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 Sophomore biochemistry major Gus Angulo's parents pushed him from an early age to do something they were unable to: finish college.
"They went to college only for a few years, but they never really did get a degree," he explains. "They went to college in Mexico, but then they immigrated to Texas, and they just started at rock bottom. And they had to work their way up. There were considerations to go and get a degree in something, or at least a certificate, but they never got around to that, because problems just kept accumulating. So they encouraged me and my brother. They just wanted to give us a better life."
Angulo's parents, Jose and Maria, moved from Mexico City to Dallas while Maria was pregnant with Gus' older brother, Oscar. Maria Angulo works in document services, "copying, filing, and stuff like that," Gus says. Jose, a mechanic, is currently unemployed. But the two have found a way for both children to attend college; Oscar is a sophomore at Eastfield College in Dallas, still deciding on a major, while Gus is at Baylor training for medical school in order to become a surgeon.
"I was thinking about Cal Tech or one of the Ivy League schools," he says. "Baylor was close to home, and it was one of the prestigious schools. Plus, I'd heard a lot of good things about Baylor: that it's a good school, that the people here are friendly, and that it's very calm and peaceful. So that's what I was looking for, too."
Though Angulo's parents never finished college, they made sure to connect Gus and his brother with an uncle and aunt who did complete school.
"One's a dentist and the other one's an engineer," Angulo says. "They've been through college, and they've actually got their degrees. They showed me how important it was, and the benefits we could get [from a college degree]."
Today, he's trying to be that same sort of example for his younger cousins in high school.
"Throughout my life, my brother has always been a grade higher than me, so he would tell me what to expect, and guide me a little through school," Angulo says. "And now I feel like I should do the same for my younger cousins ™ by actually going through university and telling them about how it is, showing what the benefits are."
Angulo recognizes the sacrifices his parents made on his behalf, and even while still a student, has already been working to repay their efforts.
"I've tried to find ways to pay them back. Sometimes I would bring them my report card ™ just to show them that their efforts have been paying off. I'll repay them, because they've given up so much for me. Once I become a doctor, and show them that I've actually achieved a lot, then I will show them that their investments have actually been very good, and they will be able to rest assured that everything's fine."
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