Girl Undaunted: An Interview with Laura Pizano

Girl Undaunted: An Interview with Laura Pizano

Laura (CRSM ’13, MSOE ‘21) and I first spoke while she was in the middle of her family’s move to a new residence and as she was starting her e-classes at Milwaukee School of Engineering. Like most students across the country, she is adjusting to the tectonic shifts occurring across the academic landscape. She spoke eloquently about the challenges she has faced as a Hispanic woman in a field traditionally dominated by men.

The following conversation has been edited and condensed.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with me – these are unprecedented times for all of us. It sounds like things are going well.
You’re welcome. I’m always happy to talk about CRSM. Things are going well at MSOE (Milwaukee School of Engineering), and at home. There are six of us settling in at our new home.

Are there are more Pizanos in CRSM’s future?
Oh yes. I have a younger sister on the way. There have been lots of us at CRSM – brothers, sisters, cousins. Let’s see, if I count correctly we’re at about…15 or 16. Mr. Odiotti remarked that it seems like every time a Pizano graduates, another one starts.

It’s a dynasty! And, having graduated from our old building in 2013, you’ll be out with a bachelors in engineering in 2021.
Well, maybe. I’m thinking about going directly for a Masters of Engineering. That will delay things a bit.

I’d like to go back for a moment, I’m interested in your time in Waukegan, you were raised there, I assume you went to public elementary school?
I did. But in our family, it was always understood that we would go to CRSM and consider college.

Your grades were excellent at CRSM, and you were a member of the National Honor Society. Were you involved in a lot of activities outside of academics?
I was a Student Ambassador, and I really enjoyed being involved with the activities that Campus Ministry offered. I led many of the prayer services. I led several of our retreats. I worked with PADSThe Food Bank, UMMA and Feed My Starving Children. I’m proud to have been part of a group at CRSM that started UKNIGHTED. (a student run immigration reform organization). We did fundraising to fill duffel bags with the basics for detainees who were released into extreme weather with whatever they had on.

I’ve found that some CRSM graduates find the adjustment to college challenging. What was your experience like?
For me, it was not so much the academics as it was the cultural adjustment. I was used to a heavy work load at CRSM. But when I left CRSM, most of my friends were girls.  I was not prepared to enter a predominantly white, male environment as a Hispanic woman. That was difficult. In one of my first architectural classes I was the only girl in a classroom of fifteen.

And one of the only Hispanic people as well. That would be really daunting. Did you find resistance because of your heritage?
Sure. Someone once asked me if Mexico had electricity. [laughing]  I told them a little bit, but we mostly use fire. But seriously, I have come to the conclusion that it really is more of an experience related issue. Most of my classmates have had no multi-cultural experience.

At the risk of being a “stereotyper”, engineering students can often be quiet and reserved.
[laughing] It’s often true. My point is that they might look “stuck-up”, but they just aren’t sure what to say – just like I didn’t know how to act. It’s much easier to be comfortable around people who have had similar struggles as yourself. Maybe it’s immigration issues. Maybe it’s financial – lower income kids had an easier time reaching out to me.
But I’m lucky that way – I am outgoing, and that has really helped. I joined the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). and I’m part of the school’s Diversity Council that’s gearing up to help all of the different ethnic groups on campus.

Speaking of that, I heard you were recently out of country.
Yes, I went to Panama with MSOE. We got back on February 28th. I was with the Water Brigade. We helped install a potable water system and a septic system. This summer I’ll be interning in Chicago as a junior engineer with RTM Engineering, a mechanical contractor.

It seems to me that you are going to be a member of a relatively small club – Hispanic females with a Masters in Architectural Engineering. Can you offer any advise to other people who may be encountering “traditional” barriers?
I would say this; you absolutely have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. If a person doesn’t reach out to you, you might have to do the reaching. You might get turned down. You will get turned down. You must keep an open mind to succeed.

 

 

“Success Can Be Defined in Many Ways”: An Interview with Daniela Martinez

“Success Can Be Defined in Many Ways”: An Interview with Daniela Martinez

I first met Daniela (CRSM ’10, St. Mary’s University ‘14) at an alumni party in downtown Chicago. She agreed to speak with me about her travels from North Chicago to Honduras to Minneapolis and back again.

