Yo no nací en los Estados Unidos. That translates to: I wasn’t born in the United States. Those who know me well know that I was born in Mexico. Spanish was my first language, and I spent the first seven years of my life in Mexico City surrounded by family, culture, and a deep love for sports, especially soccer. For a long time, I believed Mexico would be the only place I would ever call home.

That all changed when I was seven years old.

My parents made the life-changing decision to move to the United States for my dad’s job. I was heartbroken. To me, it felt like my life was being reset. I was leaving behind everything I knew — my family, my friends, my home. Instead of accepting it, I resisted it, cried, and feared what came next, especially because I didn’t know English. The only word I could say was “hi.”

In August 2010, I moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia. The first four months were miserable. I struggled to learn the language, make friends, and adjust to a completely new life. I begged my parents to go back, but eventually, I realized that there was no going back. That’s where the leap of faith began.

If you know me, you know I love superhero movies, especially “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”. In the film, Miles Morales struggles to embrace his role as Spider-Man, but when everything is on the line, he takes a literal leap of faith and, in doing so, overcomes his fear of the unknown.

As I sit here writing my column, that idea has stayed with me because throughout my life, every turning point required the same thing: a leap of faith. So, without further ado, let me summarize for you how I applied this throughout my life, including my time at Penn State.

My First Leap Of Faith

After struggling to learn English for four months, my mom decided to start sending me with a tutor. I didn’t want to go, but I had no choice, so I had to try to make the most of it. Little did I know that these tutoring sessions would become life-changing for me. What started as something I resisted quickly became something I looked forward to. My tutor made learning fun, and slowly, I began to improve. As my confidence grew, I took my first real leap of faith: I stepped outside of those sessions and started talking to my classmates and joined activities I enjoyed, like playing soccer. That leap changed my life.

I began making friends. I was becoming more comfortable speaking English. I started to enjoy school, and for the first time, I felt at home. Within a year, the kid who once begged to leave the United States no longer existed. I finally adapted, grew, and found balance as a bilingual student. None of it would have been possible without my parents and my tutor.

My Penn State Connection

When I first moved to the U.S., I knew nothing about college sports. Coming from Mexico, it was a culture shock to see how dominant football was compared to soccer. At one point, I even became an Alabama fan and even wanted to go there for college (yes, I know I was a bandwagon for that).

That all changed in 2016 as I watched Penn State upset No. 2 Ohio State during its annual White Out. Watching this game on TV made me fall in love with the school. It felt exhilarating to see the Nittany Lions pull off one of the greatest wins in school history in front of an incredible atmosphere. As someone who loves an underdog story, this game made me start rooting for Penn State. The more I watched, the more it won me over.

Two years later, my brother committed to going to Penn State. When I visited campus for the first time to help him move into his dorm, I started to envision myself there in the future. Almost three months later, I went to my first Penn State football game with my parents to see them take on Wisconsin. It was bitterly cold, and we were sitting in the nosebleeds, but it didn’t matter. It was incredible to be part of the atmosphere for the first time in-person. That’s when I knew that I wanted to be a Nittany Lion.

When it came time to apply to college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study. I didn’t want to go in undecided, so I took a chance on broadcast journalism, something my parents believed I was good at. I applied to five universities, but becoming a Nittany Lion was always the goal. When I was accepted to University Park, it was a no-doubter for me where I was going.

Three months after my brother graduated from Penn State, the torch was officially passed to me as I moved into my freshman dorm in Mifflin Hall in August 2022. From there, my Penn State journey officially began.

My First Year At Penn State

I’ll admit my first semester wasn’t the easiest. I struggled to be away from my parents. I focused heavily on academics and struggled to find clubs to get involved with. I had trouble finding my place and spent most of my time in my dorm. I even started questioning whether broadcast journalism was right for me. For that reason, I knew something had to change after the semester if I really wanted to enjoy all four years here.

During my second semester, I remembered my brother’s advice: go to the club fair. That’s when I found the Sports Business Club. Joining SBC changed everything. I began to network with professionals in the sports industry, go on club trips, and most importantly, make friends who shared my interests. For the first time, I felt like I found my footing at Penn State.

My Second Leap Of Faith

Despite finally finding my place at Penn State, something still didn’t feel right for me. While I continued to aspire to work in the sports industry, I still didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do. It was something I kept contemplating. Then, during the summer of 2023, tragedy struck my family and me.

My dog, Pumba, who had been part of my life since Mexico, got extremely sick. While my mom and I were in Mexico visiting family, my dad called to say it was time to put him down. I never got to say goodbye. This broke me a lot because he was a huge piece of my family that gave us a lot of love and brought out the best in us.

Despite loving him so much, I felt that I didn’t take full advantage of having him around for 14 years. With my sophomore year nearing, all I wanted to do was distract myself as much as possible from grieving my dog’s death by doing as many things as possible. This made me learn the valuable lesson to appreciate everything while you have it before it’s gone. I carried that mindset into my sophomore year.

