1 minute read
LIFE Lessons
TINA PEÑA
Written By Paula Brown, Assistant Editor Photo By Beth Hawkins
Tina Peña is no stranger to leadership. She’s been leading with her head, and her heart, throughout her life. Tina was born in Lima, Peru, and is a professor of Spanish and an interpreter trainer at Tulsa Community College. Tina serves as president of Mita’s Foundation, a Tulsa nonprofit created to honor her mother Mita’s giving spirit through supporting impoverished children in Peru. If that doesn’t keep her busy enough, she also has an award-winning television program, "Temas en Tulsa," a Spanish program that covers current events and other topics.
What are some of the most important lessons your life experiences have taught you?
Family Time
Spend time with your family while you can! Don’t work too much. Enjoy your time off. And I don’t mean to not work hard – enjoy your work too, but don’t work somewhere you resent it.
Go With The Flow
Love the aha moments! Life is so unscripted; you have to go with the flow and love these moments along the way. Too many kids want to live on their own so they rush through life; it seems like more students are postponing college because they are so eager to live on their own, and that’s fine, but go to college earlier and get it done. Take On the World
Start learning languages earlier. Learn languages, cultures, and the geography of the world. Yes, it might be stressful, but stress is OK – if there’s no stress, you’re not learning and doing. I share with my students often, you can’t be afraid of something new.
