This CGS student sought out the program when applying to colleges. Now, as a sophomore, he’s making strides on campus.
By Adriana Rivera (CGS’25, COM’27)
Marcelo Perez Guzman (CGS’25) was very intentional about applying to Boston University’s College of General Studies.
He was first drawn to the College of Data Science (CDS), as he was set on pursuing a degree in data science with a minor in public health. However, he changed his mind when he heard a BU tour guide talk about his experiences in CGS: the gap semester, the London program.
“Upon doing more research, I ended up applying early-decision to CGS,” Guzman said. “I wanted to have a real break from school after 12 straight years.”
But it wasn’t just about a break for Guzman.
“I was a teaching assistant at an after-school program for middle school and high school students,” he said.
The program, called Movement City, is a “safe space for creative young people (ages 10 to 18) to explore and develop their talents and passions with a network of like-minded peers and supportive adult mentors.” It’s located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where Guzman lives after having immigrated from the Dominican Republic in 2018.
He tutored students in photography, videography, and design, and found the experience to be very rewarding. “I had increased responsibilities in the program… and I got to see the big impact that I was making in a city like Lawrence.”
The city has a Hispanic population of 82 percent, with 72.6 thousand Hispanic residents. “A city like that, with so many people who aren’t even born in the U.S., I think it’s very important to make them feel included and have their voices heard,” Guzman said. “I feel like I was able to do that in my role at Movement City, and I realized that was something I wanted to fulfill one way or another in my studies.”
Guzman embarked on his academic journey with a goal of helping underserved communities in the U.S. “As an immigrant, I care a lot about not only issues of immigrant people, but marginalized people in general. That’s what made me choose my path.”
He wants to use his education in data science to improve public health disparities in society. “I feel that, in finding the intersection between data science and public health, I’ll be able to fulfill that same desire to help improve the quality of life of marginalized people in the U.S.,” he said.
In addition to this tutoring experience, Guzman said that the CGS gap semester helped him better prepare for his first college semester. “The 100-day break allowed me to prepare so much better for school. I was able to learn Notion, I was able to self-study and prepare financially.” He was able to meet with his advisor, Matt Bae, and form a close relationship early on where he felt comfortable asking for help and inquiring about anything that came to mind.
“By the time that I got here, there wasn’t anything that was really unexpected or that I hadn’t already thought about, just because I started preparing so early.”
Despite prioritizing his academics, Guzman certainly makes time for extracurricular activities and just having fun in his spare time. He’s the events coordinator for the Dominican Students Association (DSA), which he said is “culturally fulfilling.” He is also involved in the Data Science Association on campus.
He often explores the city: “I love to just ride the train and see where it takes me,” he said.
As the semester comes to a close, Guzman wants to finish strong. “I’m taking my first data science classes now, and I want to make sure that I have the foundations right,” he said. He is excited to prepare for the Capstone project, and he wants to do some more research to ensure that he’s adequately informed from the get-go.
In addition, he wants to get a head start on actualizing his career goals. “I want to start building projects using data science that visualize certain aspects of life in communities with a lot of marginalized people, and observing the disparities there,” he said. “I want to be able to use code to visualize these issues and be able to present my findings to shed more light on the subject.”