Not many recent college graduates can say truthfully they hold an administrative position at a major university. But for Juan Guardia, a 2006 ISU graduate, that statement is true.

Guardia is currently the director of Multicultural Affairs at Florida State University. He is also an adjunct professor in the higher education graduate program at Florida State.

“I love my job,” he said. “Coming to work is nice.”

As the director of Multicultural Affairs, Guardia said he works for “advocacy and services for our students at FSU.”

He said he was offered the position right after he graduated from Iowa State with a doctorate in education leadership in 2006.

Before attending Iowa State, Guardia, who’s originally from Homestead, Fla., earned his associate degree in broadcasting from Miami Dade College, his bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida State, and his master’s degree in higher education also from Florida State.

Guardia was working in the Office of Diversity and Programs at George Mason University when Larry Ebbers, ISU professor of higher education, first told him about the ISU Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

“He told me about the program and within a week, he was already mailing me promotional material,” Guardia said.

In Nov. 2002, Guardia visited the campus; he began attending Iowa State in 2003.

“I fell in love with the place,” he said. “[But] I’m from south Florida with beaches, so it was kind of a culture shock.”

While at Iowa State, Guardia was a graduate research assistant for Nancy Evans, professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. He also worked on a review board for the Journal of College Student Development.

“We reviewed the submissions at the back of the book,” Guardia said. “The skills I required during those sessions were great.”

Guardia said he liked that ISU professors offered their students opportunities to be involved in future career fields.

“They always encouraged us to be involved with professional development,” he said.

In addition to professional development, Guardia was involved in other activities at Iowa State. For instance, he was in the Phi Iota Alpha Latino fraternity, involved with the multicultural leadership summit and a member of the Multicultural Task Force.

Guardia is also a member of the American College Personnel Association and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. He recommended that students become members of associations, societies and other groups related to their career fields.

“It’s an opportunity to network,” he said. “You also get a lot of knowledge and experience.”

Guardia said networking is important because it allows you to “get your name out there.”

“When you’re networking, you represent yourself and your institution,” he said. “And, that’s how people are going to know you.”

He also recommended for students to partake in some “theory to practice” activities. He said that students should do internships as well as volunteer opportunities.

“Experience alone will definitely be beneficial to you. It will strengthen your resume,” he said. “If you have the opportunity to do an internship or to volunteer, you definitely should. It will make you a stronger candidate.”

Guardia said he loves his job and his home state, but he will forever be thankful for what he learned and experienced at Iowa State.

“I have no regrets,” he said about attending Iowa State. “It was the best decision I ever made.”