Angel In My Corner
Student of the Week: Anthony Cantu
“The last words my grandfather told me were to continue my education, and he told me this with his last breath. He told me to go to class and not to ‘worry about me because I would be here at all times’ and that has been my mantra since then. Everything I do is for him and my parents and my other family members who have passed away.”
Anthony Cantu has an angel in his corner. As he attends South Texas College, Anthony says he is motivated by family he has lost along the way who always wanted to see him succeed, even if they couldn’t be there to witness it in person.
Two years ago as he was taking summer courses at STC, Anthony received the tragic news that his grandfather and mentor became hospitalized after suffering a severe stroke.
Sadly his grandfather would pass away a month later but not before making Anthony promise that he would never quit striving for his education.
“The last words he told me was to continue my education, and he told me this with his last breath,” Anthony said. “He told me to go to class and not to ‘worry about me because I would be here at all times’ and that has been my mantra since then.
“Everything I do is for him and my parents and my other family members who have passed away,” he said.
Now in his third year at STC, Anthony recently completed an associate degree in Criminal Justice and is currently pursuing his Bachelor in Organizational Leadership (BASOL) with the hopes of one day teaching criminal law.
While studying at STC, Anthony decided to become involved and is currently a student employee working with College Connections at STC’s Starr County Campus.
He is a Student Leadership Academy graduate, a Student Ambassador, and has served as an officer of the Student Government Association at Starr with proven leadership amongst his peers as well as initiatives in leadership roles by helping the student body.
“As a small child I always wanted to be a law enforcement officer, and coming to college I met many professors who teach top criminal justice (courses) and who seemed passionate about they do,” Anthony said. “This started something inside of me that me also want to teach young students about the ins and out of criminal law as well as criminal justice field.”
The Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership is the first competency-based bachelor's degree from a Texas public institution that enables students to receive college credit for courses they have already taken and developed through work and life.
The degree focuses on skills that will help prepare students for a position of leadership in business, government, non-profit, or educational organizations. The upper division courses enable students to solve real-world business problems and demonstrate new skills through a final project that will be part of their portfolio for future opportunities.
Upon graduation, Anthony said he intends to apply with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in order to gain experience but also work towards a master’s degree in Criminal Justice.
“To students wanting to succeed in college, you need to get involved. Why not join some clubs?” Anthony said. “I started college really lonely and shy until I discovered all of these clubs on campus.
“I realized that every person I met was a different story with different paths that they took to get where they are,” he said. “It’s important to come out of your shell and become who you are supposed to be.”