Colorado State University-Pueblo student Brenda Mariscal was very selective while choosing a college.

"I knew I wanted to go to a small school, one where I would get to know my professors and I wouldn't be in a class with 100 other students," she said. "I didn't even apply to CU or CSU-Fort Collins. They were too big. But when I heard about CSU-Pueblo, I was very interested in what it had to offer."

  After a visit to CSU-Pueblo, Mariscal said, her decision was solidified.

  "Right away, I knew this was the place where I wanted to be," said the 2006 Harrison High School graduate. "The people were all real nice, the professors were great and the campus itself made me feel right at home."

  As Mariscal prepares to leave her "home" of the past four years when she graduates May 1, she will do so as the university's top graduating senior and recipient of the 2010 Threlkeld Award of Excellence.

  The award is given in honor of  the  late  Budge Threlkeld, a longtime professor and administrator at the university, to a graduating senior who demonstrates excellence in academic and extracurricular activities and for service to the university and the community.

  As the Threlkeld recipient, Mariscal will be recognized at the commencement ceremony, and she will be the first to receive her diploma.

  Mariscal will graduate with double majors in business administration and Spanish. She was selected from seven finalists for the award.

 "Wow, to me this is such a great honor," said Mariscal, who has a 3.93 GPA. "I work hard, not to get noticed, but because that's who I am. It's just really nice to know that people appreciate you for all you do."

  Mariscal grew up in Los Angeles and moved with her parents, both Mexican immigrants, to Colorado Springs when she was in high school. She is the third of four children of Juan Mariscal and Luz Arciniega.

  It was in high school, Mariscal said, that she took an accounting class and excelled, prompting her to continue that course of study in college.

   "I loved working with numbers. I'm super-organized, and I pay attention to details. So accounting was a perfect fit for me," she said. "I decided to stick with it in college, and here I am."

 Mariscal decided to pursue a second major in Spanish, her first language.

 "I love the language. It's a big part of my culture. I feel that if I lose the language then I'll lose my culture, and I don't want to do that."

  In 2008, Mariscal spent the summer taking Spanish classes in Mexico.

  The combination of accounting and Spanish is a perfect fit for her short-term and long-term career goals, Mariscal said.

   "They both fill a critical need, especially since I'll be going back to L.A., and they have so many small, Hispanic businesses there. I hope to combine the accounting and the Spanish to help those small businesses."

  Mariscal already has a job lined up as an external auditor with the prestigious accounting firm of Deloitte and Touch, LLP in Los Angeles. She will begin her job in August, after spending two months in South Asia on a mission trip.

 Mariscal said she received the job offer last summer at the conclusion of an internship at Deloitte.

  "I've been very, very fortunate. Deloitte and Touch are a ‘big four’ auditor, and they only recruit from top universities," said Mariscal, 21.

  She was able to obtain the internship through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

  Mariscal said her eventual goal is to help recruit Hispanics into the company.

  Already having secured a job has been a huge relief, Mariscal said.

  "It's been nice because I've been able to focus all of my attention on my classes this year. I don't have to worry about trying to balance school with looking for a job."

  In addition to attending classes at CSU-Pueblo, Mariscal said she's also served as a tutor and a mentor with the Upward Bound program and has been an active member of the university's Christian Challenge organization and the Hasan School of Business dean's council.

  She also has volunteered at the Eagles Wings Youth Ranch, Pueblo Child Advocacy Center, the Latino Chamber of Commerce, Midwestern Baptist Seminary, Tom and Louie's Cupboard and the Pueblo Human Relations Commission.

  Mariscal said as she prepares to graduate from CSU-Pueblo, she's looking forward to the next step in life.

  "I'm excited to be going back to L.A. because I know there are a lot of opportunities out there," she said. "But I also want to stay connected to CSU-Pueblo and Pueblo in general."

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