Name: Eduardo Hernández
Nickname: Eddie
Year: Senior
Hometown: Candor, N.C.
Major/Minor: Health and Exercise Science with a double minor in Sociology and Latin American Studies
Relationship Status: Single
Favorite Vacation Destination: Santiago, Chile
This week’s Campus Cutie is cultured, friendly, and optimistic! Read about his travels to Latin America, love for dance, and passion for public health – meet the endearing Eduardo Hernández!
HC (Her Campus): Tell me more about your spring break. Did you go anywhere special?
EH (Eduardo Hernández): I actually ended up doing the Chicago Alternative Break – the WAB trip – with 10 other students. We basically did service at this non-profit organization called Casa Central – they do a lot of work with Latinos. They have afterschool education programs, a homeless shelter, Early Head Start programs, [and] programs for the elderly. We volunteered every day with a different population that they served. In our free time, we just went out into Chicago and explored.
HC: Sounds like a great trip! Tell me more about your Latino background.
EH: I’m first-generation American and actually a first-generation college student too. My parents and my siblings are all from Mexico, and I’m actually the first person who was born in the states.
HC: Do you visit Mexico a lot as a family?
EH: Before I got to college, we did. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been really busy. We used to go every year or two, but the older I’ve gotten, the harder it’s been to travel down there. Hopefully, I’m going to go back after graduation in May. I’m looking forward to that if it happens.
HC: What would you say is the biggest difference between Mexico and America?
EH: I would probably say the people. Where I’m from in Mexico is very family-oriented. It’s kind of like everyone is family, so it all just blurs together. That’s sort of been the biggest difference that I’ve seen between where I’m from in Mexico and the U.S.
HC: So you’re also a brother of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. Do you guys have any fun events planned for this spring?
EH: We have a few darties that are going to happen, but I think our biggest even is the foam party that we have every year – that’s like our big thing at the end of the year. It’s always a good time. It’s cool because everyone goes and not just the people who come out regularly. The entire school is invited.
HC: What would you say makes Alpha Sig unique from all the other Greek organizations?
EH: You can find anything in Alpha Sig. You can find your preppy boys. You can find your jocks. You can find the guys who are just really laidback. There’s so much diversity in Alpha Sig – that’s what I’ve been proud of.
HC: What else are you involved with on campus?
EH: Since freshman year, I’ve been involved with the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), where I actually just served as president for the past calendar year. I’ve been a tour guide and Admissions Ambassador. I was the liaison between Samaritan Inn, the homeless shelter downtown, and the Wake Forest Catholic community – I would plan shifts and take groups down there to volunteer. I’m also a mentor for the Magnolia Scholars and First in the Forest programs.
HC: Being as involved as you are, if you had to describe your Wake Forest experience in three words, what would they be?
EH: Social network bubble (laughs).
HC: (Laughing) I like that! So obviously we have to ask because you’re a senior – do you have any big plans yet for after college?
EH: My goal is to ultimately get a MPH (Master of Public Health) and study public health – that’s what I want to do for a living – and eventually get a Ph.D. in that. For right now, I’m going to take a year or two off. I actually just had an interview for an Admissions Counselor position on campus, and I’ve got an unofficial job offer from the [Wake Forest] School of Medicine if they get a grant, so I’m waiting to hear back from them. And I’ve applied for a position through the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), which I’m waiting to hear back from. I’m kind of just in this limbo zone right now in terms of my future, but it’s okay. Something’s bound to work out.
HC: So are you excited to graduate?
EH: I think I’m ready, but I’m definitely going to miss my friends. I’ve met some incredible people here over the last four years, but I’m excited for what’s next. I don’t know what it is, but I’m excited.
HC: Going off of that, what is your dream career?
EH: My dream career would be some sort of government position where I’m up at the top and in charge. I want to focus on health policy, and I want to intertwine that with advocacy and social justice.
HC: So what’s the coolest place you’ve ever travelled?
EH: Easter Island. Actually, I did the Southern Cone Program with Wake. It’s a little under six months, and one of our trips was to go to Easter Island, which is off the coast of Chile. It was incredible. It’s something that not many people get to do in their lifetimes. There’s actually only one flight that goes there and one flight that comes back a day.
HC: Wow, so what was it like on the island? It must have been like paradise!
EH: Yeah, it’s like paradise – there are really nice sunsets. It’s weird because it was my first time on an island, so I wasn’t used to being completely surrounded by water. I really liked the Moai, which is kind of like Stonehenge, but they have faces. [The Moai] really brings in this sort of historical aspect to [the island] – like how in the world did those things get where they are, you know?
HC: So, if you could host any type of party, with unlimited resources, what would it be like?
EH: What!? (Laughs) You know, I really have loved my Mountain Weekend experiences. I would literally take my closest friends – just as many friends as I could – to the mountains and rent out a cabin and just go crazy. [Mountain Weekend] has honestly been the best time to be completely isolated from the world, but with the people that mean the most to you. It’s been a blast, so I would do something like that.
HC: Do you have an embarrassing moment at Wake that you’d be willing to share?
EH: There was this one time when some girls from a school in Africa came to campus, and they were in the Admissions Office, which was doing a panel for them. I walked out [of the Admissions Office] thinking I was leaving the room I was in, but I ended up opening up the door, and I walked up on stage [of the panel]! I was like, “Uhhh…,” and then I closed the door really fast. It was really awkward. I had to walk right back out. I was so red.
HC: Do you have a celebrity crush?
EH: I actually don’t. I really just don’t like the idea of idolizing someone like that. I’m not one of those people who keeps up with celebrity lives. It’s just not something that I do. (Laughing) I can barely keep up with my own life!
HC: So describe your dream date!
EH: I like to cook. So my dream date would be having my own place – because I still live on campus – and inviting my date over and cooking a really nice, fancy meal. And then just drinking wine and hanging out.
HC: Sounds so chill and romantic! Do you enjoy being single or would you be open to being in a relationship?
EH: I think I would like to be in a relationship if the opportunity came around, but I’m also very focused on what I’m going to do with my future right now.
HC: What song will you be playing on repeat this weekend?
EH: “Time of Our Lives” by Ne-Yo and Pitbull.
HC: Do you have any hidden talents?
EH: You know, I’m a really good dancer actually. Well, I’m not really good, but I’d say I’m decent at it. I sort of grew up dancing Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, Merengue – all those Latin, ballroom type dances. I actually took a social dance class last semester, and I think I killed it. The professor really liked me. It was cool.
HC: Do you have a favorite style of dance?
EH: My favorite type of dance would probably be Bachata, but the one I’m best at is probably Cumbia.
HC: Have you ever done competitions for dance?
EH: I started when I was younger, but I danced a lot in my high school friends’ Quinceañeras. I would be one of their chambelanes, which is like one of their guys of honor and escort. I’d be their escort, and we’d have a little dance that we choreographed and presented to the family and whoever was there.
HC: So what else do you like to do when you’re not studying?
EH: I’m always studying (laughs). But I like to play tennis, when I can. I love to just sit around and watch Netflix – it’s the most peaceful thing.
HC: I think we can all agree that Netflix is the best! So if you could transform into any mythical creature, what would you be and why?
EH: A phoenix. They’re so cool – it’s actually our fraternity symbol too. But who wouldn’t want to be a phoenix? They’re awesome.
HC: And lastly, what’s one thing you wish you could tell your freshman self at this moment in time?
EH: Be honest with yourself and just go with it.