Mission in Action: Roy Pequeño, ’05, Helps Educate Young Students in Chile

Growing up in Texas, Roy Pequeño, ’05, loved listening to his grandparents’ stories about their lives in Mexico. So it’s little wonder that when he got to St .Edward’s University he chose to major in International Business. “I wanted a major that would help me gain a better understanding of the world, mostly because I knew that I wanted to do something after college that crossed cultures and boundaries.”

For the past year and a half, Pequeño has been living in Santiago, Chile, providing much-needed services to the disadvantaged through the Holy Cross Associates — a postgraduate service program that offers the opportunity for participants to integrate their faith through service. In a typical week, Pequeño might find himself teaching English at three area high schools, working in campus ministry, tutoring in an orphanage or serving food in a soup kitchen.

“My early experiences helping people were through Campus Ministry projects in Mexico and the Bronx. It made me realize how blessed I was, how many opportunities I have that so many others will never be given,” he notes. “As graduation approached, I decided it was time for me to give back — that’s when I looked into the Holy Cross Associates.”

Keeping St. Edward’s Close

While he may be thousands of miles away from the hilltop, Pequeño knows he’ll always find ways to stay in touch with the university. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the Student Alumni Association. Working to unite students with alumni primarily for networking purposes, Pequeño quickly appreciated how dedicated alumni are to St. Edward’s. “Most graduates don’t just walk away. They understand how valuable their experiences here were and that they are rooted to the university.”

Pequeño hasn’t yet settled on what he’ll do after he completes his work with the Holy Cross Associates, although there are many things he misses about St. Edward’s and Austin. “Sure, I miss ultimate Frisbee and Frisbee golf, plus all the great Mexican food,” he says. “But what I really miss is the camaraderie of St. Edward’s, whether it’s waving to friends as you cross Ragsdale Plaza or smiling at a stranger holding the door open for you. I knew I always had
friends — students, professors, staff members — a few steps away.”

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