Manuel Chavez, Jr.
Senior, computer science – Weiser, Idaho
Growing up in Weiser, Idaho, Manuel Chavez Jr. said his parents were his cheerleaders, encouraging him to attend college even though they hadn’t. They never made him feel forced to pursue higher ed, “which helped a lot,” he said. “It was my decision to come here.”
A high school field trip to campus sparked Chavez’s interest in Boise State. He admired that Boise State had the resources of a large university but the feel of a close-knit community.
Chavez is a senior majoring in computer science with an emphasis in cybersecurity. His pursuit of computer science began with a high school class through Boise State’s Concurrent Enrollment Program, where he earned both high school and college credit simultaneously.
“The teacher said he thought I had a lot of potential to be able to succeed,” Chavez said. “He showed me a few of the types of classes I could take within computer science, which grew my interest.”
Like McMillan, Chavez’s siblings chose career paths that didn’t involve college. Though being the first in his family to attend a university felt lonely at times, Chavez said that resources like the TRIO STEM Scholars program, as well as connecting with fellow students in his computer science classes helped him succeed while scholarships, including the John Vallega Scholarship and the Laura Moore Cunningham Scholarship eased the financial burden.
- How Boise State helped him prep for the future: Boise State Career Services provided invaluable help with job preparation, including career fairs, help with resumes, headshots and networking opportunities.
- Advice for incoming students: Use your resources wisely.
- Favorite Boise State memories: Attending his first football game, and his first time walking into Boise State’s City Center Plaza, the computer science building located downtown. That’s when it hit him: he was finally in college, ready to start his classes.