Adrian Hernandez, CAST STEM ‘23 initially attended college to pursue Mortuary Science while working part-time at the Majestic & Empire Theater and The Espee. Through his work experience, he discovered a passion for the entertainment industry and decided to put a pause on school to reassess his goals.
Since then, Adrian has worked his way up to his current role as a Customer Experience Assistant Manager at the Majestic & Empire Theatres and The Espee. Now, Adrian plans on pursuing a degree in Entertainment and Business management. Adrian has exemplified that when you are open to career exploration, doors open and opportunities arise.
As an Alumni who has pursued a non-traditional route of career exploration, Adrian has served as a member of the CAST Alumni Network Straight-to-Workers sub-committee. As a sub-committee member, Adrian has shared his experience as an Alumni who has primarily pursued full-time employment after graduation and provided the network with feedback about how to better serve Alumni such as himself. Furthermore, Adrian attended the CAST Senior Hiring Fair as a representative of his employer, providing employment opportunities to our graduating seniors. Adrian has also participated as a judge at the Stand Up Speak Out San Antonio Regional Fair and will judge at the upcoming State Fair. Needless to say, Adrian’s CAST journey did not conclude once he graduated from high school.
Reflecting on his experience as a CAST student, Adrian identified that exposure to critical skill building opportunities such as public speaking, project-based learning, and team-work, have positively impacted his success. His advice to current CAST students is to take advantage of the resources CAST offers and to trust in the skills and knowledge they gain throughout high school. Adrian shared that “every successful journey starts somewhere,” and his own story is a testament to that.