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| Frank Bencomo-Suarez Class of 2018 |
As I write this I am 22 years old. At 22 I have sat in the capitol, driven across the tundra, and hiked the Great Wall of China. I have dined with ambassadors, received signed photos from astronauts, and been interviewed by the BBC. I saw the fireworks show at Shanghai Disneyland, ate a lobster in Boston, and toured West Point Academy. Along the way I’ve learned how to ride a horse, how to land a shuttle, and how to shoot a bow and arrow. My life has been rich with experiences. I have been incredibly privileged. At 22 I am young, but I’d say I’ve racked up a fair bit of mileage. Thanks for the mileage. Thanks to my parents, thanks to my friends, thanks to the University of Louisville and this program which have allowed me to do what otherwise may have been impossible.
When my parents arrived in this country 22 years ago they taught me a lesson: life can take anything material away from you, but it cannot take your knowledge and experiences. Those are special. You take them within you and apply those to the many challenges that life will throw in your way. Those experiences and skills form the foundations of who we are. As I prepare to graduate in a month I don’t know the specifics of what my next adventure will be. The broad framework is to become licensed as a court interpreter, take the LSAT, and apply to law school, but the small details in between aren’t all there yet. What I do know is that I look forward to adding a lot more mileage before my days are through and when it's all said and done I hope I can do for others what has been done for me. I was not born into privilege, but I was privileged to be born to those who worked hard to give me such, and I can only wish to pay it forward.
Frank Bencomo-Suarez, of Louisville, Ky., is a senior McConnell Scholar studying political science.