Class of 2023 Spotlight: Bryan Rivas

Name: Bryan Rivas 

Major: Economics

Hometown: Los Angeles, California. More specifically Watts, California. 

Activities: Latin American Student Organization (LASO), WCHC 88.1-FM Radio, WCHC Sports, and HCF1RST Scholars

What is a turning point or significant memory from your time at Holy Cross? 

My most significant memory of Holy Cross was when I decided I was coming to Holy Cross. I fell in love with the campus the moment I saw it. I went for the Visions Overnight Program, a program allowing accepted students to sleep on campus and dive into the college experience by meeting other college students and attending a class. Leaving LA for higher education was always my plan, but coming to a city and a school I had never heard of or seen before scared me. When I arrived on campus, I was amazed by its beauty and instantly fell more in love with the school. During Visions, I met people that I consider lifelong friends, and that helped me solidify my decision on Holy Cross 

What are two or three lessons from Holy Cross that you’ll take with you after leaving Mount St. James? 

Holy Cross has taught me the importance of networking. Our alumni connections are deep and robust. They love to come back and help, which is amazing. I appreciate all of their support throughout my time here on The Hill. Another lesson that Holy Cross has taught me is the value of hard work. Coming to Holy Cross from a predominantly low-income area with poorer educational opportunities, I thought I would be lacking in certain areas. However, over my time here, I’ve noticed that I lined up well academically with my peers who had better opportunities. This allowed me to see that I did everything possible to get here and stay here. 

What are you doing after you graduate? 

After graduation, I want to take a short break to rejuvenate myself and my mind then I plan to jump into trade school to be an electrician. I have a long-term goal to combine an electrician certification with my economics degree to create my own business and eventually branch out.