This is an undergraduate fraternity and we need more presence of us younger brothers in many settings because we too have a say in certain things. Our voices need to be heard.
my parents constantly told me that I needed to work hard in school to live a better life than they have. I always grew up watching my parents work hard at the Casinos they were employed at and I could see what they were talking about. It was tough to see them work that hard for my sister and I. We lived through some ups and downs, but still kept our spirits high. Honestly, during high school I didn’t think college was an option, let alone even going out-of- state for college. However, my senior year I worked diligently towards my academics and managed to get ac- cepted into Illinois State University (ISU). Since then, I have yet to take my foot off the pedal. I just finished my Junior year of college and I am maintaining a 4.0 GPA, as well as holding various leadership positions on campus. I truly believe my calling is being able to help others and that is why I am trying to graduate and start my career as a speech patholo- gist to give back to the community and make sure everyone who helped me along the way is also doing well. Garcia: I would say my parents are the number one reason I stay motived. I grew up watching my parents work hard every day in the Casinos of Las Vegas. They did tasks that required a lot of physical activ- ity and they did it to maintain a good life. They always emphasized that I needed to have an easier career than them and not work as hard. They keep me motivated to succeed and one day become a professional. The Journal: What motivates you?
support they give me is unreal and I am lucky to have that motivation and encouragement from them. I intend on taking care of them and repay- ing them for all the efforts they took to make sure my sister and I were taken care of when we were younger. Being a Latino male also keeps me motivated. As minorities, we face many challenges in our everyday lives that others would never find themselves in. I am motivated in showing the world that minorities can be successful in this country and we can make a name for ourselves. I take pride in being a leader because I do not only represent myself, but I can help represent people of color. Many people have the wrong per- ception of minorities in this country and I stay motivated to prove them wrong. Journal: What drove you to speech pathology as an intended major? Why is being a bilingual speech pathologist a part of your calling? Garcia: I was actually attracted to Speech Pathology as my intended major when I began working with the Best Buddies Program in my High School. I enjoyed being able to help out with the children in the Special Education Program. From that point, I knew I wanted to pur- sue a career where I could help oth- ers and give them back something they lost. As a speech pathologist, I can help patients reacquire or repair their language skills and in turn make their lives much easier.
Being a bilingual speech patholo- gist is part of my calling because I cannot let my bilingualism go to waste. My first language is Spanish and I intend on being able to learn how to deliver therapy in Spanish. I would say that it is my calling be- cause I want to be able to serve the minorities in the community I will work in. Currently, there is a high need of bilingual speech thera- pists and I do not want to limit the resources of my own Latino com- munity. Journal: Can you discuss other community service you are involved with on campus? Garcia: I am a dedicated student leader on my campus. At Illinois State University, I partake in com- munity service through The Black and Latino Male Movement. I am the president of the organization and we make it a requirement to do com- munity service twice a semester. We will go to The Boys and Girls Club or a food bank and lend a helping hand. Of course, through Kappa I also do a bunch of community service. This past school year we did various things: Trick or Treat for Change, handed out free turkeys in the com- munity, participated in a toy drive for the holidays, adopted a highway and cleaned it up, and also set up times to help out at Home Sweet Home Ministries. Community service is very important to my brothers and I. We know how important is it to
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