In the time that I have attended ASU, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many great and wonderful people, but when I volunteered to write about a campus celebrity, I automatically thought of a specific young man I have gotten to know over the course of my days here. It’s hard to find people who constantly seem to push and motivate you with their achievements alone, but I often feel this way after speaking with Uli Araiza. A fellow student in my scholarship program, Uli has proved time and time again his amount of dedication to improving not only himself, but ASU and our community.
If you recognized the name, you may have heard of it before for many different reasons. Currently a Barrett, the Honors College junior double-majoring in U.S. History and Spanish Literature and finishing a Brazilian Studies certificate, Uli has been able to maintain his social, academic, and personal life better than a juggler! Having involved himself in many organizations throughout his time at ASU, from Devil’s Advocates to being on the executive board of REACH, Uli has been able to have a great on-campus presence; especially being a Community Assistant since his sophomore year in Barrett.
Among his accomplishments, one that stands out the most is his current involvement as a legislative intern for the Arizona Secretary of State, Ken Bennett. The average day on the job may look very different, but the possibility to interact with powerful people of Arizona is a daily occurrence, and has really been a great learning lesson for Uli.
As for his plans in the next year, Uli plans to travel to Europe and spend more time with his family this upcoming summer. His senior year will revolve around taking the LSAT in September and applying for law school. Reconnecting with USG is also in the plans, as well as graduating by May 2015. Post-graduation, Uli is thinking about going into the peace corps for a couple of years in Mozambique, Africa.
Random Facts: Besides English, Uli studied four languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Farsi, and French). Last summer, he experienced summer and winter in the same month by crossing the hemisphere. He has never broken a bone. Uli is as blind as a bat. As a little boy, Uli wanted to be president.