Meet our Campus Profile of the week, Larry Eseberre! He works at the Hillcrest Medical Center at a Hepatology NAFLD Research Facility, is a board member of a new organization he helped create PreMeds without Borders, works part time for SPACES (and he worked their Summer Summit program last quarter), and he’s a member of MEChA and HMP3. Clearly, Larry is very involved on this campus and is passionate about pursuing a career in the medical field!
What occupation did you want as a kid?
I wanted to be either a Lawyer, or a famous singer. I even considered the possibility of being both; attending law school & paying for it with my singing career. Around the age of 10 or so, I started watching Doctor shows, and quickly became obsessed with and fascinated by the field of medicine. It’s been my focus ever since.
Who’s your role model and why?
My Father. He is the hardest working person I know, and he has the ability to be so selfless at times, I think we all could learn a few things from him. My father came from a really tough background, and for him to be as successful as he is, despite everything he’s been through, I feel that success for me isn’t a possibility but rather the future waiting to happen.
What do you think was the most influential discovery and why?
The discovery of the Americas? The printing press? Penicillin? The Internet? That’s such a tough question to answer! I would probably say the printing press, since it made radical ideas and sacred texts available to the masses, making it possible for radical thinkers to grow support, spread their ideas worldwide, and make change. History would have been very different without the invention of the printing press at a crucial time. I believe the invention of the printing press had an effect back then analogous to the Internet on modern society.
How are you able to stay on top of everything?
For me, knowing that I can’t possibly be on top of everything I want to tackle all the time, and accepting what I can do, has been an important lesson for me. I’m very goal-oriented, I tackle what I can, and turn to close friends for support and advice when I need it. I love playing volleyball, working out to destress, and meeting new people.
What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?
Most people wouldn’t guess that I speak Spanish and am actually 100% Hispanic. It’s usually a surprise when my grandparents call and I all of a sudden start speaking Spanish in front of friends.
If anyone could play you in a movie, who would it be and what would the movie be about?
The movie would be about my transformation into the person I am today. I would start in my early childhood and end in the present day, portraying the ways I think and act at various stages in my life. I think I would have John Krasinki play me in the present, since he looks somewhat like me, and his demeanor is a lot like mine (at least from what I can tell from interviews).
What influenced your involvement?
My love for people and helping others coupled with the desire to be a competitive medical school applicant. Shortly after getting involved on and around campus, I realized that the more involved I became and contributed to the campus climate, the more it continued to validate me and the more I wanted to be a part of it.
Out of everything you’re a part of, what’s your favorite and why?
The most rewarding experience for me, hands down, has been my involvement in access work with SPACES. In the summer, I worked with high school students through a SPACES program called Summer Summit, where I was a Resource Advisor to six high school students. I was shocked by the impact I had on their lives and also by the impact they have had on my own life.
If you could give little Larry one advice, what would it be?
Just relax and have fun. Big Larry turned out pretty all right, so whatever I was worrying about back then, I would tell myself not to.