Kurt Escobar

What fears or anxieties did you have about going to college?

I started out at junior college in part because I did not think I had what it takes to go to a four year university. I was also unfocused and unmotivated. I rarely went to class and was close to being dismissed having a 1.6 GPA after three years. I then decided to "try" to see whether I could "do college". I increased my GPA enough to transfer to Fresno State, however, when I got there I had very little confidence in myself. I had doubts about whether I belonged there, if I was "good enough". I was very intimidated and unsure of myself. 

 

  • PhD University of New Mexico, MA, BS California State University, Fresno

My grandparents who were from Mexico had a 1st and 4th grade education. They worked in the fields and so did my mom as a child. They told her she should try to get a job as a "secretary" so she didn't have to work outside. That was "making it" for them. However, my mom wanted more and she wanted to go to college. She did, becoming the first and only in her family to have a university degree. She now has a rich and rewarding career which I saw her start because she finished her degree when we were older. So, I have seen how much a college degree can affect someone and the rest of the family. My dad's family has been here longer and several members have obtained college education. As a result, I am a direct beneficiary of the work and effort of those who have come before me including obtaining a college degree. 

...In n Out?

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I teach and research things related to exercise physiology and nutrition.