Embarking on something special

When I arrived at the hotel at 8 a.m. exhausted from a full day of work and an all-nighter, I was told that a room wouldn’t be ready for me until 2 p.m. As I sat in the dining area trying to figure out what to do for the next six hours – when all I really wanted to do was to sleep – (Scholars) Aman Mehrzai, Jeremiah Armenta and (program director) Karen Catone approached me. They heard my woeful tale and immediately offered their rooms so I could rest. Listening to the kind, familial advice given by John Quinn, (alum) Willie Allen and others later that evening made me realize that I’m about to embark on something special – full of hard work and small acts of kindness by those who will become lifelong friends.

-- Rick Coca, California State University-Northridge, Daily News, Los Angeles