Her casual demeanor and winning personality belies an intensely independent and ambitious person who has her own definition of success.

The following conversation has been edited and condensed.

I’m glad we got to meet at the alumni function.  Obviously it’s going well at Piper|Sandler and you like living in the city – it’s a lot different from North Chicago, Illinois…
Different from Minnesota too – I spent time in Minneapolis after graduating from St. Mary’s University. I was workinon child protection cases and studying for the LSAT. It was a one of my “trying” times, I realized that I didn’t want to be a lawyer.

But that’s good right? It’s pointless becoming something you don’t want to be.
Well yes, but I’ve never thought of myself as a quitter – so this was an uncomfortable decision. Now I know I had to do it.

I saw that you played basketball at CRSM – no quitting there. Let’s talk about your time in North Chicago and at Cristo Rey.
Sure. I did grow up in North Chicago, and I was in Honduras for a short time when I was little. There were many challenges after that. I had to go to speech classes – which kept me out of theater. That was very frustrating. Now that we’re talking about it, [laughing] The King’s Speech is my favorite movie!

 

Well, your diction is excellent now…problem solved!
Thanks. Unfortunately, when I was in seventh grade the family started experiencing problems. Which was very rough on me and my younger brother. It seemed like they were never going to end. As our financial situation worsened, Mom was forced to work two jobs. As a naturalized citizen from Honduras, she had a language barrier to overcome. My father was hospitalized. There were relatives facing incarceration. At one point it looked like we were going to become reliant on Catholic Charities for help.

How did you get through it all?
My mom was a big motivator for me – and the teachers and staff at CRSM. The College Counseling Department really helped me keep a positive mind while encouraging me to apply to college and look for scholarships. My CWSP internships added to my courage and supported our family’s ability to keep moving forward. There was a lot of caring and support.

Was it your mom that got you to Cristo Rey?
Absolutely. She insisted on it. She kept it simple, “Go to college and get a job in an office, start a business – or work in a factory like me…choose.”
She is a tough woman. We didn’t get along for some time. I was always questioning her. My CRSM counselor said, “one of these days you’ll find yourself having drinks with her”. I said, “NO! I will NOT be doing that.” [laughing]…now I am!

Looking back, I think the combination of my questioning everything, my curiosity and her “toughness” made me always pursue what interested me. Take the initiative. Do it for myself.

You were obviously a curious kid, and also industrious.
Before CRSM, I was taking jobs cutting the neighbors’ lawns. Witnessing the hardships that my parents went through – hearing, “no we can’t afford another pair of shoes”, was part of becoming independent and ambitious. I just recently found some letters that I had sent to my dad…they were filled with remarks about going to college, getting scholarships, about getting what I want.

You got all of those things. CRSM seems to have been a good fit for you.
Without question. My work study experiences with city hall documents at the Village of Gurnee, and payroll work at ProData Workforce Solutions were huge.  I loved the extracurriculars. The College Counseling Department helped me apply and win a 1st Gen Scholarship. My classes in History, Theology, and Spanish ignited my love of anything “liberal arts” and made me think outside of the box. I was at PADS with Campus Ministry and I still have all the cards and letters from my retreats.

You’re an outgoing person, I’m always interested in the transition from CRSM to college, how’d you do?
It was challenging. Not because of leaving home, that was always the goal. It was more of the cultural shift – you know, a small town in Minnesota, so different. I volunteered with C2C (Count Down to College), they help quite a few students make what can be a difficult transition. I was committed; I was given a full ride. Ultimately, a smaller, one-on-one university environment proved to be right for me. I also passed on playing basketball to concentrate on my studies – I did DJ for a while [smiling]; not many people were listening.

You had a significant scholarship, I’m sure that made things easier.
Of course. But many people don’t realize the financial burdens that remain even with a scholarship. During the summers I worked at McDonalds and at the Naval Station, which resulted in a scholarship that helped me buy a computer for school.

