Continuation from article http://www.hercampus.com/school/uprm/profile-colegios-legend-harold-omil
During his years out of college, Harold worked at the Historic Archives of Mayagüez and later as a security guard at the town square until 2001, when an unfortunate event changed the course of his life for good, and helped him make up his mind on finishing his B.A. once and for all.
While working as a security guard, he was involved in a legal battle. “I was threatened, while on duty, so I defended myself and hit the guy in the head. The whole town knows this story.” He emerged victorious, as his lawyer proved that he acted in legitimate self defense. “I paid him $300 for my defense, and it took him about 15 minutes to do so. That was the money I made in two weeks of working as a security guard. So then I thought, maybe college pays off after all, and I decided to go back.”
He came back to school for the fall semester of 2001, then dropped out and returned in August 2002 until December 2006. However, during the 2007-2008 academic year he couldn’t enroll due to accumulated debt. It was then when he began selling chocolates in order to pay and be able to return. The business went better than expected, so he kept on it until he graduated in 2013.
But for those of us who had a chance to interact with him while he did, we can tell you, it was about much more than making a few bucks. He made a special connection with people; he asked you how you were doing, offered his help, showed you he cared and gifted you with a smile. The way he made people feel was what stuck to everyone who ever bought a chocolate from him. That and, of course, the immediate admiration that burst as you saw someone working hard to make his dreams happen despite the odds.
By January 2009 he was a regular student; part of what allowed him to stay was his main support group, the student group “Jóvenes Cristianos del Parque.” They gifted him with a roll of Colegio stickers so he could have a startup for what later became his signature business. He also worked part time at the university earning minimum wage. Even though he fell in debt again a few times he was allowed to keep enrolling, because the university’s administration was well aware of his efforts and compromise to pay.
“The fact that I was able to make a difference without being part of any association or student counsel; without a good GPA or actually thinking I had any chance to succeed, that is pretty special. I thought people would look down on me because I had been studying for so long, or because I was poor and needed to sell chocolates to remain at the university but, on the contrary, they looked up to me, and that made every sacrifice and every bump along the way worth it.”
Harold Omil and Geysel Gómez, Her Campus UPRM chief editor
Harold Omil has touched the life of everyone around him. His persevering spirit, noble heart, and bright mind turned him into a legend at our university. But more than just an inspiring story, Harold is a man who aspires to greatness. “I am pursuing my master’s degree in Puerto Rican History at the UPR-RP. My goal is to become a professor, a platform that will provide me with opportunities of helping people who, like me, have all the odds against them, yet deserve a chance of breaking the statistics and succeeding.”