We are happy to introduce some of our new Latin@ students sharing their hopes, dreams, and expectations with the community.

Fabián Jarrín

"¿Qué Pasa, OSU?" is an interesting magazine that is a crucial foundation for the developing Latino community here at OSU."

Fabian Jarrin grew up in Washington, D.C., and graduated from a small private catholic school called Saint Anselm's Abbey. Others in his family have attended and graduated from college, e.g. mother, father, brother, aunt, and cousins. His major is Pre-Business.

"I chose Ohio State because of its excellent business school and its multitude of resources. It was also highly recommended. I expect to acquire wisdom, while having fun."

"My concerns about my first year are the classes I will have to take next quarter, but we are going over that in my survey course, so I really have no major concerns. You need to make a mental plan for what to do in college and monitor your time properly. You must study, but you must also party or have fun."

"I did participate in some of the activities of Welcome Week; I found them informative, helpful, and fun. There are many organizations on campus that target Latin@s and I plan to get involved with organizations such as Alpha Psi Lambda, Club Tropical, and SALSA. These organizations are appealing because they allow you to meet other Latin@s here at OSU. I haven't really used any services here at OSU, but I am glad to know they are available when I need them."

Elizabeth Jiménez-Pages

""¿Qué Pasa, OSU?" has been very useful to let me know what's coming up at OSU!"

Elizabeth grew up in Miami, Pittsburgh, and graduated from Beavercreek High School, Ohio. Her grandparents went to college. Her parents are physicians who earned their titles from the University of Zaragoza, Spain. Her major is Biology/Pre-med and plans to become a physician.

"I chose OSU because of their promising academic programs towards medicine. Plus, I received a wonderful scholarship from OMA. I expect that I'll be in challenging classes in which I'll have to study more than I did in high school. I also expect to meet a variety of new people and participate in many social groups. I hope to experience a new lifestyle that involves meeting new people. I'm so worried that I'm not going to study hard enough for tests or quizzes, or that I'll be left behind in my academic process."

"To succeed at OSU, I will definitely need guidance. However, I'm happy to say that I'm receiving a lot of support from the school and the advisors."

"I went to the Involvement Fair and Community Commitment. Both activities were awesome; however, I think that they need to be planned out a little better. Everything was super hectic, and no one knew where anything was. At the Involvement Fair, I was able to find several groups that target Latin@s, which is great because my high school was mostly Caucasian. I plan to participate in Folklore Hispano, and hope to pledge for Alpha Psi Lambda during Winter quarter. Both OMA and the Honors & Scholars Program have been extremely helpful. They provide tutors and reliable advisors to help you during college."

Juan Cabrera

"[To succeed at Ohio State one needs] One thing: dedication. No matter what your major is, what classes you take, what extracurriculars you partake in, or who your friends are, as long as one stays focused on all the good that can come in the end then nothing else really matters."

Juan Cabrera grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended St. Xavier High School. His father graduated from the University of Cincinnati with an Associates Degree. His two eldest sisters graduated from Mount Saint Joseph University. His major is political science.

"The main reason I chose Ohio State was because of its size, both in terms of physical land area and population. OSU is so big that it is not difficult to make your own little niche within a giant student body. I also love how the campus feels like its own little city with activity occurring everywhere."

"My expectations for my first year are to receive at least a 3.0 GPA, become a member of a fraternity, and get involved with many different extracurriculars, clubs, sports, and social groups. I expect nothing but an amazing life changing experience at OSU. I've only been here three weeks, yet I feel like I've grown so much, become so independent, made so many friends, and impacted many others' lives as well. My only concern is balancing social activities with academics. One can become so involved in the fun aspect of college that their grades begin to slip. Other than that, I think everything will be all right. Some students graduate with a 2.0 GPA, but are so happy because they remained dedicated to the idea of graduating. Just apply that concept to anything and one is set for life."

"I did participate in many activities during Welcome Week, including rushing fraternities, playing various intramural sports, and attending various meetings. Though it was difficult sometimes to pick and choose which meetings I wanted to attend, I believe it all worked out for the best in the end. Welcome Week can be overwhelming for any freshman who is eager to join various groups. Just take a breather and realize that no everything has to happen in the first week."

"I am aware of a few of the programs targeting the Latino community, including the co-ed fraternity. I have yet to search out many of these programs, but I do plan to when my schedule calms down. I haven't yet utilized many of the services here at OSU yet. But I do plan to check out the Younkin Success Center and the Ohio Union soon. I have read the magazine, of course!!! I read last month's issue cover to cover, including the intro from Erica Lerma, the rush chair of the co-ed Latino fraternity. Awesome woman."

Jacqueline Abreo

"Self-discipline, self-respect, self-control, motivation, and initiative are all necessary to succeed in life and at Ohio State."

Jacqueline grew up in Richmond Hts., Ohio, graduated from Villa Angela St. Joseph High School and is the first person in her family to attend college. Her major is architecture.

"I chose Ohio State over other universities because I really felt welcomed, and I knew that there are so many opportunities here. My major and the location were also important considerations. I expect to grow more independent and to learn more about myself as a person. I hope that I can learn more about my major and become passionate about architecture. I want to build a foundation for my career. My only concern is that I am able to be in a safe environment."

