Justin Montoya '20 Recruiting Profile

When my grandfather passed away, it changed my whole life. Imagine seeing someone you love everyday and treating you like their son and, all of a sudden, have them be gone. He passed on a lot of his wisdom help me in the future. He worked since he was 13 so he could get money for his brothers to go to school and have a better life. His motives were always his family and which lead him to explain to me what he used to motivate getting a better life for himself; this includes selflessness, determination, and eventually satisfaction that helped me excel at school.

The majority of people fail to see the benefit in giving and helping others and instead try to take everything for ourselves. Yes you're losing something, whether it be time or money, but at the same time you're going to see someone you care about which makes them happy and enriches both of your lives overall. My grandfather always talked about how he wanted a dog. So, for all he sacrificed and did for the ones he loved throughout his life, I got him a dog which he loved and cared for all the time. He deserved it considering how much he thought of others and how little he prioritized himself over anyone else. This affected my school work because his approach to life motivated me to work hard and succeed the way he did when he was my age. 

When I was around 10 or so, I would go to his tire shop and he would tell me stories of people with hard lives working their tails off and becoming rich and living life to the fullest. He always reminded me that one day I’ll find the thing I love to do which would motivate me to reach that goal. He always emphasized a solid education as a way of finding success and achieving my goals. Because of this, my mentality changed to focus on school and getting good grades to secure a better future for myself. Determination plays a key role in chasing the thing you love because having a constant reminder of what you’re working for and how much better your future would be if you achieve that lifestyle is a factor that drives you. 

After working hard and sacrificing, the satisfaction part of life comes into play. After all the selfless acts and determination, you’re eventually rewarded for your generosity and hard work, which is enabled through education among other things. My grandfather pushed and motivated me to raise my grades and test scores which went up from when I didn’t put in as much effort or have that voice telling me to go farther. My grandfather was a huge figure in my life and still is and always will be, which is why I made a promise to him to never give up or back down even when it feels like the whole world is against you.

With the experiences in life that I got from one of the most important people in my life came with the fact that being selfless and determined will lead to your satisfaction after all the improvements in life that you've made. This will lead to a better future which a college education is a major part in helping me achieve my goals.