José Oquendo ’25

Monthly meetings with his mentor. Tutors as needed. Technical assistance with Microsoft. For José Oquendo ’25, these supports in the Presidential Scholar Opportunity Program have given him the tools he needs to succeed as he works toward his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

“My mentor and the help of the people in the program lay out a blueprint that almost feels like a cheat code to be successful,” says Oquendo, who works as a law enforcement officer in a psychiatric hospital and lives in Binghamton, NY. “But they give you the freedom to make your own decisions on how you want your college education to play out.”

As a first-generation college student, Oquendo is the first in his family to have an associate degree. After he gets his bachelor’s, he plans to get a master’s and doctorate.

“I have always wanted to go back to school to open more doors and opportunities for progression in my career,” he says. “I also wanted to break the generational barrier that was set by my family and show my children that they can also strive to pursue anything they put their minds to.”