To do that, I took another leap of faith. I applied to Onward State, a committee position in SBC, and joined 360 Sports (known as TDAY Sports at the time) despite having little to no experience and a fear of going on-air. It turned out to be the best decision I made at Penn State. I was accepted into Onward State, got the committee position in SBC, and began to get involved with 360 Sports as an on-air analyst and camera operator. I was maximizing my opportunities as I was gaining leadership skills and overcoming my fear of going on-air as an analyst to talk about sports, along with getting out of my comfort zone as a camera operator.

However, the same couldn’t be said with Onward State. I only wrote six articles as a contributor, as I struggled with confidence after my early recaps didn’t go well. At one point, I contemplated quitting Onward State and dedicating all my time to the Sports Business Club and 360 Sports. However, I remembered something my parents taught me: honor your commitments. For that reason, I promised myself to stick it out till the end of the year before reevaluating this decision.

My Final Leap Of Faith

Staying at Onward State meant that I was going to have to push myself harder to honor my commitment. One day, I volunteered to cover a Penn State men’s volleyball match. Despite having absolutely no knowledge about the sport, I decided to take a leap of faith.

This gave me much-needed confidence that I could do this. I wrote my first strong recap, gained confidence, and began taking on more assignments. Eventually, I joined the men’s volleyball beat, built meaningful friendships, and was given the nickname “De E” (thank you, Keeley Lamm).

Then, in my junior year, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. I was selected to cover the women’s volleyball team during their NCAA Tournament run that ended in a national championship. This became one of the proudest and greatest moments I had not only with the blog but in my Penn State career. It would have never happened if I hadn’t taken that leap of faith. After starting with six articles, this column will be my 300th and final article with the blog, something I never imagined I would be able to do when I joined the staff.

Final Reflection

Next week, my time at Penn State will officially come to an end the moment I cross the stage at the Bryce Jordan Center to receive my degree, a moment I once couldn’t imagine when I first left Mexico. I had to overcome a lot of challenges in my life to achieve this milestone, and I never would have done it without the support of my parents. These last four years have been the greatest in my life; they’ve brought out the best in me, helped me learn so much about myself, and wouldn’t have been possible without Onward State, the Sports Business Club, and 360 Sports.

When I got to Penn State, I didn’t know specifically what I wanted to do after graduation. All I knew was that I wanted to work in sports, but thanks to Onward State, I now know exactly what I want to do. As I get ready to embark on the next chapter of my life, Penn State has prepared me well for what’s next, and I will apply everything I learned and embrace the uncertainty. While I don’t know exactly what comes next, I do know this: I’ll keep taking leaps of faith because every time I have, it’s led me somewhere better than I imagined.

Now onto my thank yous. Feel free to call it here.

Thank Yous

To the Sports Business Club — I joined this club when I was struggling to fit in at Penn State, and you guys welcomed me with open arms. I got to build lasting friendships, connect with professionals in the sports industry, develop leadership skills, and make so many memories that will stay with me forever. From club trips and intramural games to meetings and THON, every moment meant something. Thank you for the impact you’ve had on my life, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for the club.

To my friends in the club (Justin Salvesen, Will Robinson, John Rosa, Brayden Power, Dylan Gallicchio, and Eddie Davenport) — Thank you all for being such an important part of my Penn State experience. The memories we’ve made — club trips, poker games, sports debates, intramural games, Penn State football Saturdays, and all the jokes along the way — are ones I’ll carry with me long after graduation. I truly wish you all the best in your futures. I know each of you is destined for great things, and I hope we cross paths again soon.

To Tony Ruggeri — I want to thank you for allowing me to work alongside you on the Special Events Committee. You’re not only a great friend but also an incredible leader who constantly pushed me to be the best version of myself. I learned so much in that role, and it challenged me to think creatively in ways I never had before. I had so much fun working with you, and I’m proud of the work we accomplished together.

To Matt Hernandez — Matt, you were the first friend I got along with at the club, and I’ll always appreciate that. From going to the Blue-White Game as freshmen to eventually becoming roommates, our friendship has meant a lot to me. You always had my back, no matter what, and I’ll always appreciate you for that. I’ll never forget our memories of you coming over to my dorm to watch a game, working together on the Special Events Committee, us going to Penn State football games, and all the memories we made at SBC. I can’t thank you enough for being a great friend and can’t wait to see all you accomplish.

To 360 Sports — Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to grow as an on-air analyst and camera operator. Being able to talk about sports on a platform like this meant so much to me. It allowed me to be myself, build friendships, and learn. I’m incredibly grateful for the impact you’ve had on my life, and I can’t wait to keep watching you guys after I graduate.