After graduating from St. Mary’s with a major in History and a minor in International Studies you came back and got your job in investment banking?
No. I moved back to Chicago after college and worked in real estate for a year. I ended up going back to Minneapolis, at the time thinking I was going to law school. That’s when I changed course, met with Piper | Sandler and took the job in the equity research department here in Chicago. I love it, I even have a fabulous mentor.

Lots of twists and turns on the road to what appears to be great success.
For sure. People define success in many ways. To me, overcoming obstacles and adversity is the real definition of success. My mom landed on her feet at AbbVie , we’re proud of each other. I’m going to get my Masters. Now, when the family gets together it’s good. I wouldn’t want to go through it again…except for Cristo Rey, maybe in the new building!

“CRSM has always been there for me”: An Interview with Dulce Zarinana

“CRSM has always been there for me”: An Interview with Dulce Zarinana

Dulce (CRSM ’16, Carthage ’19) and I met at CRSM the afternoon of the Alumni Christmas party. We spoke about her involvement with Campus Ministry’s volunteer trips, her bachelor’s thesis, early graduation from Carthage College and her aspirations in politics.

 

The following conversation has been edited and condensed.

 

Thanks for meeting with me. This worked out well, meeting here at the new campus before tonight’s Alumni Christmas Party.

It’s great seeing the new campus, I have stayed close to CRSM. I’ve been helping on a number of trips – to St. Mary’s University and quite a few retreats – four or five if I’m remembering correctly.

I also heard that when you were here as a student, you had a 3.18 average and you racked up a lot of service hours.

That’s true. At one point, it seemed like I was signed up every week. I participated in all of the long trips and accumulated a lot of hours…[smiling] I kinda became the “volunteer girl”.  I’m currently investigating a service opportunity. I’ve applied at JVC (Jesuit Volunteer Corp.)

That’s certain to be a transformative experience. I’d like to talk about some of the other transitions you’ve made; for instance from primary school to Cristo Rey and then into the work study program.

I grew up 5 minutes from CRSM and attended Catholic grammar school; so coming to CRSM was not a difficult leap. I would say that my work study experience was definitely a wake-up call. I was always an outgoing kid. But in work study, I found myself surrounded by serious adults – in serious situations. I found myself working with numbers, or data, and it mattered what I did with that information.

It sounds like you took your business partner assignments seriously. 

The seriousness of the work place was not lost on me.  I worked at Stabin House, (note: a facility for homeless women with children), Grainger and Stericycle. My parents were a good example for me as well. My dad was at Stericycle for 25 years and my mother runs a successful cleaning company.

Very goal oriented people, they were supportive around your college efforts?

Absolutely. I’m first gen college. My parents immigrated from the same small town in Mexico.  They didn’t know each other in Mexico – they met here in the US. But they were committed to, as Dr. Odiotti always says, getting me to and through college. But that goal was NOT easy.

Meaning, the goal of college?

Yes, college and finance. As a first gen college family, I…we…knew nothing. FAFSA, scholarships, grants, loans – it was almost gibberish. The CRSM counseling department got us through. Ms. Chavez was there for me. She actually came up to Carthage College to help. At one point, I lost federal Pell Grant monies.  Cristo Rey awarded me the Promise Scholarship. They are largely responsible for my graduating from college. CRSM has always been there for me.

Well, you reached that goal early; graduating in 3 1/2 years. What’s next? I heard law school was on your radar.

Not any longer. I visited a number of schools and realized that law school is not my passion – it’s Congress, I want to run for the Senate. I’ve worked on a number of Republican campaigns; unlike the Dems they pay their interns, so I’m now ready to get involved with the Democrat’s critical efforts in Wisconsin.  I see myself starting my career in the 10th District, but I want to get my Master’s in Gender Studies at DePaul.

Was your Bachelor’s thesis on gender studies?

No, it was an exploration of the policies, rhetoric and racism within the Trump Administration and similar xenophobic movements going back to the 1800’s.

Your parents must be really proud, a Bachelor’s – going on for your Master’s.

They are proud. Although they are way more conservative than I am. They’re not saying where did we go wrong [laughing] but my more progressive views do make them a bit uncomfortable.

