Support is powerful. Everyone needs support.
For Missouri State University graduate Victor Pagan-Cruz, support came in the form of MSU.
During Pagan-Cruz’s time at MSU, he came out as gay to his family and friends.
“My first boss at MSU was gay himself and we bonded well over it,” Pagan-Cruz said. “He was one of the first people I came out to. Still, to this day, I have a good bond with him.”
Pagan-Cruz spent six years studying and working at MSU.
He graduated with his bachelor’s in computer information systems in 2019. He earned his master’s in business administration (MBA) in May 2021.
Pagan-Cruz worked as a resident assistant for most of his undergraduate years. During his MBA, he worked as a graduate assistant for student affairs.
Connecting within the MSU community
Pagan-Cruz had a great support system at MSU from start to finish.
“I never felt closed off from anything I identified with while at MSU,” he said.
During his time in student affairs, Pagan-Cruz bonded with many of his coworkers, as well as his supervisor, Tara Benson.
“I loved it,” he said. “She was super welcoming and open.”
Pagan-Cruz encourages all students to apply for a campus job at MSU .
A new journey
Following graduation, Pagan-Cruz chose to venture into a field outside of academia.
He landed a job with Cerner, a computer and information technology company focused on the health care industry. He started on June 7 as a change implementation analyst.
During his training with Cerner, he noticed how much the organization cares for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Every single day, they say happy pride month,” he said. “They are super inclusive and have LGBTQ+ pride all over their websites.”
While starting a new journey was exciting for Pagan-Cruz, it came with a little uncertainty.
“It was hard,” he said. “I didn’t know exactly what it would be like with any job.”
Finding an inclusive and welcoming organization was important to Pagan-Cruz after enjoying positive work experiences at MSU.
“Do your research,” he advises College of Business students in a similar situation. It may be 2021, but not all organizations welcome and are open to the idea of diversity, he noted.
While Pagan-Cruz’s MSU journey led him to Cerner, everyone has a different path. He stresses that MSU is here to support you.
“I’m so grateful for MSU and all it has done for me,” Pagan-Cruz said.
“Coming in at 18, I did not know who I was. I’ve grown so much through the jobs and mentors I’ve had. It has made me the man I am today.”
The values of diversity and inclusion Pagan-Cruz found at MSU means there are options for all.
“I will never forget my experience or time at Missouri State and wouldn’t trade it for the world,” said Pagan-Cruz.