Marian University Ancilla College's Mario Perez Alvarado '23: Playing Hard and Working Harder

An Elkhart, Indiana native and graduate from Elkhart Memorial High School, Mario Perez Alvarado is a current sophomore at Marian University’s Ancilla College (MUAC). Majoring in exercise science, Alvarado is finishing his final semester at MUAC and preparing for commencement in the coming weeks.

Throughout most of his high school career, Alvarado had no plans to continue his education. His journey at MUAC started with an email made by his high school soccer coach to the Charger’s soccer coach. Once he was offered a position on the Charger’s team, his choice was clear. He would spend the next two years at MUAC continuing his education and furthering his soccer career. While Alvarado’s love for soccer was the driving factor in his commitment to MUAC, he quickly realized he would be gaining more than just field time.

Impressed by the quality of education, diversity of the students, and services the college provides, Alvarado knew he would soon thrive at MUAC. Transitioning to college was not easy at first. He had a tough time adjusting to the academic workload and the expectations of the teachers. Adding in the difficulty of adding soccer games and practice into his schedule, he often felt stressed and overwhelmed. These difficulties were made easier by the size of the campus, the relationships he had with students already enrolled at MUAC, and the relationships he quickly formed with his professors.

Pushed to be his best at MUAC, Alvarado feels that not only has he become a better athlete, but a better student, and learned valuable leadership skills. He was submerged in the atmosphere and has fully embraced the diversity and new ideals provided to him. Alvarado plans to take what he has learned and continue his education at Goshen College, majoring in exercise science. He has no doubts that he will thrive in the new environment and be successful in his future endeavors.

In his own words, “I have learned so much in my time at MUAC. My professors have taught me not only from books, but from their own experiences as well, which makes my education much more unique. I have met so many amazing people and had so many wonderful experiences both academically and through soccer. I have achieved much more than I could have imagined, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me.”