A Leader on Campus, Education Major Helps
Others Succeed
For as long as he can recall, Francisco Escobar ’15Ed has enjoyed
relating with people from all walks of life. As a high school
junior, he established a local chapter of AHANA — a multicultural
organization for people of African-American, Hispanic, Asian and
Native American descent — to unite the diverse cultures in his
hometown of Sharon, MA.
“I wanted to create a place where people could embrace the
different cultures of the neighborhood,” said Escobar.”AHANA gave
our community something it desperately needed — a place where
people from different backgrounds could connect with one another
and share ideas.”
His desire to immerse himself in a diverse community played a
significant role in his decision to attend St. John’s University.
“I really wanted to come to a place that was more metropolitan than
where I grew up,” said Escobar. “I loved the location of St. John’s
and the fact that it was close to everything that New York City has
to offer.”
Eager to connect with the students and faculty of The School of
Education, Escobar attended several events sponsored by the
School throughout his freshman year. What he discovered was a
tight-knit family unit. “I honestly didn’t know that everyone would
be so loving and passionate about what they were doing,” he said.
“The upper-class students were so happy that I would be following
in their footsteps and that one day people would be following in
mine, too. That’s what teaching is all about.”
Today, Escobar is every bit as committed to forging relationships
and helping others. He is involved in You Can Make It Better, an
anti-bullying organization created by The School of Education. “A
big part of what we do is go into local schools and talk to
students about bullying,” said Escobar. We explain to students what
it is, why it’s not okay to be a bully and why it is just as bad to
be a bystander who witnesses bullying and doesn’t do anything to
help.”
Escobar is also a member of Phi
Iota Alpha, a fraternity that is part of the National
Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations. “I pledged
because I wanted to have the opportunity to be a member of the
Latino community,” said Escobar. “In my youth, I never really had
that experience. I also want to help spread the message of
Pan-Americanism here at St. John’s.”
While he is still years away from earning his teaching
certification, Escobar is clear about which subject he’ll
specialize in. “I want to teach high school or middle school math,”
he said. “I love that math makes you use problem-solving skills,
because in life, you’re always trying to find a solution to
obstacles you may face. My favorite part of teaching is when I
encounter a student who says he or she can’t do something — I get
so excited when I prove to them that they can.”