From Trying Out to Finding His Path

Monica Ramos Flores

Photo Credit: Towson University Mass Communication Department

From coming in as a First-Generation student, all that came in between, to a senior who will be graduating in a couple of weeks. Theo Velásquez-Arrega can recall his time at Towson University as a “tryout” for the real world.

Hailing from the Eastern Shore Md., Theo came into Towson unaware with what to expect. He got into every school he applied to. What made him choose Towson?

Prior to choosing where to go for school, Theo had three things in mind. “which one wouldn’t be a financial burden to my parents?”, “which one is the furthest [from home]”, and “which one offered diversity?” Growing up on the other side of the Bay Bridge, there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for diversity.

He remembered always wanting to go to college and having a supportive mother but not much of a supportive father. His father wanted him to skip college and go straight to work - common expectations that Latine fathers have for their sons - but Theo knew that wasn’t his path. 

Theo got into schools in other states, however, the best financial support he got was at Towson. A perfect college for someone looking to be in a more “urban” area, he said.

During his undergrad he struggled like many first-generation students do when navigating the higher education system alone. 

As a child of Guatemalan immigrants, their struggle moved Theo to want to help people in whatever field he would end up going to.

“Writing is where I’m best able to convey myself and I’ve been told by some friends and professors that it’s allegedly good too,” he said. 

This caused him to switch majors a couple times until he eventually settled on Mass Communication. Flash forward a couple semesters later and he’s added a Spanish major to his degree to complement his writing.

Other struggles creeped up on Theo, non-academic ones at that. Comparison to others and constant imposter syndrome were big things Theo struggled with. Prior to any of this, Theo almost dropped out after his first semester but credits his first-year Resident Assistant, RA, for the reason he stayed. 

“Those people became my community. I literally consider them family,” he said.

His RA would eventually motivate him to want to become an RA himself to “be able to help others the way she helped me,” he said. He continued to stay involved in Towson's Housing & Residence Life department while balancing mainly academics and ‘having fun.’

Theo would go to study abroad on his own during summer 2024 to Santiago, Chile in South America, to experience and connect with a different region of Latin America. 

Realizing the little involvement he had made with his community, for his last semester Theo wanted to become more involved. Thus La Voz Latina came at a perfect time as he applied for a position when the student organization was created in spring 2025.

He would land the Chief of Opinion position but was then asked if he could balance an additional position, the Chief of Entertainment by the club’s president. He said yes and has since left his mark on the publication, the E-Board and Latine community on campus.

So what comes next for Theo? He has a little bit of fear of being unprepared, especially with the current tough job market but is building up his portfolio nonetheless. However, he has plans of pursuing a masters degree in sociology after a gap-year, to further help him understand humans and how he can insert himself to help. 

The things he got out of college? Realizing there is room for mistakes and that there is so much left to learn that he would like to discover. As he leaves his undergraduate career behind to enter the real world and adulthood, he appreciates the time he had. 

“Comparison is a thief of joy. Everyone’s path is different, and everyone goes at their own pace. Somehow, someway, at the end of the day, everything will work out,” he says.