Esmeralda Delgado has never been one to think small.
“As long as I can remember,” she says, “my goal has been to be a CEO.”
A high school graduate at 17, she started her career as a receptionist, working her way up the ranks in the supply chain industry. Now majoring in business management at Irvine Valley College (IVC) while juggling the demands of raising two children and a successful full-time career, Delgado is well poised to realize her dream.
She enrolled at IVC after deciding to augment her industry expertise. “I was impressed by IVC’s resources and workplan for student success and wanted to take an important step forward in my career by expanding my international knowledge.” Now a purchasing manager at Fluxergy, a medical device company, that decision has paid off and she works with vendors throughout Asia and Europe. "Americans often think there's a singular way to do business, yet each global region offers a distinct approach," she says. “My studies at IVC broadened my perspective and opened me up to a more global mindset.”
Her job – which entails overseeing purchasing and ensuring supply chain security to deliver quality products at an optimal cost – necessitates meticulous planning, a skill that also comes into play in her role as a mother to Hailey, 14 and Nathaniel, 10. “I’m a major planner, she says. “I plan every day, hour by hour.”
One of the greatest joys of attending school now, she says, is “sharing this experience with my kids. We collaborate on our homework and know we are working toward the same goal.”
With fierce determination and a strong work ethic, Delgado has successfully navigated the challenges of parenting and professional success while making the most of her education at IVC. She knows that by harnessing the power of education and constantly striving to succeed, she will set a positive example for her children – and could one day attain her ultimate goal: a CEO title.