By Nik Nadeau

Crossing into the U.S. was a daily routine for Zaira Gonzalez.

Now a first-year student at St. Ben’s, Gonzalez grew up in Mexicali, a bustling city of 1.5 million inhabitants on the Mexican-American border.

“The United States wasn’t something that was totally strange for me,” Gonzalez said.
On the go

English, on the other hand, was largely strange to her until the eighth grade, she said.

She crossed the border to Holtville, Calif., to live with an aunt and attend the public school there.

In her sophomore year she moved again, this time to El Centro, Calif., but was dissatisfied with the school’s atmosphere and lack of helpful counseling.

“When I was in those public high schools it was discouraging because most people didn’t plan on going to university and didn’t consider education as something important,” she said, adding that speaking English was “uncool” among most of her Mexican friends. “I guess I felt very lonely through those years.”

Gonzalez, whose older sister is a weightlifter and younger sister a swimmer, found refuge in judo. She returned to Mexicali on the weekends to practice, and placed third in Mexican national competitions three times.

Her judo coach, she said, gave her reason to believe in herself.

Hard times continued, however. She left the public school in El Centro and attended a Catholic school, where wealthy students abounded and financial aid found little advertising space.

Once, a religion teacher told her, “You can’t expect the government to pay for you.”

“I thought I (would) have to take a year off and work or go to community college,” Gonzalez said.

College-bound

Gonzalez returned to El Centro and found inspiration in her teachers and high school counselor.
Although she didn’t want to attend a large public university, she still applied to campuses at the University of California, along with “reach” schools such as Princeton, Harvard and Notre Dame. She was accepted at three different University of California campuses, Scripps College and St. Ben’s.

“When I got my letter of acceptance (from St. Ben’s), I noticed how many scholarships I had already qualified for,” she said. “That opened my eyes … and I knew I was going to be able to go to college and to a private school.”

Still, Gonzalez said she “was very scared” when she first arrived at St. Ben’s. “I didn’t know how people were like,” she said. “I’d heard that there’s not much diversity here, but I think people are very accepting. I feel they appreciate culture (more) than in California where there’s a lot of diversity.”

Finding her place

Gonzalez now works with the Fast Forward Youth Program, which helps underrepresented high school students in Central Minnesota enter college.

Erin Truhler, the programs director, said Gonzalez brings much enthusiasm to her work.

“She understands where the students are coming from and is willing to share that with them,” Truhler said. “

It’s really something special that a lot of people wouldn’t be confident enough to do,” she said.
Gonzalez says she has no “set plans” but may return to the Mexican-American border after graduating.

“Education is power and it’s giving me some power,” she said. “I want to make a difference in my country. I’d like to live on the border … I like having the best of the two worlds.”

Do you know someone with a unique story? Nominate a student, faculty or staff member from CSB/SJU. E-mail us at record@csbsju.

Filed under: News by Justin Roth