Joshua J. Medrano

Name: Joshua J. Medrano, M.Ed
Graduation Term: Spring 2014
Major: Liberal Studies- Natural Sciences
CSI3 Undergraduate Program: MSTI & TTT
Hobbies: My hobbies are: reading educational pieces, watching movies, hiking, and finding new eateries.
Contact: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-j-medrano

What is your current status?
I am currently working as a high school biology and chemistry teacher and the Director of Robotics at Rancho Christian School in Temecula, CA. As the director, I network with local businesses and companies to provide mentors and sponsorship to support the team competing in the worldwide FIRST Robotics Competition. Additionally, I will begin work as a Research Assistant at Concordia University Irvine for the Servant Leadership Institute.

When I am not working, I am enrolled in the Doctorate of Education program at Concordia University-Irvine, focusing on organizational change. I am currently researching the dyadic impact modeling has within teacher efficacy, relationship building, and leadership practices.

What do you enjoy the most about your current status?
What I enjoy about my current positions is that I learn from an array of people and students. As a life-long learner, I believe that everyone can teach you something. Additionally, I enjoy meeting new people and building relationships that share commonalities, like supporting students, teachers, and future leaders.

If you could give your junior/senior year self any words of advice, what would you say?
If I could time travel and meet my junior/senior self, I would advise myself to master the art of scheduling with myself in the forefront. I am a self-admitting workaholic. I was driven to gain as much experience as possible through work and school; but, the workload fogged the importance of self-care, friendships, and travel opportunities. My second advice would be to be more vocal at workshops, training, and if you are TAing, take advantage of the teaching opportunities.

What has been one of the biggest lessons you have learned upon graduating?
The biggest lesson I have learned upon graduating is that saying no is not a reflection of your skills or character but your self-worth and value. As cliché as it sounds, we are our worst critics, and if you are like me, saying no can be challenging. Before I accepted that saying no is entirely okay, I used to get knots in my stomach and anxiety. I would think that people might not take me seriously or doubt my abilities. But, accepting that saying no is fine helped me be more effective in life and work because I was not stretching myself thin.

What keeps you motivated and positive throughout life’s hardships?
What keeps me motivated and optimistic through life’s hardship is knowing that I am fostering a passion for STEM within my students, helping them build life-long skills, supporting leaders in finding their voice, and enhancing their practice.

Is there anyone from the CSI3 program you would like to thank or give a shout-out to?
This is hard because I am beyond grateful to all CSI3 staff and professors during my time at Dominguez Hills (2009-2015). CSI3 was a second home to me during my studies and teacher development. Big shout out to Noemi and Xiomara for their support and mentorship; they are a big reason behind my success as a teacher. Lastly, I would like to thank Dr. Hamdan. I have never met someone passionate and dedicated to helping others succeed. Dr. Hamdan is a kind and genuine mentor; I have been grateful to continue our relationship after all these years.

Updated on 11/16/21