"I participated in various activities during Welcome Week including the Convocation, the involvement Fair, and the Community Commitment Service Project. I think Welcome Week was a great way to start off the year. It was very well organized and left me even more motivated. I am aware of the student organizations targeting Latin@s. I plan to get involved in OHSEA (Organization of Hispanic Students in Engineering and Architecture) because it will be a way to learn more about opportunities. The Office of Minority Affairs has been very helpful. I have read "¿Qué Pasa, OSU?"."

Phillip Moncayo

"[I hope to] maintain high grades and get involved. Whatever I do need to succeed, I believe OSU has it already."

Phillip Moncayo graduated from Dublin Coffman High School. His father graduated from West Point, New York, and received a Masters from Georgia Tech. His mother attended college at the University of Maryland. Phillip is in the Pre-Civil Engineering program and is planning to specialize in Environmental Engineering.

"I choose OSU because it has so much to offer. From the countless major options to all the student organizations around campus; not a lot of universities can offer what OSU offers to its students. I expect to receive the highest degree of education which OSU has to offer. As a first year student, I plan on setting goals to prevent me from slacking in my education. Like everyone else, I am hoping to experience a great college career."

"The Welcome Week activities were well organized and interesting. I was glad to see all the student organizations out and promoting themselves which gave me an idea of possible organizations to join. I am well aware of Alpha Psi Lambda, OSU's co-ed Latino fraternity. I am also aware of OSU's organization for Hispanic Engineers. I am planning to join at least one of the organizations."

Nicole Soria

"To succeed at Ohio State I think that I need to just remember to stay focused and not forget that while school is extremely important it's okay to have fun too."

Nicole Soria, or Nicki, went to Loveland High School. Her parents are college graduates. Her major is aviation.

"I chose OSU because I really like the atmosphere of being at a big school and getting to know a lot of different people that come from different backgrounds and have different histories, cultures and experiences to share. My expectations as a first year student at Ohio State are simply to grow as a person and to stretch myself to the limit and, then, perhaps go a little bit farther. I hope my experiences at Ohio State will be positive and memorable. I don't really have any concerns about my first year at Ohio State."

"I participated in the activities that went on during Welcome Week. I am aware of a few of the organizations on campus that are targeting Latin@s. I plan to look into them and perhaps get involved in a few. Currently I'm looking at Salsa, and also another one that an RA at my building is taking me to. I like to get involved in these types of organizations because I love. . . my culture and being around people who love it also. Along with Spanish groups, I am also involved in MUNDO and Allies for Diversity because I think it's important that we take a look at all cultures with respect. Offices that have been helpful so far have been my Honors Advisor, the transportation, the buckid, and a few others. I've read ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? online."

Lydia Letticia Sandoval

"There are so many organizations to get involved in and people to meet, you can never get bored. There is so much school spirit and pride; it definitely makes you want to be a part of it."

Lydia graduated from Fremont Ross High School. Her brother graduated from college, and her mother graduates next year. Her major is Pre-vet, undecided, but probably will change to animal science.

"I decided to come to Ohio State because I love how big it is. Plus, it has one of the top vet schools in the country, so that helped. My expectations as a first-year student are that I will become adjusted to college life and do well in my classes. I hope my experience at Ohio State is a great one. I know that college is not for everyone, but I think and hope I will like it. I want to have fun in and out of class. People say these are the best years of our lives, so I hope it is true. My concerns for the first year are that I will let other things come in the way of my school work. I can't forget the reason I am here, and that is to get a higher education."

"In order to succeed at Ohio State I think you need to have time management. As long as you know school comes first and you get the assignments done along with the studying, you will do fine. At least, I hope so. I also think you need goals. Goals will help you aim high so you can succeed."

"I did participate in Welcome Week. I think it would have been a lot more fun if it did not rain. It was way too crowded in the stadium and I really didn't get to see all of the different organizations they had to offer. I am aware that Ohio State has many different Latin@ organizations, but I do not know their names or information. Right now, I am only aware of two and I would like more information about different ones. I am very interested in joining an organization, but I do not have the information I need to make that decision. The Office of Minority Affairs has definitely been helpful to me. When I came down for orientation, I wanted to switch my major and they were the only ones that told me what to do and who to see. I have only read the magazine ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? once and that was the one you sent me."

Lia Lissette Letellier Luna

"I have read "¿Qué Pasa, OSU?", and I find it interesting to see how the people from different cultures adapt and succeed in this American society, and how much they make their country proud."

Lia grew up in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and graduated from Gahanna Lincoln High School. Most of her family attended college, either in the U.S. or Peru. Her dad is a Marine Biologist. Her major is Textiles and Clothing and hopes to become a Fashion Designer. Lia came to OSU because it is an excellent school, and because it has an excellent textiles and clothing program.

"My expectations as a first year student are to get excellent grades, to be prepared to face any challenges, and to make lots of good friends. I hope and know that my experience in Ohio State will help me to get through life, not only as a professional, but help me to gain independence, and face the everyday challenges. My concerns are the midterms and final exams, knowing that they count as a good part of my final grade I don't want to mess up."

"To succeed in Ohio State, I need lots of time to concentrate in my school work, gain experience, and know how to manage my time."

"I participated at some of the activities of Welcome Week. My reaction was that the event was well organized, knowing that so many people were going to be there. I will love to get involved in one of the Hispanic organizations. I will like to join the Spanish Club because I will meet and interact with people that come from the same or similar background like me. All of the offices that I've been in have helped me in everything that I needed, for example, Office of Minority Affairs, Kuhns Honors and Scholars House, International Affairs Scholars, and MSLC."

Photography for this article provided by Francie Buschur.