Meet Our Interns:Manuel Colón

WHO IS MANUEL COLÓN?

Let us start from the beginning: I was born and raised on the far South East Side of Chicago, a rather forgotten neighborhood actually named The East Side. I lived in the same house from birth until just last year(which was a heartwrenching separation). When I was younger, my world was quite a small one. Spanning only a handful of square miles, it consisted of my grammar school, a couple of aunts' and uncles' houses, Lake Michigan, and my local park(Calumet park), which was actually the location of my first 'real' job.

In 2002, I graduated 8th grade and went on to high school, attending one of the city's premier public schools, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School.

My high school experience was one that I would not mind having to relive over and over again. While waking up and boarding a 6:30 am train to school(well before anyone in my house was awake), which started a commute that totaled about one hour and fifteen minutes, was not an easy or favorable task, I think it made me a better person, allowing me to see how important my education was for me. Being one of only two people from my grammar school to attend Young, I quickly made many friends from all kinds of social, ethnic, and geographical backgrounds. This really allowed to me to expand my knowledge about the world around me, and to this day I still amaze people by the little Polish or Chinese I know, or the fact that I can navigate the far North West Side. Not only did I continue with my interest for Volleyball, being on the team for all four years, I was able to pursue my strong passion for service, joining clubs like Peer Leadership and Habitat for Humanity, participating in activities that ranged from volunteering at open houses to building homes in Tennessee. It was bittersweet having to leave Young, but I was excited for the experiences that I could only imagine I would have in college.

In the fall of 2007, I started my freshman year here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a Natural Resources and Environmental Science(NRES) major in the College of ACES. Unlike high school, I came to campus already knowing many upperclassmen as well as coming down with roughly 60 of my peers. Some used this as a safety net to not venture outside their zone of comfor. But, I , the social butterfly that I am, used this as a great way to meet people, exponentially in fact. The first couple of weeks were an interesting time. You know, realizing that your total living space (sleeping, eating, studying, and living areas) are really just an oversized closet that they called dorm rooms, and mind you, you have to share it with someone. You would think that it would be either the community bathrooms or the shared confined spaces that would take the hardest to get used to. No. For me it was having a scheduled eating time. Dinner is over at 6:30? What? Let's be honest, most people of color aren't even thinking about starting dinner at that time, let alone being done with the meal. I'm surprised I didn't starve from missing so many meals. First semester seemed like it was ages ago, and second semester went by in the blink of an eye. As usual, I found ample opportunities to get involved on campus. I continued with H4H and got the wheels turning for studying abroad and a position as an Resident Advisor (RA) for University housing.

This past summer was quite action packed for me. A week after school let out, I left for my five week summer term in Seoul, South Korea, which is something I can quite honestly talk about endlessly. In fact, I have my own blog dedicated soley to it, click here. As one could imagine, life on the other side of the world(literally) is completely different from anything we know. After my term ended, I jumped right into my regular summer job(actually three days late) as a Recreational Leader for Chicago Park District's Day Camp program. It was my third summer; my sister worked alongside me; it was the park I grew up at;blocks away from my house;I couldn't have asked for it be any better. Continuing this swift pace of summer, three days after camp let out, I returned to Chambana to start my paraprofessional training as an RA. I always tell myself that my ultimate goal in life is just make a difference in the world. Quite honestly I don't know of better way to start than to serve as a resource, role model, advocate, and friend for all twenty-four of my residents on Saunders Ground floor.

I feel as if I have talked about myself extensivley, but haven't really said anything. With that, I'll do a final run through of interesting/fun things about me, that others might feel are important to know:

I'm 6ft.2ins. Half Mexican, Half Puerto Rican: All Fun. I love to dance. I'm obsessed with the color red: red phone, red camera, red sheets, the list goes on. I love to travel, I've been to NYC, Tokyo, Shanghai, Korea, and Costa Rica (year-to-date, not lifetime). My laugh is one of the most distinctive you'll ever hear. I can read the Greek, Russian, and Korean alphabets. I'm a strong believer in my Roman Catholic faith.I want the Peace Corp and Law School to be part of my career path. I embrace public speaking. My Family = The World, to me. Last, but not certainly not least, I'm an intern with the Monarch Exchange Project.

I am Manuel Colón.