Helping students with limited resources to reach their highest potential
Juan Gonzalez
PhD student in Higher Education Leadership and Policy
Fulbright U.S. Student to Argentina
“Fulbright allowed me to see parts of the world that I only dreamed about as a child, but most importantly, I saw my life experiences as something worthy of being seen,” said Juan Gonzalez, who served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Argentina.
In the northern province of Tucumán, Gonzalez taught conversational English to university students from Indigenous backgrounds. He considers supporting these students from marginalized communities to be the highlight of his Fulbright, and carries forward his commitment to expanding access to higher education today.
Gonzalez arrived in rural Tucumán on the heels of severe weather and flooding, from which the community was still recovering. He recalls teaching at a school in the midst of rebuilding, where most of the teaching supplies had been destroyed and with visible high-water lines at the top of the classroom walls.
As students and staff were slowly rebuilding the school, which housed elementary, secondary and higher education classes, Gonzalez was able to inspire students by infusing his lessons with the performing arts. In addition to small group sessions and lectures, Gonzalez co-directed a community production of Grease to teach English. In spite of the limited resources and difficult circumstances Gonzalez made significant connections to the students and staff by focusing on the sustainability of their learning. He focused on building confidence, setting goals, and helping students to believe in their full potential regardless of social and economic barriers.
This experience fueled Gonzalez’ commitment to supporting those from marginalized communities. Upon returning to the United States, Gonzalez joined Life Pieces to Masterpieces, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that uses artistic expression to develop leadership and unlock the potential of Black and Brown boys and young men.
Gonzalez observed that Black and Latinx men were “vastly underrepresented in many educational settings,” with barriers to attending college or studying abroad emerging as early as elementary school. Determined to address these barriers, he is pursuing a doctorate in higher education leadership and policy at the University of Texas, Austin. His personal experience shaped his commitment to educational access. “As a product of immigrants, at a young age it was ingrained in my mind that education was the key to opportunities and success in the world,” Gonzalez reflects.
Education became the place where Gonzalez felt “the most valued, seen, and accepted.” He explains that he “carried an array of identities–Latino, low income, gay–that constantly reminded me that I did not belong.” Beginning to feel that his options would always be limited, Gonzalez credits his teachers and mentors with “nurturing his curious nature” and pushing him to reach to achieve more. They inspired him to pass this gift along to the next generation of students, in the belief that “encouraging students to explore and build relationships with diverse people and places is key to creating an understanding their place in the world around them.”
Gonzalez’s education began at San Joaquin Delta College, before pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees at California State University, Long Beach. Starting at a community college as a first generation college student helped him value diverse pathways to higher education. This helped him to connect with the students he taught during his Fulbright and made him a more effective educator.
Studying at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) California State University at Long Beach and UT Austin, Gonzalez built support networks with “peers who are like me.” He finds that HSIs not only provide access to representation on the staff and faculty level, but they also provide the infrastructure to support the unique needs of Latinx students, which makes academic success more attainable.
He learned about the Fulbright Program from a fellow Peace Corps volunteer in Samoa. Her story as a woman of color enabled him to see himself in the Fulbright Program, encouraging him to apply. Having recently completed his master’s degree from CSU Long Beach, he sought the guidance of the university’s Fulbright Program Adviser, who supported him throughout the application process.
Gonzalez believes his experience abroad changed the trajectory of his life, and the lives of others “By continuing to create exchange opportunities both in and out of the U.S., Fulbright is providing access for all to see the value of their story and reach their highest full potential.” His PhD research focuses on university attainment for low-income Black and Latinx men.
Gonzalez’s long-term goal, through his research as well as volunteer and mentorship work, is to establish pathways to experiences abroad like the Fulbright Program, Peace Corps, and other international programs, which create “access for diverse Americans to be represented abroad”
Gonzalez’s belief that representation matters has inspired him to mentor current students. As part of his doctoral program, he serves as a graduate research assistant for UT Austin’s Project MALES (Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success.) As a Fulbright Student Alumni Ambassador, he travels the U.S. to share his story and encourage other students to consider the Fulbright Program. Gonzalez is also a board member of an independent Fulbright alumni group, Fulbright Latinx, where he serves as resource for other Fulbright alumni and provides advice to Latinx Fulbright participants. Gonzalez seeks to “push against the fears or assumptions that might prevent people like me from applying, to make it easier for them to see themselves as people who are qualified to represent our country in the Fulbright Program.”
