“I quickly found out that my skills were pointing me towards psychology,” said Julian Garcilazo ’24 currently pursuing a clinical psychology major with a minor in public health. “Growing up I had always been one to talk to just about anyone I can get to pay attention to me. I would discuss with them whatever various topic was on my mind at the time, often being seen as though I was older than I really was. Of course, this love of communication progressed into my later teenage years where I would always strive to get involved, be very social, and be responsible.”

“My junior year of high school was when I took my first psychology-related course sociology, and I quickly came to realize that I really enjoyed the concepts and material that was being presented in class,” recalls Garcilazo. “The field of psychology was not new to me; I remember the first instance I had with psychology was growing up watching the movie “Freaky Friday” on the Disney Channel (starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis). In this film, Jamie Lee Curtis’ character, Tess Coleman, plays a therapist, and within the film are various scenes that are obviously dramatized to be comical, where the therapist just sits and talks through their clients’ problems in hopes of healing them through communication. I remember as a kid thinking that was so cool, the sheer power that people can have to heal one through words. How impactful it can be to one’s life to be the person they can come to in order to overcome any obstacle they may be facing. Therefore, psychology was always in the back of my mind, and taking psych courses in high school helped make the idea of psychology as a field of study concrete in my mind.”

“When it came around the time when I had to start thinking about college, I knew I was not ready to leave home just yet. I am a family man, and I was not ready to live on my own and be away from my family for that long,” said the South Bend, Indiana, native. “I also knew I wanted to stick to a smaller school, since growing up I attended Catholic private school, all of which were on the smaller scale.”

Visiting the Holy Cross College campus with his family was a perfect opportunity to find all the things he was looking for in a college experience.

“On my first visit I had with my parents, not only did I fall in love with the campus, and the various opportunities it held for me, but so did my parents. They found a sense of comfort and support where they knew their kid would grow and prosper,” notes Garcilazo. “Holy Cross College was familiar to me, and everyone here is so nice and friendly. It is hard to accept this campus as anything less than a family. Everyone shows deep support towards your future, and you can see that throughout both the faculty and the staff who always ensure you are being taken care of and learning the material to the best of your ability.”

“I am currently part of the Student Government Association (SGA) and hold the role of Senior Class Senator, a role that I love and cherish. I am also a member of First Generation, Latinos Unidos, Psychology Club, and take part in various other events and projects across campus that I am honored to be a part of. These organizations strengthen an individual’s character to step out of themselves and form a community, and work together as a group to achieve a common goal; causing one to be more community-oriented,” said Garcilazo.

After getting his bachelor’s degree, he wants to continue his education and get a Doctor of Psychology with the goal of becoming a therapist after graduate school. “I want to be able to help cure mental illness, one patient at a time,” said Garcilazo.