From Covid to Commencement: Marcos Vargas ’24 Shares his USD Experience
Can you imagine starting college through a computer screen, then transitioning to life on campus without any of the usual introductions? When starting college as a first-year student, the typical experience includes orientation, welcome committees, tours of the campus, and meetings with advisors to guide you on your journey through higher education. For Marcos Vargas ’24 (BACC/MACC), and many other students who started college in the fall of 2020, that wasn’t the case. So it was up to them to find their own way, build a community and find success before graduation.
Striving for Virtual Success
Marcos, an upcoming accounting graduate from the Knauss School of Business, grew up in Pasadena just two hours north of USD. In high school his dad convinced him to start looking into colleges early and make a plan for himself. After researching the best fit for him and visiting campuses, Marcos fell in love with San Diego and the accounting program at USD. What stood out was that he could earn a master’s degree in addition to a bachelors in just 4-5 years. Through the double degree program offered for accounting students, he’d be able to take classes that were double-counted to apply to both his undergraduate and master's degree.
When fall of his freshman year arrived, the pandemic was having a second peak in the U.S., and USD, like so many universities around the country, decided to begin the academic year with virtual learning. Starting college during the pandemic was no easy task: Marcos spent his first year completely virtually, living at home with his family, unable to form deep connections with his professors and peers.
“It felt like I was missing out on the college experience,” Marcos recalled. “There was a time where I felt there was no separation between school, since my bedroom was essentially my classroom, which caused me to be overwhelmed at all times of the day.”
Looking back, Marcos admits that the virtual year of classes “added a level of perseverance” that he attributes to his success in graduating. And although it was riddled with challenges both the school and his peers had never experienced, he managed to achieve Dean’s List for academic excellence in his first year.
Making Up for Lost Time
To his relief, USD welcomed all students back to campus in fall 2021, albeit in a low-density model with heightened precautions. When Marcos finally arrived at Alcalá Park, he soon realized he would have to find ways to build his own community. “Oftentimes it’s beneficial to have people around you going through the same thing. That isn’t something I had at home, or when I first moved to campus.”
Along with creating that sense of belonging he desired, he knew he would need to access the resources the Knauss School of Business had to offer in order to succeed.
“I was able to seek out help from the school’s academic advisors and they made sure to assist me in the transition to on-campus life,” said Marcos.
Advisors at the school sat down with him and built out a plan to meet graduate requirements to obtain his master’s degree within 4 years. He also got to work on making friends. An avid runner, the first club he joined was Club Cross Country, where he eventually became Co-President, competing in 5 track meets, and two half marathons with his team. “I had done cross country and track since third grade so it was a no-brainer to join and try to make connections.”
Not only did running cross country help him build friendships at school, it also gave him the determination to push through any challenges he faced.
“Running cross country isn’t something everyone can do. It takes a lot of mental stamina to push past your limits. So when I’m at a point in school where I need to do something I don’t want to, having that running mentality gives me the mental grit to push through,” said Marcos. “Because I run, I know I can handle a lot mentally and stay driven.”
Along with Club Cross Country, Marcos also joined Beta Alpha Psi, Mortar Board, and is a University Ministry Scholar who helps out with the ministry on campus, which have all helped him build a supportive community at USD.
Knauss Paved the Way to His Career
After graduating this May, Marcos will be starting work at Deloitte — one of the Big Four accounting firms — as an International Tax Consultant in Los Angeles.
“The reason I have this job is because of the accounting program at Knauss,” he said. Along with a great team of professors who supported and guided him, the Knauss School offered frequent events with recruiters and companies on campus that made career opportunities accessible. Through one of these events, he learned of an internship at Deloitte, where he ended up interning twice before getting offered a full time position this upcoming summer.
“The skills that I learned at Knauss — such as interviewing, how to create a resume and workplace etiquette — prepared me to be successful in my internships as an added benefit, along with the knowledge of accounting.”
Advice for Future Toreros
For the incoming class of students, Marcos has a clear message: “Get out of your comfort zone!” He attributes his successful college experience to creating a sense of belonging on campus through joining groups, networking and creating a community you feel supported in. For his fellow seniors his message was more heartfelt: “Savor the year and finish strong. Time flies, so put your best foot forward while still making time to enjoy every last moment with your friends and peers.”
— Jessica Applonie