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Jose Santiago III Hometown: Bridgeport, Conn. Major: Human Resources Management WCSU Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration Activities: Latin-American Student Organization; WCSU orientation leader, 2005-06 Honors and Awards: Dean's List; WCSU Homecoming King, 2006 |
First-generation college graduate Jose Santiago had the love and support of his family when deciding where to go to college, but no family history to rely upon. "I narrowed my search to four colleges," he says. "After weighing my options, it was a clear choice: WestConn. The environment, the people, the professors, the city -- all were conducive to where I could see myself getting a higher education."
"I decided on my major by choosing the one that would best fit my personality and lifestyle," Santiago explains. "I always felt I had a capacity for business and I wanted to see how far I could take it. I feel that there is a great need for Hispanic men in the business world, as well."
When thinking about who made a difference during his four years at WestConn, Santiago says, "It would be impossible to list all people who took on a mentoring role for me. Everyone from the professors, university staff and older students kept me on the right track over the years."
Asked what he will remember most about his WestConn experience, Santiago says, "One of the most memorable experiences for me was doing the new student orientation. I was an orientation leader for the summers of 2005 and 2006. I felt that we were best prepared to help them out with the whole process since we had been through the experience. Being a new college student is a scary thing and if there was anything I could do to make that a little less uncomfortable, I was glad to help.”
After graduation, Santiago plans "to delve into the corporate world and see what kind of impact I can make. I will also be attending graduate school next spring."
Santiago’s advice to new students entering WCSU is: “The road to education is not an easy one, but the feeling of accomplishment is great.”
