A senior from Ecuador at the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business has much to celebrate this semester as he recently became a United States citizen and plans to graduate in December.
Juan Duque, a finance and accounting major, began the process of earning his U.S. citizenship in 2013 when he came to the United States. After graduating from high school in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2015, he chose to attend Texas Tech University.
"I really enjoyed the campus and the opportunities the university had to offer," he said. "Also, I learned that Texas Tech had a great business program, which also helped to catch my interest."
The journey to become a citizen involved a series of interviews and applications, culminating with a final interview and official ceremony earlier this month. He balanced that process with his studies at Rawls College for much of that time.
"My biggest supporters have been my family members," he said. "We have gone through this entire process together and were always there for each other. I am also incredibly grateful to many mentors and friends I have made along the way who have helped me to be in the position I am today."
His recent citizenship is a cherry on top of his many other accomplishments and activities. Duque works as a volunteer for the Career Management Center Student Business Council, which is a group of dedicated students who help with CMC events and work a few hours each week in the office. He said being a member has helped him to develop his professional skills and understand what qualities employers search for in students.
"I enjoyed working with them and helping them host events for students and employers to interact with each other," he said. "I have also had the opportunity to network with different people across Rawls College, as well as employers who recruit Rawls students."
After doing a summer internship this year with Goldman Sachs, Duque was offered a full-time position with the company. He accepted the position and plans to begin working next year at the company's Dallas location.