Name: Veronica Rose Garcia

Hometown: Mission, Texas

Major: Spanish with American Politics Concentration

Notable UD Memories/Achievements: Being a student athlete and interning with the Department of Homeland Security.

Future Plans: Pursuing an M.A. in Spanish at Baylor University in Waco, then working for the U.S. government and eventually becoming a lawyer.

This is the ninth in a series of 10 stories that will be published to highlight the achievements of some of our seniors in the Class of 2021.

It is common for new college graduates to still be a bit unsure what they want to be when they “grow up.” 

Veronica Rose Garcia, BA ’21, is not that sort of person.

At a time in life when many people are simply looking toward their first job and hoping for the best, Garcia has detailed five- and 10-year plans for achieving multiple additional degrees and an ambitious career that will be of great service to the country and to the world.

She plans on earning her M.A. in Spanish at Baylor University in Waco, then protecting the American people by working for the U.S. government in a job for which she has already accepted a contingent offer. Following that, she hopes to become a special agent. Her 10-year plan includes attending law school, where she will build on her Spanish degree and politics concentration to become a lawyer supervising certain aspects of U.S. government operations with a focus on Latin American relations and translations. 

She was not always so clear on her goals, though her reasons for attending UD reflected her driven personality before she ever stepped foot on campus. 

She learned about UD through her father’s research and attended Meet Us at the Tower event, and the rest, she says, is history. “The friendly atmosphere, competitive academic program, brilliant professors and hard-working soccer team contributed to why I ultimately chose UD,” she said.

Many high school students whose love of sports strongly informs their choice of college might not choose a school like UD that emphasizes academics over sports. But Garcia is not like most students. For her, playing soccer helped her become a better student and person, perfecting the art of time management between studying and games, and forming lifelong friendships with her teammates.

Soccer wasn’t Garcia’s only extracurricular activity, either. She was also active in the Pre-Law Society and Spanish Club, and she gave back to the university by working as a Spanish tutor. Her busy schedule helped her grow as a person. “Being a participant in so many outside activities at UD was an excellent way for me to make so many wholesome connections,” she said. “Also, being such a well-rounded student outside of academics helped me develop a broader range of knowledge and skills necessary to succeed.” 

Garcia did not know that she wanted to be a Spanish major when she arrived at UD, and did not declare her major until sophomore year. “Growing up in a Hispanic household, I have always been keen on remembering my roots and learning more about my culture,” she explained. After arriving at UD and suddenly finding herself in the minority, she became more interested than ever in her Spanish classes. 

Assistant Professor of Spanish Néfer Muñoz-Solano, Ph.D., was influential in her decision to major in Spanish. He encouraged her to pursue graduate school and apply to work for the U.S. government. “In times of doubt, he really has a way of reassuring you that you are capable of whatever success you aspire to attain,” she said. 

The achievement Garcia is proudest of is her internship with the Department of Homeland Security. Christina Nguyen in UD’s Office of Personal Career Development helped her with her resume and interview skills, while former Vice President for University Advancement Jason Wu Trujillo was able to connect her to someone in DHS. 

While Garcia achieved impressive things both academically and career-wise at UD, what she will miss the most is the bonding moments with her soccer teammates, getting ready for games, having sleepovers in hotels and spending time together. “The women’s soccer team has given me the best friends I could ever be grateful to have,” she said.

“Ultimately, UD laid out the perfect foundation for my academic success,” she concluded. “I was able to progress intellectually and spiritually, gaining the necessary knowledge to succeed in the outside world and the opportunity to become the best version of myself. And for that, I will forever be grateful for my UD education.”