My name is Jose, and I was born and raised in the Philippines. My undergraduate exposed me to critical thinking theories and concepts that seek to understand global affairs, such as sustainable development, environmental diplomacy, and various IR theories like realism, liberalism, post-modernism, and many more. During my thesis year, I initially wanted to explore how sports can be used for development, but circumstances pointed me to another route. Since graduating in , I have earned five years of work experience in sports coaching and management, education, and environmental advocacy and research.
I have always seen sports as a beacon of hope. One of my biggest motivations is to use my experience and understanding of sports, especially football soccer , for broader social change. This quote from St. John Paul II best captures my sentiments: "Out of all the most unimportant things, football is the most important. Specifically, I want to understand how we can utilize sports as a mitigation strategy and for broader social and structural changes while improving environmental education and awareness.
I have been a fan of Arsenal Football Club since and have played the sport since I was 4. I also like cooking and mentoring kids and am very fond of dogs! If I weren't pursuing a career in the environment, I would be studying for my football coaching license. I spent a lot of my childhood in the outdoors or soccer field in my hometown of San Jose, California. My mother and I would frequently hike at Alum Rock Park and other parks.
Every summer my family and I go on camping trips to Calaveras and Alpine County. Because of this exposure and interest to nature and wilderness, I decided to study Environmental Science at the University of Redlands. During my time at the University of Redlands I completed many natural and social science courses related to environmental science, while completing labs and activities all around San Bernardino County.
My research interests for this graduate program are related to hydrology, energy, and conservation, but I am open to exploring new topics.