We’re almost out of time. I often ask if people if they have any thoughts for CRSM students and grads – any words of wisdom for them?

Well, I was a freshman during the 2016 election – so I guess I would say: speak up, don’t stay silent. And when I’m in office, [smiling] my interns will be from Cristo Rey.

“I Was Mad at the World, That’s How I Got to CRSM”: An Interview with José Elizondo

“I Was Mad at the World, That’s How I Got to CRSM”: An Interview with José Elizondo

José (CRSM ’16, Marquette ’20) spoke with me on the phone from his room on the campus of Marquette University.

His story is one of contrasts – a small town in Texas to a busy suburb in Illinois, from a high school with 2000 students to 400 at Cristo Rey. As one of only a handful of CRSM graduates to enroll as a senior, he thinks of Cristo Rey fondly as “a place of amazing opportunities”.

The following conversation has been edited and condensed.

You arrived at CRSM as a senior from Eagle Pass, Texas. I looked it up – population 29,487. It was the 1st American settlement on the Rio Grande.  How did you end up in Waukegan, Illinois?

Yep, Eagle Pass. I finished my Junior year at the public high school. My family’s retail furniture business had failed; there was no way to compete with the arrival of the big box stores. By the time I was twelve years old, our family was in serious turmoil. My father landed in Waukegan to find work in construction. My mother struggled, self-employed, finding work anywhere she could.

So, you and your mom spent a few tough years in Texas.

It wasn’t just me; I have two older sisters. And it was more than a few years. It was difficult being “the man of the house” – the only athlete with one parent cheering for you in the stands. You have to grow up quickly. We were in government housing from middle school to my freshman year. It would have been easy to fall into bad things in that environment.

You’re in a huge high school in Texas, the family is in financial trouble, what happened?

There were two pivotal moments in my life, one of them was while I was in that high school. There were 800 students in my sophomore class. One day, I was handed my class rank … #87. I hated that. So I quit basketball and track, got a tutor, and ended the year at #12.

What was the other pivotal moment?

It happened when I was 12. My father was in Illinois. We were barely making ends meet, pretty much destitute. One night, my mom comes home after working at a restaurant ’til 3am. I was looking at her face and I asked her what was wrong. She said she was so tired.  She was keeping us afloat with multiple jobs, with three kids. I’m thinking, this is not normal. This should not be happening. We’re in the United States, the greatest country in the world. There is opportunity for everybody, do something. I was really emotional – very upset.

I can see why. Most people would have been angry.

Oh, I was angry. There was this burning anger in me. I was throwing things; shoes, books, worst of all…our XBOX! [laughing] I wasn’t angry at anybody in particular. I was mad at the world. But it pushed me. I remember thinking, “I’m a guy, there’s a way out of this. I have a responsibility to do something.”  Right there I decided that I was going to college and become the best person I could be. I didn’t even know what that would look like, but I was going to help my mother and sisters. I never looked back.

Most people would have finished their senior year in Texas. Why change so late in the game?

I was going to be the first in my family to go to college. Down there anyone that was going to college was headed to UT Texas or Texas A&M.  I needed a change, and I loved what was going on in Chicago. My father was here, so having promised my mother I would go to the best high school in the area – Cristo Rey kept coming up in Google. It was an uphill climb getting into CRSM as a senior, but my persistence paid off and they gave me a shot.

The change must have been difficult – moving from a large public school to a small, Catholic school with a work study requirement… 

Actually, I found the whole thing exhilarating. I made lots of friends. When I arrived at CRSM, all I could see were opportunities; it was like heaven to me. I did everything. I loved the executive atmosphere at Abbvie; I looked forward to going to work. The service opportunities were awesome – there was no such thing at Eagle Pass. Even the difficulties of the college admissions process were made easier. CRSM cared, always asking if you’re ok. Nobody really cares about you in public school.

Did your transition from CRSM to college go the same way?

