Ronal Daniel Garcia Lopez ’22 looks forward to standing before his class at Queens University’s 2022 commencement as senior class president.

“As a first-generation American and first-generation college student, the pride that I feel for my education does not come strictly from a place of self-love, but rather from a place of gratitude as I look to the sacrifices my parents have made to help me achieve this reality,” said Garcia Lopez.

When the Rockwell, North Carolina native came to Queens, he dreamt of working in the medical field. As he refined his interests with the help of professor mentorship and extracurricular involvement, he decided to major in health education and promotion with a concentration in communication as he believed it was the perfect intersection of leadership and public health.

“My dream is to represent my country and provide education to people on the best approach they can take,” said Garcia Lopez. “I often tell people that I want to become the next Dr. Fauci. I would love to start working with the Department of Health locally with a goal of working at the World Health Organization one day.”

Garcia Lopez has already begun setting the framework for his career. As senior class president in the Student Government Association and co-president of Rotaract, a student organization focusing on professional development and community outreach, he has learned lessons about leadership and communication that he will carry with him for years to come.

“I have learned who I am during my time at Queens and really had space to explore my identity,” he said. “I have learned a lot about professionalism during my time on campus. It was so eye-opening to come to a school with such a diverse student population. It has taught me what it means to be a global citizen.”

For Garcia Lopez, the road to commencement has been marked with gratefulness and grit. He currently works as a manager at Target and has held various other jobs throughout his time as a student that have provided valuable insight outside the classroom about how to work as part of a diverse team and lead change.

After commencement, Garcia Lopez plans to begin graduate school at Queens where he hopes to earn his Master of Science in Talent and Organization Development while serving as a graduate intern in the Levine Center on campus.