American University

05/01/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/01/2024 15:23

Meet Jeremy Acaba: Undergraduate Student Commencement Speaker

For many young people, college is not only a time to learn but also a time to connect with peers and surround yourself with community. For Jeremy Acaba, SIS/BA '24, the journey to finding his passions and community at AU and SIS was a winding but fulfilling one.

Growing up in New York and Florida, Acaba developed an interest in a career in the military or law while attending a magnet military leadership school and found community quickly in extracurriculars. Through his experience in debate and student government, he developed a keen interest in communication and strengthened his desire to eventually become a lawyer.

When it came time to apply for college, Acaba had a big decision to make. As a first-generation Latino student, he knew that he would need to do a lot of research to decide on a school. Through his involvement in the national nonprofit organization PEER Forward, he was able to access resources and networks to help make college possible. Knowing that he wanted to combine his interests in the military, law, and international affairs, committing to SIS was an easy decision.

"When I saw that AU and SIS had such a high ranking for its international studies undergraduate program, I started looking more into it and found that they have renowned professors in a great location for what I want to go into. It was everything I was looking for, and it all just lined up perfectly," said Acaba.

Once he arrived at AU, Acaba dove into his academics, focusing on a thematic area of Foreign Policy and National Security and a regional emphasis on East Asia. The emphasis on global perspectives and diverse opinions that SIS fosters has been a hallmark of Acaba's education at AU. The addition of SIS houses was also a way for Acaba and his fellow students to build community and explore their academic interests together.

"SIS goes out of their way to bring people from different fields and different regions together so that we can get that difference in opinions and diversity in the way of thinking, and that's something that I really do appreciate," said Acaba.

As someone who was deeply involved before college, Acaba was searching for belonging and involvement at AU as well. Like many college students, being in a new environment and finding community took time for Acaba. When he wasn't immediately finding a place that he felt he belonged, he took the initiative to create that place for himself and others by helping to found two different organizations for Latino students: Latinos En Acción (LEA) and the AU chapter of the Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. He also co-led an AU alternative spring break called "Beyond Borders" in Colombia.

"I'm very proud of being able to establish Latino communities on campus, and being able to see the effects of that is just a sign that if you set out to create community, you can really affect other people," said Acaba.

In his commencement address to his peers, Acaba hopes to convey the importance of community, diversity, and creating spaces where students can be themselves.

"I wanted to speak on behalf of SIS students and just kind of remind them that if you want to see change, you need to build that change. If you don't have a sense of community, you need to be the one to establish that sense of community," said Acaba.

After graduation, Acaba plans to take a gap year to gain work experience in the national security sector before applying to law school. In the future, he hopes to focus on international or military law but is open to wherever the journey takes him: "Something AU has taught me is that even if you make a plan for your life, everything is not always going to go according to plan. You just have to go with it and live your experience day to day."