ESU Backup Insider

Erick Garcia, a graduating economics and applied mathematics major from Stroudsburg, Pa., is East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania’s student speaker for the winter commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 13, at 9 a.m. in Koehler Fieldhouse. Garcia was selected from a pool of student speaker candidates.

Student speaker candidates must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average entering the spring semester; a demonstrated record of service to the university community and a record of leadership and cooperation; demonstrated evidence of meaningful extra/co-curricular involvement; and must be in good academic standing.

Garcia has been enrolled at ESU for his entire undergraduate career. In his time here, he enjoyed taking a variety of different classes and engrossing himself in academia. He plans to one day obtain a Ph.D. because he “loves to learn.”

“I have grown a lot more mature in my time at ESU,” he said. “I have a better knowledge of the world, and I will take that everywhere I go.”

Garcia’s love of learning expanded outside of the classroom in his collegiate life.

In addition to having been a member of the economics club and the math club at ESU, he is a member of the United States Chess Federation, where he was recently given the title of chess master. The Federation only awards titles to the top one percent of tournament players. Garcia has played chess for eight years.

“Erick had the courage to dream big, the determination to work hard, and the curiosity to challenge his intellect not only to earn the title of U.S. National Chess Master, but also graduate summa cum laude in economics and mathematics,” said Pattabiraman Neelakantan, Ph.D., professor and chair of economics. “With his goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in economics and becoming a faculty member to inspire underprivileged students, Erick is a great role model to other high achieving ESU students.”