Diana de Avila:
CLASS OF 1983
Rockville High SchoolClass of 1983
Rockville, MD
College of St. RoseClass of 1996
Albany, NY
Earle B. Wood Middle SchoolClass of 1979
Rockville, MD
Flower Valley Elementary SchoolClass of 1977
Rockville, MD
Woodfield Elementary SchoolClass of 1977
Gaithersburg, MD
Diana's Story
Life
For 43, I've lived a full life and am happy to be "retired".
In 1983, I joined the Army because for reasons that evade me now, I thought I was too "dumb" for college. After a bad motorcycle accident in the military and feeling a debt of gratitude, I entered the convent and became a nun for 7 years. I left the convent and completed an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree and began a Ph.D. (I finally learned "how to learn"). I worked in the corporate world with a global research and development center and worked hard at climbing up the corporate ladder. I worked in Information Technology and ventured into human factors/cognitive psychology. I was also trained as a Six Sigma Black Belt and worked with global teams in Bangalore, India and Shanghai, China.
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002 and have had to readjust my life over the past couple of years. In 2004 I moved from the corporate world and tried my hand at being an entrepreneur. Now, I am officially "retired". My motivation and drive are a little more than I can physically handle sometimes and I just need to take it easy and have fun (I am back to music and creativity - not having to earn money since this is already provided). Army motivation still drives me. I consider myself blessed and am able to find the meaning in it all. (that's the convent speaking there) ;-) Enough updating ... I've just been trying to track down some old friends.
Right now, I have been living retirement by taking time to enjoy the things I love to do most like pursuing my love of music again (drumming, voice and guitar). I have just started studying Combat Hapkido with Cecilia. I want to take the opportunity to build up some of my strenght and confidence and push my limits (something I have always been accustomed to doing). Getting the chance to learn a great system of self-defense and work on earning "belts" will be great and a lot of fun!
I live life now with my partner Cecilia (we married in MA. in 2005) and things are great. CC is a doctoral student studying Political Science. We own a house in Malta/Luther Forest, New York.
Hope to see everyone in a few more years for our 25th.
November 23, 2007 - I am preparing for thyroid surgery (I have a tumor). Waiting for biopsy results and will have a frozen section during anesthesia. Will deal with whatever life offers.
You can read my complete (and extremely candid) blog at:
msplaques dot blogspot dot com
School
Who was your biggest ...Expand for more
crush? Todd Radford (by far the longest lasting ... where is he now??) and Kimberly David (and I could go down the list of the jock girls ... who knew?) I had a solid relationship all the way through high school with Walt R., so I never understood my "other side". Walter was wonderful to me -- I still consider him like a big brother today.
Which teacher inspired you most? Nancy Sullivan
And if you could do it all over again, would you? Yes, but I would like to have the insights I do today. High School was tough - hormones, ego ... all that.
Some great times skipping school (not too often), the RHS Band and drum line (monopolizing it as the only girl). I LOVED THE BAND and I loved being a drummer with all my guy buds.
Going to Florida and my buddy Colette (laughing till we cried) and preparing for enlistment in the Army. Sweet times for sure!
College
For someone who never thought she was bright enough for college, I have certainly attended enough of it (I've taught at one too!) It seems that I made a career of college. Here's my journey -- and I cannot remember all of the years, but you will get the point :)
- mid-late 80's - Adirondack Community College (A.A.S - Social Sciences).
- mid 80's - Keuka College
- early 90's - Rowan University (BS - Sociology)
- mid 90's - The College of St. Rose (MS.Ed - School Psychology)
- 2001 - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (began Ph.D - Human Factors/Cognitive Psych)
- 2006 - Skidmore College (auditing for fun)
Workplace
I am currently retired. Besides life as a Daughter of St. Paul and a Franciscan, I worked for Trans World Entertainment and GE Global Research in the world of IT.
Right now my "job" is keeping my head in some computer code to keep my brain active and sharp, and hopefully getting into Combat Hapkido.
Military
I enlisted right after my 18th birthday in 1983. I went off to basic training and military police school at Fort McClellan, Alabama. My basic training company was Charlie 10. I left basic and MP training and was assigned to Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia. While in the Army, I had a motorcycle accident and spent 9 months in the hospital.
I left the Army in 1985 on medical retirement. The VA sent me to undergraduate and graduate school and I went on my way as a psychologist.
I thank Uncle Sam every day for the bennies. Nothing beats them. Going into the Army and serving was the best and smartest choice I ever made. It helps me deal with the challenges I face day to day.
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