By: Jada Pan, Staff Writer
With the arrival of fall comes the college application season, an important time as students begin to plan their future beyond high school. Navigating this process can be overwhelming, but our new college and career advisors are here to guide students during this period. Mills welcomes Mr. Reyes and Mr. Hockaday who are excited to support students as they take their next steps.
Mr. Reyes, originally from San Francisco, moved to South San Francisco at 14, where he attended South San Francisco High School. After graduating, Mr. Reyes enrolled at City College of San Francisco and later transferred to CSU East Bay in Hayward. While he enjoyed his time at City College, he found it hard to connect with others.
“People call [East Bay] a commuter school, where people drive in, they Bart in, and then they drive and Bart out. To be honest, I didn’t make a lot of friends because no one was really trying to make friends,” said Mr. Reyes.
Before joining Mills, he worked in supportive housing, helping immigrant families secure affordable living situations. He also gained significant experience as a general manager in various quick-service restaurants. It was there he discovered his passion for working with young people. When this position at Mills opened up, Mr. Reyes quickly seized the opportunity.
“At Teaspoon, Salt & Straw, I worked with a lot of high school students and realized I loved working with that demographic, high school and college-age students. A lot of them eventually would open up to me and ask me about other parts of advice,” said Mr. Reyes. “I think of this job as kind of giving back to the youth. I’ve had old employees that graduated and they tell me, ‘You really helped me.’”
As a career coordinator, Mr. Reyes helps students explore career paths that align with their interests. He assists them through building resumes and developing interview skills.
“I’m here to walk them through that whole process,” said Mr. Reyes. ”Particularly for seniors and juniors, if they don’t know what to pursue after high school, I help them discover what they want to do. Whether it’s what to major in, if they even want to go to college, or if they have no idea what they want to do. I’m there to help them find direction.”
As for Mr. Hockaday, the other college and career advisor attended Skyline College before earning his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University. A San Bruno native, he graduated from Capuchino High School—“Mills’ rival,” as he pointed out.
Mr. Hockaday assists students with all aspects of the college application journey. He said he chose Mills because he “loves the culture the teachers have built.”
Like many students, he wasn’t always sure of what he wanted to do. Over time, he realized that helping others was something he truly cared about. This led him to pursue a career in supporting high school students as they prepare for college.
“I knew I wanted to help people in one way or another,” said Mr. Hockaday.
Outside of work, Mr. Hockaday likes to stay active and has a passion for coaching basketball. On the other hand, Mr. Reyes describes himself as a homebody given his busy schedule. He enjoys ”anything nerdy” and his hobbies include collecting Pokemon cards and playing video games.
Reflecting on his past experiences, Mr. Reyes shared some advice for students applying to college. Initially, he wanted to major in computer science, inspired by his interest in video games. After taking a few classes, he realized he hated it and shifted towards marketing instead. He encourages students to follow their passions as it makes work more enjoyable and fulfilling in the future. He also advises students to not overstress about the decisions they make now.
“I think exploration is like a big thing in my experience and a lot of my personal friends’ experiences,” said Mr. Reyes. “What they thought they wanted to do out of high school is drastically different than what they ended up doing career-wise. Try not to really think of it too much as a hard commitment.”
Mr. Hockaday offered further advice for students deciding on majors with certain careers in mind. “Follow your purpose and the paycheck will find you.”
As the college application season unfolds, Mr. Reyes and Mr. Hockaday are here to provide students with any guidance they may need. Their support ensures that students won’t have to face these challenges alone.
