Geovany Itzep-Santiago has made a habit of opening closed doors.
When he arrived in the United States, he didn’t speak English. But this Guatemalan immigrant teenager was intent on overcoming obstacles and achieving his dreams. Today, he is a at Tuscarawas Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology graduate and a design engineer at ProVia in Walnut Creek.
Itzep-Santiago began his education at Kent State Tuscarawas as a College Credit Plus (CCP) student while a senior at Dover High School. It was during this time that he made a pivotal decision about his future.
“I told myself I had to make an intentional change in my life,” said Itzep-Santiago. “I told myself that I needed to make it a habit to embrace situations where I was uncomfortable, because I knew that there was some kind of reward behind each door.”
Itzep-Santiago realized that when he embraced stepping out of his comfort zone — when he dared to open a seemingly closed door — he received unexpected rewards.
After landing a job in his home country at 11 selling ice cream and speaking limited Spanish (he speaks a Mayan Indigenous language called Ixil), Itzep-Santiago was encouraged and inspired to open other doors. Next came the opportunity to come to the U.S. at the age of 15. Even though he knew no English and was three years academically behind his peers, Itzep-Santiago faced the challenge and put education as his primary goal.
“American kids are expected to go to school, and that’s their first priority,” he said. “That’s your only job, is being in school. In comparison, in Guatemala, where I come from, helping out the family that day, surviving that day, was the first priority. And then, second, would come your education.”
Itzep-Santiago found his passion for engineering while taking part in Kent State Tuscarawas’ Project Lead the Way as a high school student.
“I forced myself to be in Project Lead the Way,” he said. “And I loved that class. I had a lot of fun. And that’s where I discovered my passion for design, and that was my gateway to becoming a design engineer.”
His decision to continue his education at Kent State Tuscarawas was first made due to the campus’ location and convenience. But Itzep-Santiago said that during his CCP experiences, he grew to love the professors and the campus atmosphere.
He also found the campus to be affordable, with welcoming and friendly staff and students. Itzep-Santiago said he benefitted from its small class sizes, and the individualized attention he received — from faculty to financial aid. Plus, flexible class scheduling allowed him to work while earning his degree.
Plus, the Kent State Tuscarawas engineering technology program provided hands-on experiences and labs that prepared him to transition directly into employment.
“My ability to work in my field and take engineering courses simultaneously allowed me to advance my career while studying,” Itzep-Santiago said. “I am very grateful that I took that first step, to step out of my comfort zone because, throughout my journey, I have opened this series of doors, and it has rewarded me with many opportunities.”
This 2020 Kent State Tuscarawas graduate now lives in Sugarcreek, where he enjoys nature, discovering new music and building ponds. He serves as an interpreter, offering support to local community organizations. He also volunteers on various boards providing support and resources to the Latino community. Itzep-Santiago was recently a featured speaker for the Leaders of Tomorrow Summit, where he shared his story with over 300 high school students from around Tuscarawas County.
He has four brothers and two sisters. His brother, Jacinto, is currently attending Kent State Tuscarawas, following in Itzep-Santiago’s footsteps as an engineering technology student.
And for the Itzep-Santiago siblings, it’s an open door filled with opportunity.
Contact:
Deb Ellwood, dellwood@kent.edu
Kent State Tuscarawas