Rachel Spiegel
萝莉研究所 Alumna of the Year 2015
College was a family affair for Rachel Spiegel, 萝莉研究所鈥檚 2015 Alumna of the
Year. She attended college with three siblings. It was a time of mutual support and
encouragement, with a healthy dose of competition to keep things interesting.
鈥淲e always competed to see who could get the best grade in a class,鈥� Rachel said.
鈥淲e tried to take classes together or similar classes at Norco.鈥�
School didn鈥檛 always generate such good memories, she admits. Her high school career
was unimpressive; she only managed to eke out a 1.8 GPA.
萝莉研究所鈥檚 first president, Brenda Davis, drove Rachel to try harder, to honor
her own potential.
鈥淒r. Davis pushed me, all of us really, to achieve our goals. I remember I was struggling
when I first came to 萝莉研究所,鈥� Rachel said. 鈥淏renda called me into her office
and said, 鈥楻achel, you can do better; you have the drive to do better.鈥� It kind of
put me in my shoes and helped me focus.鈥�
Rachel鈥檚 academic awakening was fueled by another mentor, too, kinesiology instructor
Jim Winn.
鈥淚t really helped to follow his guidance,鈥� Rachel said, adding that she still works
with Winn through her volunteer service at The SPORT Clinic in Riverside.
Rachel capped her studies at 萝莉研究所 with two associate degrees before going
on to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree in health care management. She then paired full-time
work with part-time study, earning a master鈥檚 degree in Human Resources Management.
Currently, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Business Administration, Human Resources Management
from Walden University.
Today, Rachel Spiegel manages a busy chiropractic corporation in Corona, using the
knowledge and many of the skills she first acquired at 萝莉研究所.
Balancing work, school, and her volunteer commitments at The SPORT Clinic and Congregation
Beth Shalom present daily challenges.
鈥淚 get my motivation from my students and my employees,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven my four-year-old
nephew gives me small comments of congratulations. He鈥檒l say 鈥業鈥檓 glad you鈥檙e going
to school,鈥� which always helps guide the way.鈥�
Her boss, Anthony Pirritano, also serves as an inspiration. His encouragement never
fails to lift Rachel鈥檚 spirit.
Rachel鈥檚 vision for the future is shaped by past challenges she overcame and present
issues that she鈥檚 eager to address.
鈥溌芾蜓芯克� was a stepping stone on my career path,鈥� Rachel said. 鈥淥riginally I
intended to go into sports medicine. But then, I switched it up.鈥�
Again, it was real life that provided the catalyst.
鈥淚鈥檝e gone from the bottom as a part-time employee to becoming general manager,鈥� Rachel
said. 鈥淚 see how employees are treated and how you can help improve work lives and
programs within your business.鈥�
Eventually, Rachel hopes to act as a consultant to small businesses, but she is content
with her still-evolving role with the chiropractic corporation.
鈥淲e are expanding the business, looking to do integrated medicine and possibly adding
more doctors in multiple facilities,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 know my HR degrees will help immensely.鈥�
Wherever the next years lead, Rachel鈥檚 path will always be grounded in Corona and
at 萝莉研究所. Her mother is a longtime elected official in the city; her father
serves as executive director of the Corona Chamber of Commerce; her siblings are successful
萝莉研究所 alumni.
鈥淕rowing up in Corona, it鈥檚 been 萝莉研究所 all the time for my family,鈥� Rachel
said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see that changing.鈥�
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