To my friends from OS who have graduated (Nolan Wick, Mitch Corcoran, CJ Doebler, Keeley Lamm, Hailey Stutzman, Evan Halfen, and Joe Lister) — Thank you all for being such an important part of my journey. You guys made me feel welcomed, valued, and appreciated. The jokes, the memories, and of course, the nickname “De E” are things I’ll remember forever. You all played a huge role in making my time at OS so special, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything I learned from each of you. I’m so thankful to call you my friends. I love you guys so much. Keeley, thank you for taking a chance on me. I applied to the blog at a time when I truly needed support, and you gave me that opportunity. I wouldn’t be writing this column without you. And of course, I’ll never forget that you were the one who started the nickname “De E”. Joe, thank you for being the energetic and crazy person that you are. I’ll always cherish the memories from the social events at your place and all the fun times we had. I also really appreciated the feedback you gave me on my articles. You pushed me to become a better writer, and that’s something I’ll always be grateful for. CJ Doebler, thank you for everything you did for me as sports editor. I wouldn’t be the sportswriter I am today without you. You and Mitch took me into the men’s volleyball beat two years ago, and I never looked back. Allowing me to join this beat and later trusting me to cover the women’s volleyball team during their national championship run meant everything to me. That experience became one of the best in my life, and it wouldn’t have happened without you believing in me. Mitch and Nolan, you were among the first friends I made at OS, and have become some of my closest. Whether it was talking sports, spending time together, or just enjoying the moment, those memories meant a lot to me. I will never forget the good times we had at OS, and your after-graduation advice is a big reason why I’m ready to take on the next chapter of my life. Hailey and Evan, thank you for all the crazy times we had. I always enjoyed joking around and had fun whenever I was around you guys.

To my current Onward State friends — Jamie, I still remember you being the first person I met when I joined OS, sitting together at that first meeting. From there, our friendship grew quickly, especially bonding over the Cowboys. Thank you for all the great memories, and I can’t wait to make a few more before I leave State College. I can’t wait to see everything you accomplish with the blog. I know you’re going to do an amazing job on the football beat, and you have a bright future ahead of you. Oscar, thank you so much for being an amazing friend. You truly have been my rock this year. You’ve always been there for me when I needed it most, and that’s something I’ll never forget. You’ve become one of my closest friends, and I’m thankful for all the memories we’ve made. Just like Jamie, I can’t wait to see everything you accomplish. I know you’re going to do great things, and I’m going to miss both of you a lot. As for the seniors at OS who are graduating alongside me, congratulations on all your hard work with the blog. Just like me, you all gave so much, and I’m proud of all the work we put into it. I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your lives. To everyone I didn’t name, thank you for all the fun times we had, from beating the Daily Collegian in flag football and dodgeball, to Blog Mobs, socials, Snarkies, and Sunday meetings at the Carnegie Building. Even the jokes at my expense were always taken in good spirit, and they’re part of what made this experience so memorable. I’m going to miss being part of this group. You’re all incredibly talented, and I know you’ll continue to make the blog great.

A mi familia (this part will be written in Spanish for my family) — Familia, muchas gracias por apoyarme a lo largo de mi vida. Ustedes saben que tuve que superar muchos retos para llegar hasta aquí, y nunca hubiera sido posible sin su amor y apoyo. Cada vez que leían uno de mis artículos en Onward State, veían una de mis apariciones en 360 Sports, o mis historias en Centre County Report, verlos orgullosos de mí significaba todo para mí. Los quiero mucho y no puedo esperar para celebrar con ustedes.

To my Mom, Dad, and Rodrigo — I saved you for last because you mean everything to me. You’ve been there for me from the very beginning, and I wouldn’t be here without the love and support you’ve given me throughout my life. The road to this moment hasn’t been easy, but you never stopped believing in me, and that belief is what kept me going. You guys made me who I am today.

Rodrigo, thank you for being an incredible brother and role model. Every time I faced a new chapter that made me nervous, like coming to Penn State, you were always there to guide me using your own experience. I’ve always appreciated you looking out for me, and I’m so grateful to have you by my side.

Dad, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. The decision to move to the United States is something I will always be grateful for. You’ve played a huge role in shaping who I am today, especially my love for sports, which helped me discover my passion. You’ve always supported me through the highs and lows, and I’m thankful for every lesson you’ve taught me. I love you, and I promise to keep making you proud.

Mom, where do I begin? You are the biggest reason I will be walking across that stage to receive my degree next week. None of this would have been possible without your sacrifices, your unconditional love, and your constant belief in me. You pushed me to achieve things I never thought were possible, and you never gave up on me — not once. There’s no way I can ever fully repay you, but I hope to make you proud every single day. To all three of you, thank you for everything. This moment belongs to you just as much as it does to me. As I get ready to take the next step in my life, I promise you one thing: I will keep making you proud.

Thank you for everything, Penn State. You will always have a special place in my heart, and I will forever be a Penn Stater. De E signing off — We Are.