Professional Portrait

Hello! My name is Maricela Avila, a public relations student at the University of Oklahoma. I think the best way to learn a little bit more about me is by knowing how one of the most important persons in my life, my mother, would describe me!

If my mom were to describe me, she would tell you that she is the proud mother of young girl who loves to learn about the world in which she lives. She will proudly mention that her second oldest daughter is a public relations junior attending the University of Oklahoma. Although, she will most likely admit to still struggling to decipher what public relations really entitles for her daughter’s future career.

She will ask if being vegetarian is the new thing, because she finds it difficult to understand how her meat-based Mexican cuisine is no longer appealing to her daughter, who claims to be vegetarian while she still remembers her savoring tacos three years ago!

After explaining her confusion over my eating habits, she will tell you about the moment where she saw her daughter’s character evolve. The time her daughter’s ESL tutor hobby at the small local library transformed into a continuous passion to increase awareness for higher education among Hispanics. This cause still guides many of her current projects outside of the classroom.

My mother will also tell you that her daughter is a “big dreamer,” although she tends to switch career goals every month! She will add that her daughter’s second passion is traveling and exploring the world.

She will tell you about the time her daughter surprised her and studied abroad in Turkey, only to come home planning the second world trip. My mom will let you know that she doesn’t quite understand the big deal of traveling the world if there is no family ties in those places. Despite this conflict on viewpoints, she will tell you that she is her daughter’s number one supporter in anything she follows.

My mother will assure you that what thrives her daughter’s motivation is the ambition to become the best professional she can be, in hopes to inspire others to follow her steps.

Lastly, my mother will admit she admires her daughter’s sense of balance in life. Just like every design has to have balance, in life, balance is also the key to keeping and enjoying a little of everything in life.