For many, graduating from college is the culmination of years of hard work and fulfilling expectations. However, for a few, it defies expectations.
Senior Abraham Garcia is one of those few. Born to parents who immigrated to the United States from Mexico, Garcia will be the first college graduate in his family when he shakes the president’s hand on Feb. 27.
“I am so proud of this and my family is really proud of me as well,” said Garcia. “Not only that but this also gives something that my younger siblings, cousins, nieces, and nephews something to look up to and to know that this is possible.” Garcia’s degree is in psychology.
Growing up, college was not Garcia’s expectation, as he had hopes to one day play professional soccer. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to play soccer for a living, and to be honest, college was just a backup option for me,” said Garcia.
He was not too far from fulfilling that dream. At the age of 17, Garcia participated in a professional team tryout with Chivas U.S.A. Out of 2,000 participants, Garcia was one of the five finalists.
Although he did not make it, many of his family encouraged him to go back the next year and tryout again. Garcia, however, decided to forgo the tryout, a decision that drastically changed his life. The biggest factor in making that decision was his involvement in the LDS Church.
Growing up, Garcia participated in LDS Church services with his mother, who is a member, and Catholic Church services with his father. As Garcia went through his teens, he gravitated towards the LDS faith as he learned and grew.
At the age of 18, Garcia decided o be baptized and become a member of the LDS Church. Soon after his baptism Garcia decided he wanted to serve a mission, a decision that would hinder his potential professional soccer career.
“As I learned more about the Church, I realized my love for the Church and my priorities in life switched and I began to think a lot more about my future family and career,” said Garcia.
“I was basically at the point where I could have started playing professional soccer, but I knew that I wanted to serve a mission and have a family in the Church and that playing professional soccer was not going to allow me to do that.”
After making the decision to forgo another attempt at making a professional soccer team, Garcia set his focus on school and a mission. Garcia first enrolled at Santa Barbara Community College for two years. He maintained his love of soccer and played for the college. Upon completion of community college, Garcia served his mission in the San Pedro Sula, Honduras Mission.
“My mission was an unforgettable, life-changing experience. It was incredible seeing miracles in the lives of people I knew and taught,” said Garcia.
After completing his two-year mission, Garcia looked to find somewhere where he could pursue his dream of a college education, while still playing competitive soccer in an LDS environment. He said he looked at all the BYUs and felt BYU-Hawaii was the place for him.
“When I saw that BYU-Hawaii has a college soccer team, I just knew that was the place I needed to go,” said Garcia.
“It was the perfect place where I could play college soccer, get a good education, and maintain my values as a member of the Church.” Garcia said he quickly emailed the BYUH men’s soccer coach Mark Davis.
After a number of phone calls and conversations, Coach Davis decided to take a gamble on Garcia by bringing him onto the team without ever watching him play. Garcia had to sit out his first year due to eligibility concerns but then became a starter and anchor for the Seasider’s defense for two years.
“Deciding to pick up Abe was the best gamble I have had as a coach. Even that first year, we had no idea just how talented the kid was, but once he was able to play, it was clear we made the right decision to bring him on the team,” said Davis.
Garcia said he is anxiously looking forward to starting his life after college, which includes getting married April 16 to Shemaina Jory Miller. Miller graduated with Garcia.
“I am so happy for him because I know how hard he has worked and I know the future this will give us,” said Miller, a senior peacebuilding major from Chico, Calif. After getting married, Garcia and Miller plan to move to Utah where Garcia plans on going to graduate school, and starting a career as a school counselor or psychologist.
“I really want to work and help teenagers, particularly young Latin Americans,” said Garcia. “Many of these kids don’t have a lot of expectations and don’t have that role model. I want to be that role model and help them see that they can accomplish just as much as I have.”
When asked whether he regrets not trying to play professional soccer, Garcia said even though he thinks about what it would be like, he is content with his decisions.
“I am completely happy with my life right now. If I wouldn’t have decided to give up pro soccer I would have never meet some of my best friends and most importantly my fiancé,” said Garcia.