Jazmin Medina

How did Jazmin Medina, Beta Psi – Arizona State, spend her winter break? Sleeping in? Spending time with family and friends? Not quite, as wonderful as those things are. For Jazmin, it’s been a time of personal accomplishment and outstanding leadership, plus lots of Ohio State and Texas football. You see, Jazmin is the 2008 - 2009 Fiesta Bowl Queen. “The Fiesta Bowl competition is a scholarship program I always respected since my freshman year in college,” Jazmin explains. “First and foremost, it is a scholarship opportunity that will help me finance my tuition at ASU. Secondly, it is a chance for me to act as a representative and leader for my community, which is something I’m very passionate about.” That passion for leadership and community involvement, combined with poise, personality and a personal essay, helped Jazmin land a spot on the Fiesta Bowl court. After that, she focused on the intense competition for the job of Queen. “I was chosen after two months of interviews with several panels and KPNX, Channel 12, an on-line competition and an essay submission,” Jazmin explains.

The Queen and her court serve as spokespersons for the Fiesta Bowl Festival of College Football representing the board of directors, committee members, volunteers, staff and sponsors. The Queen and her court also attend some of the area’s hottest events, including the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (of course), as well as the Insight Bowl, the Fort McDowell Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship presented by University of Phoenix, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Brings You College Football’s Biggest Party and a whirlwind of many other events. “We will reign over the 2008-2009 academic year,” Jazmin notes. “It’s a busy time for me, being the Queen, especially when you throw in all of my school work, community activities, Kappa Delta activities and internships.”

Jazmin’s community activities alone would overwhelm an average person. “I am the co-president and founder of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting,” she notes. “I am the previous community service chairman for my chapter, a mentor to middle and high school students through the Be a Leader Foundation and a mentor to a freshman student through the Peer Advantage Success Program.” Starting college at ASU gave Jazmin new insights into the importance of community service. “I never had any mentors or people who really took the time to invest in my future until I came to ASU,” Jazmin says. “It makes a huge difference in someone’s life to have that support system and inspiration. I only hope to give that back to the student’s I mentor – since I know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the people I have had in my life.”

Being a mentor in the Be a Leader Foundation is one of Jazmin’s most fulfilling collegiate experiences. “I learned so much about the type of leader I am from the students – and what are the best ways to make a difference for them,” she recalls. “I can always see myself in their exact same position a couple of years ago. I am a first generation college student, and was completely lost before I went to college. I just want to be their friend, their cheerleader and their mentor. It is okay that we all encounter challenges and make mistakes in life, because it helps us grow and find out who we are. I encourage them to discover that in college. My hope is that by exposing those students to opportunities they never thought were available to them, they will become the next generation of future leaders for our community.” Jazmin, majoring in finance at the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU and a leader on her campus, has her career goals completely in focus. “I want to work in New York on Wall Street gathering the financial knowledge necessary to conduct company transactions in today’s economic climate,” she says. Jazmin has participated in six corporate internships with local accounting firms, Big 4 accounting firms and investment banks in Phoenix, Houston and New York to achieve her goals. “After doing a two year investment banking program after graduation, I hope to come back to Arizona and start my own not-for-profit organization in Phoenix,” she explains. “I want to start a study abroad program with high school and college students to teach microfinance in developing countries.”

Jazmin’s internship with Goldman, Sachs & Co., has had a huge impact on her life. “I worked in the Leveraged Finance (debt markets) product group over the summer within the Investment Banking Division,” she explains. “My group specialized in healthcare companies. I worked over 100 hours a week and absolutely loved it. Everyone I worked with was so impressive and there was never a day I wasn’t challenged intellectually.” She knew, however, that due to the economic crisis over the summer, it would be very difficult to land the full-time offer. “I just worked and tried to learn as much as I could,” Jazmin notes. “I never took my time there for granted because I didn’t know if I would have the opportunity to be in that position again. Thankfully, it worked out and I was offered one of the two positions that were available.” Jazmin’s school work, including her business school studies and work on her honors thesis for graduation, also keep her incredibly busy - but as is so often the case, good friends and fun times help alleviate some of the pressure. “When I am not busy with school and my extra-curricular activities, I try to spend as much time as I can with the friends who have become my second family while here in Arizona,” she notes. “I also spend a lot of time watching football and participating in the activities associated with the duties of the Fiesta Bowl court.”

Of course, Kappa Delta is a major piece of the puzzle that is Jazmin’s life these days. “KD has had a huge impact in my life,” she says. “I have learned so much from all of my sisters. First and foremost, I have met some of my best friends in KD and will be roommates with one of them in New York. I am so proud of their successes and was so lucky to have that in return from them. They were my supporters and family here in Arizona since my family is in Texas.” Jazmin’s favorite college memories stem from Kappa Delta. “Some of my best times have been when we do the simplest things – like when we all get together in our letters for lunch or go on a road trip to visit another KD chapter at another university,” she says. “It never really matters where we are, because I always have a great time when I am with them. I know that my college experience would never be the same if I didn’t have these wonderful women in my life.”