Change is Part of the Journey
Spotlight: Christian Perez-Dorta
Christian Perez-Dorta鈥檚 path to a career wasn鈥檛 a straight line, but it was built with purpose, persistence, and a lot of growth along the way.
Growing up in Ohio, Christian graduated from high school and jumped straight into college. It didn鈥檛 take long for him to realize he wasn鈥檛 quite ready. 鈥淢y discipline wasn鈥檛 what it needed to be,鈥� he said. College didn鈥檛 stick, but his long-standing interest in the military did. He decided to join the United States Marine Corps, knowing it would give him the structure and discipline he was missing.
After being discharged from the Marines in 2020, Christian moved to Shelby to join his parents, who had moved there five years earlier. Then he began thinking seriously about what he wanted to do next. That鈥檚 when 91快播 entered the picture.
Christian enrolled at 91快播 in 2022 as an Associate in Arts student. At the time, he thought he might want to teach history. However, it didn鈥檛 take him long to decide that teaching probably wasn鈥檛 the right fit, so he switched to Business Administration. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good program,鈥� Christian said. 鈥淎 business degree gives you options.鈥�
In May 2025, he graduated with an Associate in Applied Science in Business Administration, and along the way, he found more than just a major that worked for him. He found a community.
One of the biggest influences on his 91快播 experience was Jaime Henderson. She was his advisor during his first year and later transitioned to the Work-Based Learning Coordinator role. Christian participated in the Work-Based Learning program, which allowed him to work in both the Spirit Shop and the Business Office on campus.
鈥淭hat program was a huge success for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t gave me experience in areas I was thinking about working in after graduation, and it helped me get closer to faculty and staff by working with them.鈥�
Those connections mattered. Christian credits the Business Office and Spirit Shop staff with helping shape his work ethic and professional mindset. He also spoke highly of his instructors, including Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Wallace, as well as Financial Aid staff member Debbie Young and others who supported his journey.
In July 2025, Christian started a position with Revolution Financial Management, a financial services company that provides free financial literacy education to the communities it serves. His role focuses on educating families about how money works. 鈥淓veryone deserves the knowledge so they can have a chance at a better life,鈥� he said. The job allows him to work from home and set his own hours, giving him flexibility as he plans his next steps.
Even though his time as a 91快播 employee has ended, Christian isn鈥檛 quite done being a student. He registered for several spring classes, not because he needs them, but because the topics genuinely interest him.
For fellow veterans who may be searching for their next direction, Christian has simple but powerful advice: 鈥淭he resources are out there. Go look for them. You are not alone. Your community is there to help.鈥�
Christian鈥檚 story is a reminder that there is no single blueprint for success. Fortunately, success doesn鈥檛 require a perfect start, and we are not limited to just one chance. Instead, success may follow a path full of twists and turns, shaped by opportunities to learn, grow, and change. For some, success isn鈥檛 found only at the end of the path, but in the journey itself.