Manuel Mendoza knew he was Harvard Bound when he was in the second grade and ever since that time the 18 year old East Chicago resident never lowered his expectations for his future. The lifelong dream is now coming into a reality and could not come at a better time. With most high school students flustering over what their plans are for after high school, Manuel made the decision earlier on to keep the stress at a balanced level. The 4.67 G.P.A. E.C. Central soon to be graduate, will be one of the few and rare students headed to an Ivy League school this fall, thus having other offers from universities like MIT, Duke, and Notre Dame. His parents Michael and Debra Mendoza are both the inspiration to his success and hope that he lives his ultimate dream to the fullest.
The Decision:
The Chemistry/Pre-Med major thought the decision of his college career would be one of the hardest thing to decide on but in retrospect, it was the easiest decision Manuel would ever have to make in his life. “ It was nearly impossible to say no to Harvard,” said Mendoza. After researching most of the population of the university, Mendoza knew he had made the right decision and would most definitely be happy there for the years to come. “What attracted me to the university is both its prestige and diversity. I enjoy challenges and I knew that, if I go to Harvard, I’d live in a constant flux of challenges. As well,
I know that the opportunities presented to me at Harvard would be limitless, so going there would only aid me in my success.”
Looking ahead
Some Harvard graduates have come a long way to this point and Manuel plans to be one of those graduates to make a name for himself down the road. President Barack Obama, a 1991 Law Graduate has become the first
African American President in the United States and is already doing things most individuals thought was not possible. For Maunel, anything is possible and he likes to live by that.
With a Harvard Degree, Manuel plans to do big things and has complete confidence that he will be fine after he graduates. Setting his goals at a high level is what pushes him to do so well and with much of his whole college career panned out, we can only wait and see where Manuel ends up at. “I’m sure that whatever I do, it will be quite easy to get hired in the most renown hospitals in the world, and I have full intentions on doing that. I eventually hope to graduate with a degree in Chemistry and get accepted to Harvard Medical school and become
a neurosurgeon.”Not only will Manuel try to excel in the classroom but he will try to live up his college life by engaging in an active social life. He hopes to stay involved with tennis, which is his favorite hobby to do when he isn’t hitting the books. Matter of fact, the straight “A” student is a member of the E.C. Central Varsity Tennis Team and serves as the Team Captain. “I really enjoy playing
tennis, actually I love it. I play as much as possible for as
long as possible. I was number one singles on my team and I was team captain.”
Keeping your composure
While most students panic under the gun, Manuel disguises it with his determination and attitude. Let’s face it, the end of the school year for most seniors are “it was nearly impossible for me to say no
to Harvard” the most stressful months of their lives, and instead of
handling each situation they try to take on the whole bunch at once. But for Manuel, not only does he need to worry about his college future but also some of his other responsibilities he holds at school as well. He currently stands as the team captain for the Science Olympiad Team as well as the tennis team, and serves as President
for his class. “Almost all the stress I’ve had this year comes at the hands of college decisions. Applying to the 6 different schools I did, there were countless essays I had to write and several different tasks I had to accomplish. From SATs, SAT Subject Tests, ACTs, and APs, it
was difficult and stressful to attain adequate scores for
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Harvard. It was a very stressful time. Then deciding between Harvard and MIT was stressful like I said for about a week.” “As tennis captain, I tried hard to set a good example for my team and because of that, I am at the courts for countless of hours practicing to
become better. Then with science olympiad, we practice everyday from
6 to 10, so it took a lot of time away from homework and school but I
stood dedicated. We eventually made it to the state competition where we placed 9th out of 26.” “As for Class president, it is a round
the clock job. We’ve done a lot this year and its been my duty as
president to coordinate every single senior event.”
With hard work comes huge pay offs, and Manuel is loving each second he can say that the hard work is paying off. The Lilly Endowment Scholar has recently been added to the EC Central Academic Hall of Fame and has received scholarships from St Catherine’s Auxiliary and from the Foundations of East Chicago.
The Catalyst
Every student have role models that they look up to, and for the most part they tend to be somebody famous but for Manuel his family takes care of that role. “My parents and younger siblings are definitely inspirations to me. I really enjoy making my parents proud of me and have worked my whole life to do that and I really try to set a positive example for my siblings to show them that any thing is possible as long as you out your head into it and work hard.” Besides the Mendoza’s at home, Manuel sometimes turn to influences whom he sees everyday in the classrooms and hallways of EC Central, and they are his teachers and coaches. “My teachers/coaches “My parents and younger sibilings are definitely inspirations to me”
Mr. Kundich and Mr. Lane have been extreme influences and role models.
They constantly push me to the brim and challenge me to be better at everything. They are also there to knock me down a peg when I get too big headed and because of that, I thank them for everything.”
Throughout Manuel’s senior year, he has gained a relationship with
Principal Allen, and this has pushed him to do better in the classroom
and to believe in himself that Harvard was a possibility and not just a dream. “”This young man is destined for great things. He’s a terrific role model, and we’re all very proud of him.” – Principal Larry Allen From family members, teachers, faculty members, and even the high school itself, Manuel is convinced that all has made him into who he is today and believes most individuals depict the school to be something it is not. “It really upsets me how people portray my school. I hope that I serve as a beacon of success and that Central isn’t as bad a school as people make it seem.”
My Advice
“Being the one of the first people in my immediate family to graduate
then go straight to a four-year institution makes me feel good inside and of course my family as well.” With many students seeking the extra push they need to get through the many stresses of high school and generally through life, Manuel gives the advice that most individuals might need just to get the foot in the door and begin their journey to success. “Realize your goal and do everything you can to actualize it. You can’t let anything impede your path, and regardless of any stereotypes held or challenges in your way, so long as you keep to your dream, anything is possible. If you are aiming for Ivy League, work hard, be an amazing leader, and be involved. “ – Manuel Mendoz
