Reflecting on Growth, Challenges and Discovery at FPU

Meet Enzo:

I was born in Uruguay, which is a small country in South America. I came from Brazil to study here. I’m a senior and have attended Fresno Pacific all four years. My major is communications and media studies; I’m also doing a minor in business. I’m a swimmer and have been swimming for four years here at FPU.

Q&A with Enzo

Q: What are your interests? Are you involved in any clubs or groups?

A: A big part of my time here has been with FPU media. I've been working for the past two years officially with the athletic communications team on campus and covering their sporting events. I've called over three seasons of soccer for FPU, both men's and women's. I’ve also helped promote Fresno Pacific media on Instagram and other outlets. I started by producing videos for the soccer team, which then turned into video and photography for sports. 

I was also a peer mentor for three years on campus. I wanted to help people that are new to FPU the way that people helped me when I got here.

Q: When did you first hear about FPU?

A: I heard about FPU through athletics. I was first contacted by the swim coach. I was a kid that was looking to study abroad, so I put myself out there. I remember hearing about Fresno and knowing that it was in California, and I grabbed on to that idea!

Q: What were you expecting when you first got here?

A: I came here with my dad. He traveled with me to help me move and to experience that first moment with me. From the very beginning, I was really grateful for the trust and opportunity that was given to me. I met other freshmen who became longterm friends. The Hume Lake trip was a big part of helping me adapt.

Q: Were there any challenges or obstacles you faced during your time at FPU?

A: Each year brought different challenges as I grew. Freshman year, it was things like meeting new people, finding my group and getting comfortable in a new environment.

Once I got through that, I started to see challenges differently. I became more aware that these were challenges that would help me grow and improve, whether that was in the pool, as a leader, in class presentations or in relationships with people. Every year brought different obstacles that I was able to learn from.

Q: What was it like coming here from a different country outside the United States?

A: I definitely missed my family and my friends back home. But I always had great support from them, which made it easier to move from there to here because I knew I was supported by both my family and close friends.

Q: Was there a particular moment where you faced a challenge? If so, how did it change you?

A: A big moment that defined who I am today was my sophomore year when I was captain of the swim team. I remember being very naive and very young, trying to face that with a lot of expectations—it did not go how I imagined it was going to go.

That next semester, I took a class called Concepts of Christian Leadership with Professor Rob Dickson. I remember that class being eye-opening into what a good leader is and what healthy leadership looks like.

That was a big moment for me. It changed my leadership style and how I faced obstacles. Now I feel more confident when I am leading.

Q: If you look back at your freshman self, how would you describe who you were when you started? How would you describe yourself now as a soon-to-be graduate?

A: I think when I came, I was a very hungry kid. I wanted to prove to myself that I could succeed in this environment. I was always pursuing opportunities and new things.

I am leaving the same kid—very hungry, very interested in new opportunities and learning new things. But now that hunger has skill, experience and years of life in college. I know I’ll be able to take that skill and apply it, being insistent on getting things done, going out there and getting involved.

Q: Have you seen your faith grow or change during your time here?

A: Absolutely. I learned a lot from the Bible, especially my freshman year taking Jesus in the Christian Community. I remember learning a lot about who Jesus was and what he represents, not only for faith, but for us as humans and how we apply that into our daily lives.

I think that’s my biggest takeaway from my experience here. It’s not only about faith, but how that influence shows up in our world and in our daily lives.

Q: Has the FPU community influenced you since you've been here?

A: The community is very welcoming to all cultures and people from different backgrounds. We do a great job promoting events, interacting with people and making everyone feel like they belong here.

That’s what I felt when I got here, and that’s what I’ve tried to do as I became more involved. I think that’s the biggest thing I admire about FPU, how we bring people together with a positive message while including people from different backgrounds.

Q: Who are the people who made the biggest impact on you?

A: Professor Daniel Nelson has been a constant figure for me. He started as my communications professor but became more like a role model. He was always approachable; I could go to him for guidance or advice at any time.

Jim Jeltema from athletic communications also had a huge impact. He gave me the creative freedom to take on so many projects, especially in these past two years. Being able to narrate a game in Spanish where my family could hear me was a really special moment.

Rayna Harris also had a big impact. Most of my involvement on campus came from her trusting me. She’s been an incredible source of guidance, and working with her made me feel valued. It’s been great to see that work play out in the community.

Q: What does graduating mean to you?

A: Graduating means the end of this, but the beginning of something much larger. My four years here were special. But this is what we've trained for; graduating means that my mission here was accomplished.

Q: Are you proud of your journey at FPU and if so, why?

A: I am beyond proud. I believe I did everything I set out to do. I’m proud of all the relationships I’ve made, all the projects I did, every class I passed and every meet I completed. It’s an overwhelming feeling of happiness and joy knowing I came here not having much but leaving with a real sense of accomplishment.

Q: What’s one thing you’ll take with you forever?

A: I am really proud of having chosen FPU to be my school. If I had to take one thing from this experience, it’s the growth that I've had as a person, a student and a professional. Every year, every day, I kept growing and facing things differently.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A: When I came to FPU, I wanted to be a journalist because I have a loud voice. But if it wasn’t for FPU, I would never have grabbed a camera.

Now, I want to go into a career with cameras. I bought my first camera with the money from my job here. I don’t know if I would be a photographer, videographer or graduating with this level of confidence if I had gone anywhere else.

This transcript was adapted from the original interview.