Jesse Chavez

As a young Mexican-American student who has lived in a surrounding of triumphs and failures, witnessed many ups and downs, encountered obstacles, and basically everyday situations, I can say I am definitely living life, and loving it. I strongly feel that we, as emotional creatures, need to experience the good, the bad, and the ugly in order to learn and grow. Because of this lifestyle, I promised myself that I WILL become somebody in life, and prove that the Latino race will prevail; and I have Dr. Langer and the Partnership Program to thank for allowing me to be the first of the bunch, and hopefully lead the successors toward a positive and bright future.

Currently, I am in my fourth year at the University of California, Riverside majoring in Film and Visual Culture (Communications) with a minor in Spanish. Aside from being a full- time student Monday through Friday, I work at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Moreno Valley as a waiter and absolutely love it. I have definitely taken in a lot of skill by being a waiter, and applied that to my own personal well-being. I have to be social, carry on conversations with complete strangers, and sell items printed in our menu. I can sincerely say that it has helped me open up and prepare me for creating relations with the public in entertainment. Secondly, I finished an internship over the summer at a division of Telemundo, a Latino television network, which made me recognize the importance of my native tongue, and how fortunate I am to have kept it alive. Aside from the hard work in school and my job, I have been able to make wonderful friends, rush a fraternity, and know what it means to be independent.

I plan to work in the entertainment industry, specifically in Public Relations and Advertising. I would really like to see more mainstream Latino shows, or better yet, Latinos period in the business. I plan on graduating from UCR soon and continuing at either Chapman University in Orange or at the University of Southern California and be prepared to enter the entertainment world. I always say, one should work to live, not live to work. I do not like to see the Latino culture feel as if the have nowhere else to go but the hard labor route. I know many of my fellow family members, and even old friends see a bright future for me, as an outspoken, intelligent, and social Latino, who will make it in the hard and unruly industry of entertainment. Something I hope for our generation, is that students realize the importance of higher education and how it will benefit them and makes one a better person. Not only does one gain knowledge in a specific area academically, but also gains tolerance, patience, surpasses bigotry , and learns the ropes of life, and being open-minded with change and the unknown.

Now, as a twenty-one year old man, living on his own, I know I have made it far, yet not far enough. I will not stop. I will continue to strive for excellence, so that my family, friends, old teachers, and Dr. and Mrs. Langer can be proud of me. But even more so, for the satisfaction of being proud of myself and having no regrets. Dr. Langer has been a wonderful aspect in my life, a genuinely heart-warming prologue ifI may say, to a long and exciting story. He came into my life at a time, where I was feeling low and to a degree, skeptic about my future. I was always a good student with outstanding grades, goals and ambitions, yet something was missing. I and the rest of the scholars were sent an all-giving, kind, and beautiful angel, to take under his wings. I thank you endlessly Dr. Langer for having so much faith in me and taking a colossal chance on a couple of kids, and brightening our futures. Thank you.

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