It is time to dig down deep for the Los Medanos College community as everything ramps up toward the end of the Fall 2012 semester. The time for finals is nearing, which means students, faculty and staff must ensure everything is set for the last leg of the journey.

Recently LMC Business Professor Robin Aliotti died she represented someone who bested both sides of this equation and managed both tasks as a student and as an instructor with evident skill and determination. It is clear that for those who knew her as a professor and colleague she was a source of light and inspiration to the college community.

The fact she went from being an LMC student to obtaining a Master’s Degree and then worked first in the field she studied and then came back to teach at the college is proof time and effort spent at LMC can turn into the fulfillment of ambitions by going from a student to becoming a respected professional.

For faculty her dedication to students and ability to reach them, so they can be move forward along their life’s journey and obtaining their own dreams can serve as a source of inspiration.Beyond these things her life serves as an example of facing adversity with courage and grace, and not allowing trials and tribulations to turn you aside from what is truly desired.

It will always be tragic to have someone loved go beyond where their voice can be heard and past where their smiles of encouragement can be seen. However, her example will stand as something of worthy of emulation.

Things worth achieving do not come easy. There will be setbacks and obstacles to wade through whether they be stresses from it seeming like there is never enough time, financial pressure, illness or the loss of someone held dear. Each of these things can seem insurmountable, but there is hope. There are ways to fight obstacles either by looking down deep enough to find a way to say – I must do this it is to vital to me to settle for anything less. There are some obstacles which may require the help others and by reaching out to trusted people it is possible to gain a better understanding of what is being faced, for encouragement or help that cannot be anticipated.

When someone who was held dearly goes beyond the ability to impart new words of encouragement, past words need to be remembered more clearly and the knowledge they are rooting on those they cared for still must be held onto.

Here is to hoping determination and sources of inspiration will win out as this semester ends and the dreams worth achieving will be realized. If for some reason they are not, may the lessons of what needs to be done to reach them be learned.