asks what it can do for you,” and as cheesy as that may have sounded, that drew me in. That phrase has definitely stood out throughout my FSU experience and I constantly find myself talking about how much this school has given me in terms of opportunities, relationships, experiences, professionalism and an overall amazing college life.
HC: I remember feeling that way too! So you’re involved with quite a few organizations here at FSU, one of them being Dance Marathon, can you tell us what it’s like to be involved?
NC: I first joined Dance Marathon because I knew that the organization was involved with giving back to children with pediatric illnesses and injury, which is something I’ve dealt with all my life. Growing up with Type 1 Diabetes, I’ve known the ups and downs of hospital visits and doctors’ appointments since the age of 4, so I’ve always been a big advocate for raising awareness about my disease. Luckily for me, I had a very strong support system, including my family, friends, doctors, etc. This is exactly what Dance Marathon is for other children. Without the kind of support and funds, these kids would have no means of important technology/research and more importantly, hope. Being involved with DM allows me to give children the same hope that I’ve always had because of my amazing support system, and I’ve grown so much more passionate about advocating for these kids through this organization. It has definitely given me an even more positive outlook on my own disease as well as on life in general, and it is definitely one of the biggest aspects of my FSU experience.
Courtesy: Nicole Cordoba
HC: Wow that seems incredibly rewarding and a great way to channel your own personal experiences. Speaking of growing up with Type 1 Diabetes, what type of work are you doing as the President of Students with Diabetes?
NC: As president of SWD, I am not only running different events and meetings to promote advocacy and education about diabetes, but I am also giving myself and other diabetics a chance to be surrounded by peers going through very similar ups and downs. T1D is a much more complicated disease than one might think, and it definitely gets harder to control and care for at this age. However, knowing that other people are going through it with you and that you aren’t alone is beyond important. I’ve learned that through various camps and retreats that I’ve attended throughout my life, so I want to be able to give that to other college diabetics.
Courtesy: Nicole Cordoba
HC: What are some of the things you hope to accomplish within SWD?
NC: This year, I’ve focused on getting our name out there a bit more so that we can recruit more members and allow all diabetics on campus to find their safe place here. We also want other people to know more about diabetes and to forget about the inaccurate information that most people think of when it comes to this disease. There are many myths about diabetes, like we have to look a certain way or that we can’t eat many things–and our goal is to have students at FSU realize that diabetes is way different than what the media portrays.
HC: T1D really is something that most people aren’t familiar with, so it’s amazing that you’re not only creating a space for students who experience the same things but want to educate those who aren’t aware. You’re also a Peer Involvement Member for the Student Organization Advisory and Resource Board, what’s that like and has being a resource for others helped you find any passions of your own?
NC: Being a member of SOAR Board has definitely given me a chance to meet new students and faculty that I would never have otherwise. Being a Peer Involvement Mentor, more specifically, has given me the chance to help other students find their home away from home. This is really important to me because I was lucky enough to have a lot of older friends and mentors during my freshman year, which opened up many doors for me and got me to where I am now as a senior. However, not many people actually have these kinds of mentors. I love being able to tell people that if they’re looking to get involved on campus, they can count on me. Being this kind of resource has definitely shown me that I have a true passion for advising others, which I can definitely take with me throughout my career path as a nurse.
Courtesy: Nicole Cordoba
HC: No doubt that you are helping change lives of so many on campus! To wrap things up, now that you’re halfway through your final year at FSU, what will take away most from your four years here?
NC: The most important thing I learned throughout my college career is to put myself out there. As a freshman, I could have easily stuck to my norm and not worried about meeting new people or gaining new experiences. I could have easily skipped out on applying for random leadership retreats, talking to professionals when I had the chance or getting involved in clubs in which I knew no one. And although I’ve gotten rejected several times and have definitely made way more mistakes than I could have ever anticipated, I’ve learned so much from those experiences and I wouldn’t change them for the world. My biggest take away is definitely to always stay involved, always step out of my comfort zone and always take the scariest steps because they’ll most likely lead to the best experiences.