As I reflect on what home means to me, I have to think about the people, places and experiences that molded my identity, values and beliefs during my early years; I also have to think about the learning experiences and incredible opportunities that shaped my development as a young adult. I will always consider my family’s house, nestled in the valleys overlooking the Pacific coast in Santa Paula, Calif., to be my home. I also consider myself a Buckeye. The Ohio State University has provided me with incredible learning experiences and everlasting memories that I will forever cherish. I have met the most amazing people here who have helped me in adjusting to life away from home. The people, spirit, and excellence of this university have created my new home.
The love, guidance and support I received from my parents and extended family established a solid base for my academic achievements and confidence that I could succeed anywhere because of the strong foundation they provided. My learning experiences at Ohio State have provided me the knowledge and skills needed to be a successful professional as well as a meaningful contributor to society.
I learned from a professor that “you never leave home, you always bring home with you.” This has been true with my journey. I brought home with me when I came to Ohio State and will bring with me the Buckeye Spirit wherever I go after I graduate from this fine university. I will enhance and enrich my sense of home as I go to new places, meet new people and find new opportunities in my career and in my personal life.
My connection to Ohio State started when I was invited to participate in the Office of Minority Affairs (OMA) overnight visit program. When I came to visit the Columbus campus, I knew this was the right place for me. I had made my decision, but there was much to do in preparation for leaving home and making the transition to Ohio State.
When I came in the autumn quarter, the transition was smooth. I lived in Morrison Tower as a member of the International Affairs Scholars program. This program gave me the opportunity to live with 70 first-year students who shared similar interests in world cultures and international affairs. Two of my current roommates, Pete Steele and Raj Nair, lived on my floor and we have remained best of friends ever since.
I learned how intimate and personal this large university can be for any student through the assistance of people like Carmen Álvarez-Breckenridge from Hispanic Student Services, and Shannon GonzalezMiller from OMA. These two women have played large roles in the lives of many students and have helped them adjust and succeed in the Ohio State community.
Realizing the necessity of getting involved and meeting others, I became a member of Alpha Psi Lambda, Ohio State’s co-ed Latino-interest fraternity. It was this organization that truly became my family away from home. I joined the fraternity later that year and I was able to build lasting familial relationships with my fraternity brothers and sisters. I rarely became homesick during my first year at Ohio State; I can genuinely thank Alpha Psi Lambda for providing me support. Beyond the lasting relationships I created with them, I also learned the value of time management and leadership development. The experience and skills I learned throughout my intake process provided me with the necessary tools and skills I would later come to utilize in my leadership positions across campus.
I also became involved with other opportunities throughout campus. In my first year I became a member of the Student-Alumni Council and a University Ambassador (campus tour guide). Both of these allowed me to serve the Ohio State community in a variety of ways, whether it be working with alumni or recruiting prospective students to come to Ohio State. In tapping into these various parts of campus involvement, I was able to provide a voice for the Latin@ community in places that historically lacked Latin@ representation. Through my work with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience, I have been able to connect with other Latin@ students and demonstrate that they can succeed and become integrated into the Ohio State community. I also believe my experiences and stories have given new insights to other non-Latin@ students who may have only had minimal contact with Latin@s.
Through many of my experiences, I have been able to meet the most incredible people and form lasting relationships. Many of these people have served as great mentors and role models, people I dearly look up to. Forming these lasting relationships also aided me in dealing with being away from home and my family back in California. These have been the people whom I can turn to for support, guidance, and inspiration. There have been times of struggle throughout my years at Ohio State, but thanks to these people, I have been able to overcome great obstacles and achieve great things.
I mentioned earlier the notion of bringing home with you, in a variety of forms including culture, knowledge, experiences, and support. Before the start of this school year, I experienced the death of one of my greatest role models, my Tío Mario. He was the first person in my family to attend college, and throughout his life he served as a leader of the family as the oldest of his siblings, including my mother. Outside of the family, he dedicated his life to the advocacy of education as teacher, administrator, and head of a non-profit organization. During this time, I learned to appreciate the value of family and the importance of utilizing what I had learned from him so that I could serve others. Although I can never pay him back for all he had given me, I can surely pay forward by serving as a positive role model and advocate for others. This is a large aspect of home that I bring with me to Ohio State. My family has instilled in me the importance of education and service, which I firmly believe I have been giving to this university over the years.
These values have led to incredible experiences in which I have received satisfaction from the work and success of others. As I now serve as Chapter President for Alpha Psi Lambda, I am humbled by the incredible work of my fraternity brothers and sisters. I also cherish having a leadership role in which I can make a positive impact on younger members. This last year I worked on a campaign for two of my best friends, Kate Christobek and Pete Steele, who were successfully elected as the Undergraduate Student Government President and Vice-President. This experience taught me how much gratification I could receive by working hard for others knowing they will accomplish great things. I was also “linked” (inducted) into Sphinx, a senior class honorary and oldest organization on Ohio State’s campus. This honor was quite humbling, as I became a member along with 23 other individuals from across campus that share the same love and devotion to Ohio State and have contributed to the university in so many wonderful ways.
I believe my most humbling experience was this last October as I was selected as Ohio State’s Homecoming King. It took me a while to figure out that the communal importance was more significant than personal recognition. The honor is a testament to the love and support of my parents, the guidance of numerous advisors and mentors, and the devotion of my friends. It was also an honor to be the first Latino to be selected Homecoming King. I believe it demonstrates the growth of Ohio State’s Latin@ community and is reflective of the numerous Latin@ students, faculty, and staff who have done so many incredible things to represent the Latin@ community. I truly understand that the recognition was just as much theirs as mine.
My experiences demonstrate opportunities available to Latin@ students. There is a strong sense of Latin@ community here but the university is also progressing to being more open to Latin@s in other areas as well. I encourage all students to take advantage of the opportunities available here because they will surely make your Ohio State experience memorable. The biggest thing I learned, however, is that no matter how gratifying the personal satisfaction may be, knowing that you served the Ohio State community as a whole will always be the most rewarding.
