By Intern Teresita Reyna

CTN Author Mentor, Sergio Troncoso, visited Palo Alto College on October 30th. Most of the PAC Ascender students attended the event. Throughout the afternoon the students were able to enjoy a meal and hear about Troncoso’s experiences as well as his readings.

During the Q&A, students had the opportunity to ask him a few questions. One question was “if he ever felt like an outsider when he attended Harvard?” to which Troncoso responded, “Yes because I was from El Paso and not many people knew where El Paso is, some would ask if it was in the U.S. When I was growing up my family was very poor but what made me stand out was my work ethic. I never thought I would be in the position that I am now.” He explained that when he had attended Harvard, he encountered people who doubted him. Instead of letting this affect him, it encouraged him to become better. He encouraged students to not let others doubt them and work hard towards what they want. He said, “The only one who can stop you is you.”

In an email discussing his Texas trip, Troncoso commented that his most uplifting event was Palo Alto College where “I talked to about one hundred first-year students, and answered their questions, about overcoming obstacles, focusing on educational goals, and what values helped me as I faced different challenges in my life.”