Growing up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Robert Valero (SFS’26) didn’t have much of a Mexican community outside of his family. His father was a Mexican immigrant, while his mother taught Spanish at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh.
Valero couldn’t communicate well in Spanish with his relatives in Mexico and felt like an outsider. The experience motivated him to explore his family’s language and culture throughout his life. 
“I really value my family. They’ve always supported me, and not just my immediate family, but my extended family too,” he said. “I realized if I ever wanted a deeper connection with some of my extended family, I would need to learn Spanish.”
A high school summer study abroad experience in Spain only spurred on his interest in his Hispanic heritage and ignited his passion for global affairs. But Valero knew he wanted to go deeper.
He found what he was looking for at Georgetown.
Today, Valero is days away from becoming a Georgetown alumnus after four years of immersing himself in global affairs and Spanish language and culture.
“I’m extremely proud to say that I’m a Georgetown student. I don’t think many of these things would have been possible had I gone to a different school,” he said. “Georgetown is just an amazing place. I feel happy that my expectations were surpassed in every single way possible.”
Exploring His Hispanic Heritage and Global Affairs
Georgetown first came on Valero’s radar after he asked a U.S. diplomat for a recommendation on where to study international affairs.
He was drawn to Georgetown’s Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA) program because of his own passion for environmental issues and their global impact.
“I didn’t see other schools have that intersection of science and international affairs, which is perfect for what I want to do,” he said. “Just hearing about the program and the things Georgetown has to offer, especially through the Georgetown Scholars Program, it just seemed like a really good opportunity.”
Aside from global affairs, Valero wanted to attend a university where he could find a vibrant Hispanic community, and he picked up a Spanish minor to explore his heritage.
During his sophomore year, he studied migration as part of an Alternative Break Program to the U.S.-Mexico border. In Tucson and Nogales, Arizona, Valero met with nonprofit organizations, local community members and Native American stakeholders to learn about how migration was affecting the region and what was being done to support vulnerable migrant populations. The trip also gave Valero the perfect opportunity to practice his Spanish and translate for his classmates.
After his junior year, Valero interned with the U.S. Commercial Service in Mexico City with funding through the Georgetown Scholars Program. The organization, under the Department of Commerce, helps American companies with exports and sales in foreign countries. Valero worked with Mexican and American companies while interacting with American diplomats, including visiting the U.S. embassy in the Mexican capital and the U.S. ambassador’s residence.
He also connected with his extended family while in Mexico. Only this time, Valero was better prepared to engage and learn from them.
“It was a professional opportunity for sure, but it was also personally very meaningful for me to connect with my culture, learn from people who live there and see Mexico City.”
On the Hilltop, Valero immersed himself in the Hispanic community. When he saw his peers celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, he wanted to take part in the holiday that his family didn’t celebrate growing up and share his culture with other Hoyas.
He joined the Latin American Student Association, the Mexican advocacy club Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) and Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Georgetown, a traditional Mexican dance club.
“Seeing Día de los Muertos celebrated at Georgetown, it made me want to get more involved with the community, not only to learn but also to help pass that experience on to future Georgetown students,” he said. “It’s helped me learn more about myself and where I come from. I’m very thankful to have had these opportunities at Georgetown.”
Giving the Power of Language to Others
While Valero spent his college years learning Spanish language and culture, he wanted to give back and empower others with language learning.
“My dad is an immigrant, and he’s told me of when he first came here and didn’t speak much and the problems it caused for him,” Valero said. “I wanted to help other people avoid those experiences.”
Over his first two years at Georgetown, Valero worked with the DC Schools Project, a Center for Social Justice program that provides English language tutoring and support for low-income immigrant families in DC.
As a student, Valero wasn’t just interested in Spanish but also in the power of language to unlock opportunities and connect with different people. Ever since high school, Valero had been fascinated by Indonesia for its biodiversity, its massive Muslim-majority population and its language.
In summer 2023, Valero received a Critical Language Scholarship to study in Malang, Indonesia. He spent four hours every day learning Indonesian. Valero also took tempeh cooking classes, visited nearby towns and joined traditional musical workshops.
Valero loved his time in the Southeast Asian country so much that one summer was not enough.
This fall, he will return to Indonesia to teach English as part of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. He’s excited to give back to the Indonesian community after all they had done for him during his summer abroad.
“I had seen the opportunities language learning had opened up for me, and I wanted to help open those opportunities up for other people through English education,” he said. “With English in particular, you can access a whole other world online.”
Valero hopes to start a career where he can tackle climate change and work on renewable energy projects in Latin America or Southeast Asia. As he prepares to graduate, he said Georgetown has equipped him to consider new ideas and hopes he can pay it forward to future Hoyas.
“I’ve had to think in a lot of new ways and feel like I’ve been exposed to new perspectives, ideas I would’ve never even thought of. In that sense, Georgetown has prepared me very well,” he said.
“As a Mexican-American, there are a lot of barriers to accessing college and graduating. I hope to eventually return some of the incredible support people have given me along the way to future GSPers, future students of MEChA, and to future people in and outside of Georgetown.”
