¿Qué Pasa, OSU? would like to say bienvenidos to some new members of the Latin@ community who have shared with us their hopes and expectations for their first year at Ohio State.

Jonathan Carmona
Venezuelan

"I expect to be challenged in a field of my interest and to begin the learning process of being on my own. I hope that I will be able to succeed academically, socially and athletically."

Jonathan Carmona, a Venezuelan native, moved to Redondo Beach, Calif., at age 11 and graduated from Redondo Union High School. His father graduated from West Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in Paper Engineering, and Jonathan plans to major in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Eventually, he would like to move to Spain and work as an engineer.

“I chose Ohio State because I have never lived in a place where the seasons change, the engineering department has a great reputation, and the track team will prepare me for my future goal to compete in the Olympics in the 400-meter dash. I also hope to find out more information [about Latin@ organizations], because I love meeting new people and finding people who have experienced similar things, such as moving to the United States and having to learn English. In order to succeed at Ohio State, I need to meet people who have the same determination to succeed in their futures.”

Maria Early
Mexican-American

“I hope my experience at Ohio State will be a memorable one, by working hard, getting involved and making new friends… I want to remember this time as one of the best in my life.”

Maria Early was born in Freemont, Calif., but raised in Clifton Park, New York, and graduated from Shenendehowa High School. In Maria’s family, both her mother and her father attended college, and her brother recently finished his undergraduate degree as well. Maria plans on majoring in Psychology, later concentrating on organizational behavior in graduate school to pursue a career in that field.

“I chose Ohio State because of its size and because it has so many opportunities and options that are not available to students in smaller schools. But at the same time, OSU offers so much personal attention to its students. I already know of three advisors I can contact in case I am feeling overwhelmed. I know that I will have no problem making the school my new home. I think that to succeed at Ohio State you have to be ready to try new things, and not be scared to admit if they don’t work for you. I think we have to see going off to college for what it really is, an opportunity unlike any other in our lives. For the first time we can choose what really interests us and make a career out of it. We just can’t waste this gift because it will surely reward us for many years to come.”

Julian Valencia Suescun is a Springfield, Va. native and a graduate of West Springfield High School. He is the second in his family after his brother to attend college, and he wants to study Architecture. His goal is to help others, specifically immigrants like his family, by working to achieve affordable housing, fair wages, and equal opportunity employment.

“OSU is a good school, with many possibilities and people to meet because of its size. I want to learn and expand my knowledge and meet new people. My biggest concern would be that I think time management might be a little hard. School work is my priority, but I would like to be a well-rounded individual and enjoy sports as well as relaxing. Above all, I believe that concentrating on my goals will help me to succeed here at Ohio State.”

Stephanie Sabater was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from James Ford Rhodes High School. She is the first in her family to attend college, and she plans on being a Pre-Med student and eventually becoming a doctor.

“I chose Ohio State over other universities because it has a good medical program and many opportunities. Though I’m afraid of getting lost and not having time to study, events such as Welcome Week, and other factors, such as the Ohio Union, my administrator, and current students that I have met at Orientation, have been very helpful. I hope to become familiar with the campus, get involved, take all the classes that I have to take and do well in them, and have fun while doing all of that.”

Natasha “Nati” Roman
Puerto Rican

“I am very proud of my heritage and would love to get involved with other students who share similar interests.”

Natasha “Nati” Roman was born in Chicago, Ill., and grew up in Lorain, Ohio. She graduated from Lorain Southview High School. Nati is the first in her family to attend college and plans on majoring in Spanish with the goal of becoming a music producer/arranger/composer/writer for Spanish music.

“I chose Ohio State because I was generously offered scholarship money and have been involved with the university since sixth grade. I also sensed that there was a strong Latin@ community here and that really made the campus feel like home. I have been planning on attending Ohio State for six years, and I couldn’t see myself at any other college. To succeed, I expect to really have to work hard and study as well as apply myself more to my work. I also plan on joining as many Latin@ organizations as possible including Folclor Hispano, Club Tropical, and the Puerto Rican Student Association, to name a few.”

Sarah Cantu
Mexican-American

“I hope to meet new people who are different from me and get to know them.”

Sarah Cantu is a Toledo, Ohio, native who graduated from Roy C. Start High School. She is the first in her family to attend college, and she plans to pursue a degree in Athletic Training, hoping one day to become a sports medicine doctor.

