#CYPossible: Shivon Ozinga, Mortuary Science
Completing coursework calls for celebration, and we are proud to celebrate with Cypress College’s newest degree- and certificate-holders. By achieving these education goals, graduates and certificate-earners are equipped to continue on their college path or find strong footholds in the career fields they’ve chosen. We’ve taken the journey with these outstanding students, and know that when they look to the horizon, they see what is #CYPossible.
Please tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up? What are your interests? What is your story?
I grew up in a suburb outside of Philadelphia. Immediately after high school, I went to college without any real direction on what I wanted to do, other than go somewhere new. During my college internship I was offered a salaried position in New York City, so I decided to leave school and start working full-time. When I left that job at 22, I decided to pack up a few suitcases and move to Los Angeles on a whim. About a decade later I was working as a massage therapist, volunteering for various hospices in Los Angeles, and seeking more meaning in my career. Around the same time, I met a mortician and after a lot of discussions about what she did, I realized that I wanted to learn more about this career path for myself, as I found the idea of being someone’s final caretaker very appealing.
Why did you choose to attend Cypress College and how did being a student here help you find your first position after completion?
I was researching accredited mortuary schools and Cypress College had the only available program in Southern California. While going back to school in my 30s seemed daunting, I knew this was something I had to pursue. Much like my sudden move to California more than a decade earlier, I knew that I had nothing to lose and even if this turned out to not be the right path for me, I would still have gained knowledge about a new subject and myself, which is always worthwhile, so I went for it. Thankfully, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself.
Being a student at Cypress College’s Mortuary Science program allowed me to find a part-time work study position at Forest Lawn while I was in school. Upon graduation, Forest Lawn offered me a full-time apprentice position and I am grateful to have been working for them ever since (more than 13 years later)!
What were you involved in at Cypress College? How did your path unfold and who were the faculty and staff who have helped you along that path?
Working two jobs and commuting to attend the Mortuary Science program full-time was certainly exhausting, but I was very fortunate to have instructors who believed in us, supported us, and pushed us to finish. Jolena Grande in particular would answer any questions at any time of day or night and always encouraged us to continue our journey. And I will say that her investment in our success did not stop once we graduated. Her own commitment to this profession and to her current and former students is awe-inspiring and has led me to so many incredible opportunities, like being on the Task Analysis Committee of the ICFSEB (International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards) and the upcoming curriculum review workshop with the ABFSE (American Board of Funeral Service Education). I have even returned to Cypress College as a Board member of the Cypress College Foundation, an adjunct instructor with the Mortuary Science program, and a scholarship donor. Additionally (and with Jolena’s encouragement), I am also pursuing my Master’s of Business Administration degree.
What did you pursue after completing your studies at Cypress College (at your transfer institution, in the workforce, etc.) and where are you now?
After I graduated from Cypress, I did transfer to receive my Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. I am also currently pursuing my MBA. In addition, I hold the following licenses in the state of California: Funeral Director, Embalmer, Cemetery Manager, and Crematory Manager. I have continued to work at Forest Lawn, where my educational and vocational growth have also been supported. I am currently the Vice President of our Glendale location and have also had the privilege of helping to create the Forest Lawn Academy of Mortuary Science, which has expanded our Work Study program to offer employment to even more students enrolled in the Cypress Mortuary Science program (we currently employ approximately one-third of the students in the program). In addition, I have had the opportunity to serve on boards that support the communities where I have worked, like the United Cambodian Community, Long Beach Police Foundation, and NAACP Long Beach.
What are your long-term goals? What do you aspire to?
I aspire to continue on my path of caring for families, helping my team care for families, guiding others in their careers, and making sure the students have every opportunity for success in this profession while positively contributing to my community.
What are you most passionate about? Why?
I am very passionate about this profession and caring for others. I consider it a privilege and sacred duty to hold space with a family in their grief while taking care of their deceased loved ones. Having lost my best friend at 15 years old, my father, my brother, and several extended family members, I understand how significant the journey of grief is, and how important it is to have people helping you who understand that. While this career is incredibly demanding, it is even more rewarding and I cannot imagine doing anything else.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the work I have done to help create Forest Lawn’s Academy. Not only has it benefited our current employees and given them opportunities to advance their skills, but it has also helped the students who want to enter our profession by offering them real-world experience and training, and it has benefited our profession as a whole, as we offer this education to those who may go and work at other funeral homes when they graduate.
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?
The only thing I would change is that I would have started when I was younger so that I could have spent even more of my life serving families in this way.
What one bit of advice would you give to current and future Cypress College students?
Trust the process and keep going. Even when it gets difficult. You will get through it.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Attending Cypress College truly changed my life. My family always talked about the value of education but as a first-generation college student, I didn’t have a real framework for why it was important or what that looked like. As I look back, the real opportunities in my life started with attending Cypress College. I hope to make an impact and help our future generations find the same type of meaning and opportunities in their lives.