Active listening is a term that Milia Mahfoud has become familiar with this past year. With hopes of becoming a therapist, the opportunities that Fresno State provides ultimately will give Milia the tools to shape her career.
The 20-year-old Smittcamp Family Honors College student from Kingsburg was one of 70 students selected to take part in the Fresno State Mediator Mentors program, a university-public school partnership in which future teachers, counselors, social workers and school psychologists develop conflict resolution skills in school children.
“The program allows young students to feel empowered,” Milia said. “On a personal level, it’s been very rewarding for me. It allowed me to learn about adolescents and helped me develop my listening skills, which are essential for my future occupation.”
Milia participates in several other programs in the university and the community. She is vice president of the Council of President Scholars and is a member of the Recycling Club. She is also a youth intern at the Kingsburg Community Church and has taught the last two years in the Kids Invent! program through the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State.
“I have definitely enjoyed the past three years at Fresno State,” she said. “The Honors College has been my favorite thing because of the people I have met through networking. My professors have also been very helpful inside and outside the classroom.”