“Ohio State was the best choice for me because I felt that it was so large that I could meet new people and experience new things that I have never experienced before. As a first year student, I expect to meet a lot of new friends. I also hope to get started on my path to a successful (and long) college experience. My biggest concern would be getting lost in such a large campus, but I think I just need to make one good friend at OSU to help support me when times get rough. The most influential people in making my decision to go to OSU were my parents, because they went along with me to all of my college visitations and helped me look at all the facts and figure out which college was the right one for me.”

Antoney Ferrey
Cuban-American

“…determination is an important factor for success no matter where you are.”

Antoney Ferrey Grew up in Santa Ana, Calif. and graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. His father graduated from the University of Utah and received an M.D. His mother earned an M.A. from Chapman University. Anthony plans to major in Biology and then continuing to the college of Medicine and Public Health. His career plan is to be a doctor, using his heritage and culture to identify with the large Latin@ populations in the country.

“I choose Ohio State because of all the incredible opportunities it offers its students. It is also one of the leading research universities and a great place to take full advantage of state of the art education. I hope that my experience at OSU will be educational but also fun. I believe that a great deal of your education takes place outside the classroom and OSU has the environment to make it possible. I wish that I find friends at OSU with my same interests who would help me make the most of my college experience. I think determination is an important factor for success no matter where you are. I am aware that there are many organizations targeting Latin@ students. I am excited about being part of these opportunities. I have read ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? and believe that it is an extremely valuable publication for Hispanic students at Ohio State. It answered a lot of question I had about the university. Every activity and event at OSU has the possibility for exciting encounters within the Hispanic community and this makes me anxious for the fall.”

Katie Gonzalez
Puerto Rican

“I hope my experience at OSU will be a positive one where I will walk away with new friends and great memories.”

Katie Gonzalez grew up in Wauseon, Ohio and is a graduate of Wauseon High School. She is the second in her family to attend college, after her brother, who will graduate from Owens Community College this year. Katie plans on majoring in Psychology and hopes to be a lawyer after attending law school once she has her bachelor’s degree.

“I decided to come to Ohio State because I like the atmosphere, plus I ended up getting a full ride with my scholarships. I hope to meet new people who are different from me so than I can learn more about them and their backgrounds, since I lived in a small town for my whole life, and I want to step out of my safety net. Although I am nervous about getting lost and being overwhelmed by the size of the campus, I think that a good sense of time management and an open mind will be big factors in my success here at Ohio State. I wish that my experience here at OSU is a positive one where I will walk away with new friends and great memories. I also want to check out the Latin@ organizations, and First Year Experience has been very helpful to me as well.”

Jairo Alza
Peruvian

“Perseverance, patience and confidence in yourself are very important in order to succeed in anything.”

Jairo Alza, a Trujillo, Peru native, graduated from Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro High School. He is the first in his family to attend college, and he would like to study Architecture, eventually owning his own business.

“I chose The Ohio State University because of its prestige and popularity and because of its great cultural diversity. As a first-year student, I want to get involved not only in my career, but also in all the programs that OSU offers. I want to grow as a student and person by getting involved as much as I can, making friends, and increasing my knowledge. My main concerns are getting lost on the huge campus OSU has, roommates, and grades. I have read ¿Qué Pasa, OSU?, and I know that there is a great variety of organizations that focus on Latin@ students. I am definitely joining an organization because that is the best way to get involved. In making the decision to come to Ohio State, my dad was the most influential person, because he didn’t care that I would be studying far from home, he knew that it is worth it. All in all, I hope I can get the best from what Ohio State offers me.”

Cassandra Robles
Mexican-American

“Everyone always says college was the best time of their lives… I fully expect that to be the case here at The Ohio State University.”

Cassandra Robles was born and raised in San Juan, Texas. She graduated from South Texas High School in Health Professions, also known as Med-High. Cassandra is not the first in her family to attend college; her mother, three aunts, and numerous cousins also attended and graduated from college. Cassandra plans on majoring in Pre-med Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. Ultimately, after graduating from The Ohio State University as well as med school, she hopes to become a pediatrician specializing in rehabilitative medicine.

“Besides being the largest university in the nation, Ohio State also had every major in which I was interested. Also, Ohio State was able to offer me an array of extra-curricular activities that I would enjoy. I expect to make the most of my time here. That includes receiving the best grades I can while still being able to be involved in various activities. I hope to meet different people from all over the country and build long-lasting friendships. In order to succeed at The Ohio State University, one should realize the importance of time management. I would encourage everyone to set up a daily schedule that lays out time for classes, studying, homework, as well as time for socializing and extra-curricular activities, such as Latin@ organizations on campus… I definitely want to become involved.”