Did you know that 30% of Campus Services employees are Hispanic? In honor of Hispanic Heritage month we’d like to highlight one of our long-serving community members, Executive Assistant Sandra Parada. Sandra was born and raised in El Salvador and in 1980, she immigrated to the United States. Next month, she will celebrate 15 years of service at Harvard. We recently sat down with her to learn more about her life experiences and her work here at Harvard.
What do you want the Campus Services community to know about you and your life story? Well, I’m an executive assistant working in the office for the Vice President of Campus Services. I’m a proud Salvadoran born and raised in a small town called San Vicente, where I lived with my two grandmothers. I was eight years old in 1980 when my sister and I immigrated to the U.S. Crossing the border was a high risk. It was a long 30-day journey before we reached our destination in Boston, where my parents anxiously waited for us. Making it to the U.S. was relieving for me — my only hope and prayer was for my grandmothers, and other members of my family, who remained behind to stay safe.
I attended a Catholic school in Jamaica Plain where English was the sole language that everyone spoke. Despite the difficulties and bullying I faced from children because I didn’t understand and couldn’t communicate with them, I persevered in learning to speak, read, and write English.
Determination and perseverance are two important personal strengths for me and I believe that this has brought me success in life and in my career. I am thankful for the great opportunities in my life, such as having my two children, Ademar and Franceska, who are my day-to-day driving force, and my loving and very supportive husband, Dario.
I am especially grateful and thankful to my dear parents who each worked double shifts for many years to save up money to bring us here so that I could have a better future and a better education. And although I am not a college graduate and I don’t have a high degree, I am very proud of what I have achieved to make my family proud.
You’ve been with Harvard for many years. What brought you here and what has kept you? Next month on October 20th, I will celebrate 15 years of service at Harvard. I was first hired by an outside contractor that employs people for office work and custodial services. I was never told during the hiring process that the job I applied for was to work at Harvard. Upon receiving the call and receiving the details from the recruiter, I was taken aback by my realization that I would be working here! I was given the opportunity to work directly for Harvard, in FAS, nine months later.
Do you feel connected to the broader Harvard community? I worked for Dining Services for many years and during that time I felt extremely connected to the Harvard community. I believe the reason for this is the constant activity in the dining halls or elsewhere on campus. I was always open to volunteering at these events to meet with students, faculty, and staff.
Where do you find support or a sense of community at Harvard? I feel supported by many of my colleagues in the different schools and departments. When I need to organize a major event, the support I receive from those I contact for help is always of the highest standard.
What helps you feel like you can do your best work? I value receiving positive feedback from my manager for doing a great job or completing a project. Having a sense of appreciation, support, and value for my work helps me to give the best of myself every day.
Is there anything people would be surprised to learn about you? I don’t have a driver’s license and I don’t drive! I have amaxophobia which makes people anxious or fearful when they ride in a car. Driving has been a source of anxiety for me for a long time. The cause of this is a tragic bus accident that occurred in Mexico while my sister and I were traveling to the United States.
Has there ever been a time where you felt your background has helped you contribute to your work? Absolutely! When I worked in Dining Services my office was located at 65 Winthrop Street. The HR team on the 3rd floor requested my assistance with translation services. Providing assistance to the staff and helping many fellow Spanish-speaking employees with their specific needs was always a pleasure and something that I enjoyed doing.
Any closing thoughts? I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Harvard community for allowing me to feature my story during Hispanic Heritage Month. This is indeed an honor for me and I take great pride in talking about where I am from and how and why I came to the United States.