Rico Garcia, Artsci’13
President, Queen’s University Alumni Association
I moved to Canada in 2009 to attend Queen’s University as an international student from Monterrey, Mexico. It was at Queen’s that I not only learned the basics of economics, but where I – perhaps most importantly – grew as a leader and found a community for a lifetime.
Being new to a country and having a limited network of people meant a need to find a community of my own. For me, Queen’s alumni became that community. A home away from home. The generosity of those alumni, who made me feel welcomed by inviting me to their homes for weekly family dinners and helped me succeed by giving me important career advice and helping me land my first job, is the reason why I give back today.
By supporting both the Brian Yealland Bursary for International Students and the Arts and Science International Fund, I hope I can help lighten the financial load for international students at Queen’s while also helping domestic students grow as individuals by exposing them to different cultures via international study programs.
Today, in a world in desperate need of a more tolerant society, I hope my gifts to Queen’s can help create a welcoming community that sees the strength in cultural diversity – in turn creating a generation of Queen’s graduates that will help shape our society for the better moving forward.
