High School - Forest Park High School

Hometown - Atlanta, GA

Degree Objective/Major - International Affairs - Junior, May 2010

List personal highlights at UGA

• Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, INC. Founding Brother #4 & President,
• UGA Fanning Institute Leadership Sin Leadership Youth Program Lead Mentor,
• Vice President's Office of Public Service & Outreach Student Ambassador/Student Liaison,
• Center for Latino Achievement & Success through Education Pinewoods Library Mentor,
• Latinos Investing in the Students of Tomorrow Mentor,
• Movimiento Latino UGA Recruitment Program Volunteer,
• Sigma Alpha Lambda Honors & Leadership Organization Member,
• Hispanic Student Association Member,
• 2007 Mr. Latin UGA.

Why did you choose UGA?

Deciding on the perfect college was my hardest decision. I applied to six schools. But after looking at the pros and cons for each, I knew UGA was my calling. First off, I knew I could afford UGA with some help with federal aid, but also, UGA awarded me the Charter Scholarship for my involvement in high school. This was great because although UGA is such a huge university, the people here want to help everyone find a way to pay for college. UGA is also close to home, only about an hour and a half. This allows me to be close enough to go home, but far enough so that I can be able to develop as a stronger individual. Lastly, UGA offers numerous numbers of majors and disciplines. Coming to college I was set on majoring in Broadcast Journalism, but after hearing some stories about how students changed their major, I decided to take the safe route and go to a school where I can be exposed to more areas. UGA offers a great price, location, and opportunities, so it's no wonder why we are the flagship school of the state.

My favorite things to do on campus are

The majority of my time spent on campus is for studying. However, when I do get a chance to relax, I greatly enjoy participating in Dawgs After Dark. This is an event hosted by the UGA Student Union throughout the semester where on certain Friday Nights they have all night activities. These events are always themed; some of the past I have enjoyed were carnivals, concerts, circus, diversity, and others. It is completely free for students and we get the chance to play games, get free t-shirts, free food, and of course, hang out with your best buds and have a ton of laughs.

My favorite place to study

The one place that I have committed countless hours to studying has been the Zell B. Miller Learning Center, formerly known as the SLC, in the middle of campus. With two floors of study rooms, infinite number of computers, and a coffee shop, the ZMLC has been my second home in Athens. I visit the ZMLC everyday of the week and most weekends to ensure that I get my studying done. When I want to be alone, I visit the Library room, and if I have a group project, the study rooms are a great spot. But what makes the ZMLC greater than any other spot on campus is the availability of giant sofas; these come in handy whenever you want to take a quick nap between classes.

What is student life like at UGA?

Student life is very active on campus. I am involved in a fraternity and other student organizations. Everyday on campus you will find something going on in the Tate Plaza; whether it is a cultural presentation, bake sale, protest, or guest speakers. The students on campus are committed not just to their academics, but also their passion to help make change in their community. With over 500 student organizations to choose from, the opportunities are endless, and something that is great about UGA is that if you have an interest in something and there is no club or organization for it, all you have to do is go to Tate Center and request to start a new club. UGA wants its students to be involved and show their Bulldog Pride.

My favorite Professor is

The one professor that has made a great impact on my academic life has been Clemente Quinones. He is from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and he has been teaching at UGA for quite some time. His area of focus is International Affairs. I took a course with him on Inter-American Relations and since he is from Mexico, he had a very deep understanding of the issues and how they relate to both people in the US and in Latin America. His classes are very interesting and he knows how to interact with students to make the material interesting. During the course, Quinones opened my eyes to some of the serious issues facing Latin America, and because of this, I have gained a greater interest to work in this region to help change some of the injustices and find ways to stop criminal activities.

After graduation I plan on

With only one more year to go, I have been thinking on my plans for after graduation. I want to use my degree in International Affairs to work for the people. Government is where I want to be so that I can be the one to make direct impact on a larger scale. Currently, I am thinking about going three routes, either attend Law School in Georgia, apply to a graduate program for a Master's in Public Administration, or apply for Teach for America. Regardless of the route I choose, I know I will end up somewhere in the political spectrum or governmental sector.

What I like best about UGA is

UGA has given me a great college experience and numerous academic and extracurricular opportunities, but the one thing I would have to say I enjoy greatly is the fact that UGA faculty are willing to go the extra mile to help you adjust to college as well as learn about the opportunities available - they are more than just faculty, they become your family.

The UGA experience I will always remember is

Until I came to Athens, I never found an interest in football. Throughout my life I played some baseball and soccer, but never football. I knew coming to this university I would have to gain some knowledge about the sport; little did I know that the entire city of Athens paints itself Red & Black during home football games. On the day of my first football game, I woke up to the melody of tailgaters all across campus. I stepped out of my dorm and saw so much red and black with Georgia "G's" everywhere. As I got close to the stadium, I felt a huge adrenaline rush and was overwhelmed with UGA Bulldog Pride. The entire game was amazing, never before had I been so pumped for a sport I never had interest in before. It was not so much the game, but the atmosphere that made me feel so proud to be a Bulldog. All of my 36, 000 classmates, or at least it felt like that, were there cheering on the Dawgs. This day opened my eyes to realizing that I am at one of the greatest schools in the nation where academics are excellent, and student life is even better, getting the best of both worlds.