It was a little tougher. Cristo Rey’s role was critical. Marquette University offered me quite a bit of scholarship money. And I received a Greenhouse ScholarshipBut most amazingly, when I was a student ambassador, I was asked to speak at a corporate sponsor event. I was approached by a gentleman who said he had close ties with Marquette University, which ultimately landed me a summer internship before school started, and a part time job in a real estate development firm in Milwaukee. I stayed with that firm for almost 2 years.

And that’s how you will end up graduating from Marquette’s well respected Real Estate Program.

Actually I’m not going to get my degree from the Center for Real Estate. Because I was lucky enough to work with successful real estate development and brokerage firms for the last 3 1/2 years, it became repetitive to stay in that department, so I will graduate with a major in Economics.

Graduating in May, congratulations. What’s next?

That is the question of the century! My parents are asking me that every day. [smiling] I’m not completely decided yet. I started my firm, Zondo Properties, seven months ago, and it’s doing well – and I have several job offers. I have a little bit of time to decide.

Before we sign-off, is there anything I should have asked you that I missed?

Not really, you covered a lot. I would say hi to everyone at CRSM; and thank you for what you do.

“The Genuine Article – Something Greater Than Just Me”: An Interview with Angel Gomez

“The Genuine Article – Something Greater Than Just Me”: An Interview with Angel Gomez

I had lunch with Angel (CRSM ’14, Dominican University ’18) down the street from where he works as an Executive Team Assistant to the Deputy Superintendent of Waukegan Public Schools. His journey with his family from Laredo, Texas to Zion to Waukegan was interesting, but the telling of his personal journey made me realize that he’s the genuine articleThe following conversation has been edited and condensed.

It’s great to finally catch up. Barely a year ago you were the Assistant Dean at Miguel Juarez Middle School. Congratulations on your new position.
Thanks, working at Waukegan Public Schools is very exciting.

You said most of your family is still in Laredo, but essentially, you’re a Zion and Waukegan guy?
Exactly. I don’t remember much about Laredo, but I remember being way ahead in my classwork when I came to Waukegan from Zion. My parents are very discerning about education. My mother was in a gifted program in high school and my dad is a trained HVAC pro. When I was headed into high school, they refused to make any compromises with my education, so CRSM was the first and only choice.

So you jumped right in at CRSM…
(laughing) Well, it wasn’t quite that simple. As a freshman I was a very shy kid, so I did a lot of watching and listening. I worked for Acco Brands and Abbott while I was at CRSM – my jobs went great for all four years. I was really into tackle football – but there was no program, so I ended up getting into basketball and eventually became co-captain. I started to come out of my shell. I ran for VP of the NHS. I joined the Schuler Program – which played a huge role in my development. I became a Student Ambassador. I ran for Student Council.

Your grades were very good, you were heavily involved in sports and extra-curriculars, you caddied in the summer, you performed well with excellent companies in Corporate Work Study and it says here you did your share of service projects; Pads, a day care center and Feed My Starving Children. Was there anything you didn’t do while you were at CRSM?
Yes. I didn’t pay attention to who I was. I came out of my shell trying to maintain an image – to be popular and cool. I was popular alright, but when my family hit a rough spot and my godfather passed away, I made the mistake of leaving the Schuler Scholar Program. And though I continued with my extra-curricular activities and always maintained a 3.0 average, I headed off to college without knowing who the heck I was, or what was really important.

I’m sure Dominican University was a good place for you to buckle down and get your feet under you.
You would think. (laughing) It is a great school, and I’m really glad I went. My freshman year did not go well. And not long after that, I found myself on academic probation. And that’s when I realized, this is not me…this is not what my late godfather had in mind with his high expectations of me. I realized that there is something greater than just me; and spending time focusing on an image was not only selfish, it actually kept me from becoming the genuine me.

And the aftermath of all that?
I stopped trying to be “something”. I found out people like genuine. I focused on my family. I hit the books. I finished college on the Dean’s List with six A’s in my last semester. I have quite a few people to thank for where I am right now. My Mom and Dad, my godfather, CRSM, Schuler, the people at Waukegan School District…it’s a long list.

I often ask people I’ve interviewed if they could give any advice to CRSM students, but I think you just did.