KRWG Public Media student employee Kienna Rodriguez brings us a series of interviews featuring students on the NMSU campus working to make a difference. In this interview, we hear from Fatima Oliveros who serves as President of the College Assistance Migrant Program Student Council.
Kienna Rodriguez: Fatima, thank you for joining us.
Fatima Oliveros: Thank you for inviting me.
Kienna Rodriguez: What made you decide to double major in nursing in Spanish?
Fatima Oliveros: My first choice was nursing because I wanted to work in the healthcare setting and nursing was my best option and I think it's a very hands-on career and that’s something I wanted to pursue. And with Spanish, my first language, I really wanted to like have something that help me with that. And like right now, being bilingual in New Mexico, especially it’s solicited. I thought it was a good combination of majors.
Kienna Rodriguez: What do you want to do in the future with these majors?
Fatima Oliveros: Possibly work in the clinic or hospital either close like Deming, Las Cruces, El Paso. Yes, helping the minority communities and especially help people feel more comfortable going to a clinic or just seeking help and not be afraid that because they are not going to understand a word, so just be there for them.
Kienna Rodriguez: Have you noticed people being afraid to go to clinics based on the language that they speak?
Fatima Oliveros: I know family members are like, oh, I'm not going to go until someone goes with me, because I'm not going to understand a word about it. Or like they can understand some part of it, but with then they can get into it more medical terms and they are not going to understand it. And I mean, we have translators and stuff here, but sometimes it's a very limited resource, so more bilingual nurses will be better here.
Kienna Rodriguez: You are a first-generation student. How has this affected you at NMSU?
Fatima Oliveros: In the CAMP program, most of the students are first-generation, so I feel very close to all of them, and it feels like something like we can accomplish graduating here in NMSU. And in my family, I think they’re proud of me. It makes me try harder, like to actually accomplish getting my degree. It’s special I guess cause you're the first in your family and my sister brother, they have some steps to follow and to just make it easier for them.
Kienna Rodriguez: You're setting the bar high for them. So, what are the qualifications to be a member of CAMP?
Fatima Oliveros: So you can just be a full time student from NMSU or DACC. Basically the NMSU Campus CAMP Student Council, that's how it works. You can accept any full-time student from DACC and NMSU, and anyone is welcome.
Kienna Rodriguez: You graduated from Deming High School as a top ten student. What advice can you give to others?
Fatima Oliveros: Have your goals set, decide whether or not you want to go to college. If you want to attend college, do you have any idea of what exactly are you going for? Realize what you want, but just have that in mind a set of goals and steps that you need to accomplish that just try to like be closer to people that share your interest and are going to actually support you in that.
Kienna Rodriguez: Did your family and those around you support you being a first-generation student?
Fatima Oliveros: They did. But I think it was hard for them because they knew they were not going to be able to help me so much. They wanted one of their kids to go to college and have a different job than going to the fields. But they knew that it was going to be pretty difficult because they were not going to be able to help me financially or like they cannot cross the border like my parents, so they wouldn't be able to actually be here. So, I think that was like the hard part of them accepting that I was going to have to move out and they not being close to me. But at the end of the day, they were very proud.
Kienna Rodriguez: What goals are you currently working towards as President of Camp Student Council?
Fatima Oliveros: Right now, my goal is to have more students involved in the student council. I want to keep being a member and helping them out and whatever they may need, like if they need help setting up an event or they don't know which direction to go, I'm going to be there. But I want to have more students being involved and exploring that leadership path of college, helping new students either become like new community leaders or at least help can be more recognizable around campus.
Kienna Rodriguez: Fatima Oliveros, is a junior in the Spanish and Nursing Department and is the President of Camp Student Council. Fatima, thank you so much for being here today.
Fatima Oliveros: Thank you.
