One day I was skimming through old Cathedral yearbooks at the library. I knew my grandfather had gone to Cathedral, but the moment I found his picture in the 1942 yearbook is seared in memory. Since then, internalizing Cathedral’s tradition of excellence has become more and more apparent as the years have passed.
I graduated in 2009 and spent all four years on the swim team, completed the Early Admissions Dual Credit Program, and co-lead the La Sallian Youth organization. My parents always made sacrifices to provide a private Catholic education. With the help of the Michael and Clara Miles scholarship that became a reality. It’s hard to miss any one thing from Cathedral, as I feel its presence is etched into the friendships I made while there. Admittedly, I do miss the echoing chants that our small swim team was able to deliver prior to our meets.
After Cathedral, I attended Stanford University and graduated in 2013 with a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering. I am a management consultant at Accenture based out of Houston, but spend most of my time traveling for engagements. I’m currently on an engagement in Mexico City helping an American telco establish a growth strategy in Mexico as part of our M&A practice. Cathedral helped me establish friendships and understand cultural nuances on both sides of the border. Utilizing these skills has helped me excel on this current engagement.
“What are you proudest of?”
I am proudest of my upbringing. Where you live and what you do can easily change, where you are from never will. Growing up in the El Paso and Juarez region is unique in that you grow up with a bi-cultural outlook on life. Establishing a hard work ethic and balancing it with an appreciation for friends and family is something I take with me in every phase of life.
“What lesson from Cathedral do you carry with you?”
We stand on the shoulders of giants. My time at Cathedral was great because of the camaraderie and friendships, but what made it special were the teachers, mentors, and community that so selflessly provided opportunities that I would not have had elsewhere. Wherever I go in life, I constantly seek to find similar relationships and provide opportunities to others in the same fashion.
“Do you have a message (lesson/observation) for a current Cathedral student”
There may be things about Cathedral that you don’t find perfect or that can become better, but overall Cathedral is there to push you to become better. Take all that Cathedral offers (mentorship, community, dedication to service, academic excellence, athletic involvement, etc.) and use it to empower yourself and others. The dialogue is there, you simply need to act upon it.