College is a grind for most students who choose to go onto higher education. But each individual may have issues whether it be with health, family or a job, particularly at a two-year college. Many people move through those challenges to get their degree.
Those challenges can be difficult for anyone. Carlos Aguilar, was a student at Madison College until this past fall. He graduated with a degree in the IT Programmer/Analyst program with an emphasis in mobile apps development in December. Aguilar also has cerebral palsy.
With his cerebral palsy, he said it was difficult to open some doors at the college, and sometimes in the IT programming area. That was on top of the typical struggles that any student would move through at the college.
However, Aguilar was able to maintain success and graduate, become a speaker at the December graduation ceremony and transfer to a high profile aviation school in Florida, despite any challenges that faced him.
“I manage it as a soldier,” Aguilar said.
He said prioritizing was a main part of his routine while being a student at the college. He said it was important to maintain a healthy diet to maintain a healthy study plan and to study for long periods of time, even well into the night if he had to.
“My quote is, ‘I do not sleep until I’ve done my duties as a student,” Aguilar said.
In his time at the college, he did not only have achievements in the classroom. Aguilar became a student senator in March of last year. In the months prior to graduation, he was nominated as a speaker for the commencement ceremony at the Mitby Theater at Truax.
After being nominated, Aguilar was chosen as a speaker at the ceremony held Dec. 19. He said he worked hard on the speech, devoting two weeks to it prior to graduation. Performing Arts instructor Mike Lussenden helped in preparation and spoke for part of Aguilar’s speech, but Aguilar spoke for most of the speech.
“When I was selected by the speech committee, I cried because my hard work paid off,” Aguilar said. “I agreed because I wanted to relate a successful story of a disabled student (to others.)”
He said the intention of his speech wasn’t just to speak in front of the crowd of people. It was to relay a positive message to students and beyond.
“The main goal was to motivate everyone that is in this life we can do anything without any excuse.”
Following graduation, Aguilar relocated to Daytona Beach, Fla. to attend school at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It is a school that specializes in the science, practice and business of aviation and aerospace. It covers the operation, engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing and management of modern aircraft and the systems that support them, according to the school’s site.
There, he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in software engineering. He said he wants to take on this new chapter in his life for two reasons. First, he said he has a great interest in aviation, much like his father.
“He was a flight engineer in Ecuador, so I want to be a little (like) him,” Aguilar said. “Second, I would like to work in software engineering in avionics components in NASA, U.S. Air Force or Boeing. My passion is aviation.”
Aguilar said he didn’t leave Madison College without positive memories and experiences.
“My experience was very good because Madison College teaches us with the strong base to be successful on our higher studies or professional lives,” he said.
“I would like to say thanks to everybody who helped me over there. I will never forget the people in Madison College.
As Aguilar left Madison College, he left with some words of advice for students, both who have been doing the school thing for a while and the new incoming students.
“Don’t give up on your dreams,” he said. “You can do it.”