Hartford-based Hispanic newspaper Identidad Latina has named a UConn Master's candidate "Student of the Year" in their fifth-annual Latino de Oro Awards.
Robert Cruz, a 2008 Bachelor of General Studies graduate, received the award at a ceremony Nov. 7.
The Latino de Oro awards "recognize not only Latino individuals but also people who made significant contributions to the Hispanic community in the State," according to a press release from Identidad Latina.
Awards are given in such categories as politics, sports, art and culture, music, health and lifetime achievement.
"I was extremely honored [by the award]," Cruz said. "I understand that there were a lot of people nominated. Besides being extremely happy about [it], it gives me the opportunity to send a message to the Hispanic and student population in general that it's never too late."
Cruz can send that message because, at 39, he is not the typical UConn student. He graduated high school in 1987 and was set to go to New York University for pre-med, but due to financial troubles, he had to put his education off a year.
In 1988, he started at Brooklyn College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY), for a degree in community health.
Because Cruz faced various challenges during his time there, he attended on and off until 1995 until he stopped attending school and started working full time.
Cruz got a chance to go to NYU for a two-year health care management certification program in 1999 through his employer.
"It wasn't pre-med, but I fulfilled my dream of going to NYU," he said. "[I thought], 'Twelve years ago I wanted to come here, and now I finally made it.'"
When Cruz relocated to Connecticut in 2006, he realized that by enrolling in UConn's Bachelor of General Studies program, he would be able to combine his coursework from CUNY and NYU and design his own curriculum.
Not only was he in college after so many years, but he was also named the continuing education student of the year for New England in 2007.
Cruz was featured that year in a UConn commercial aimed at recruiting Hispanic students. It still runs on Spanish-language television stations, he said.
He graduated in 2008 with an individualized degree in health care management and urban studies and was a speaker at his commencement.
"What I want people to get from my story is that you can do all these things," said Cruz. "You might have difficulties along the way but if you have goals[…] it's never too late to pursue your dreams and your goals."
Cruz was awarded a graduate assistantship and is currently pursuing a master's degree in public health.
The Hispanic Health Council, a group he works with as part of his assistantship, nominated him for the Latino de Oro award.
"Hopefully my story, my journey, can reach someone," Cruz said. "My journey through school will hopefully inspire others that haven't been able to pursue their studies to continue on and persist and be optimistic. We all have challenges in our lives, but it's about focusing and continuing on."
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