NAME:
Nestor Montecalvo

AGE:
25

HOMETOWN:
Yosemite, CA

MAJOR:
English, with a minor in Photography

LBCC ORGANIZATIONS, CLUBS OR SPORTS AFFILIATIONS:Geology Club, Biology Club, English Club, Cultural Affairs Committee (LAC), President’s Ambassadors

 

Q: How long have you attended LBCC?

A: Five semesters.

 

Q: Why did you decide to attend LBCC?

A: I wanted to attend a community college rather than a four-year university and Long Beach City College was within the range of my home and possessed the classes I needed. So it was a natural choice. I did give Cerritos College a try, but LBCC felt more comfortable and satisfying to me.

 

Q: What were your expectations when coming to LBCC?

A:  To be quite frank, I did not have many expectations. I felt I would just do my general education and waltz out, without any attachment or feelings to Long Beach City College. I did not expect the wonderful instructors and high-quality education that I have received here. Many of the professors and staff we have on campus could easily be teaching at more “prestigious” institutions.

 

Q: What does LBCC mean to you?

A: LBCC means oh so much to me. It has meant a chance to receive a quality education without the heavy weight of debt. The education I received is affordable and has the same level of rigor as a university. LBCC has also given me the freedom to feel out what I wished and wanted to pursue in life. I’ve been able to take a variety of classes outside of my major and not get punished for it. It has been a privilege to go to school here.

 

Q: Who is your role model?

A: Certainly my father. My father has always worked hard to support me and supported my goals, even when he has not understood them. He showed me that treating others well is essential to life.

And my mother. She is as hardworking or more so than my father. She didn’t have the opportunity to go to school herself, so she has always put in a lot of time and work to make sure I have the option.

 

Q: What is your biggest passion?

A: My biggest passion is probably art and books. I adore reading, and I better since I’m an English major. I’m also very attracted to looking at and the making of photography and art. These things are important.

 

Q: In what way have you made an impact at LBCC?

A: I’ve certainly not made an incredible impact as some other students have. Any impact I may have made has been much quieter. I designed a new logo and T-shirt for the English Majors and Minors Club. I was a poetry editor for LBCC’s literary publication, SAGA. Currently, I am trying to get a photography magazine started that features the artwork of LBCC students.

Q: How has LBCC shaped you into your best self?

A: The classes I’ve taken, the instructors I’ve had, and the organizations and clubs I’ve been part of have all helped shape me. Lots of growth and self-expansion, even when I wasn’t expecting it.

 

Q: What advice would you have for new LBCC students?

A: Drink more water. Wear sunscreen. Check your emails. Don’t ask your professor for extensions all the time. Arrive to class on time, if not early. Tell your friends and family you love them more often than you do.

 

Q: If there is one thing LBCC has taught you, what would it be?

A: Everyone receives their education at their own beat and tempo. What’s not important is the speed; what is important is the education.

 

Q: Where do you see yourself in the future?

A: Becoming cult art famous for my photography and illustrations. Not like a sacrifice goats cult, like small but with a nice following. Like a cult movie.

Also, teaching English in Japan and maybe Mexico.

 

Q: What is one thing you would change about your experience here at LBCC?

A: I would have liked to have taken my education a little more seriously when I first started. I was a bit of a bad boy my first semester and didn’t care too much.

 

Q: What are your professional goals?

A: My professional goals are to become a professor and teach at LBCC. Maybe to continue my education beyond a master’s degree - I’ll need to feel it out. When not teaching, I intend to do photography, make photo books, work on illustrations, and write. Also, I’d like a brief stint as a flight attendant, to travel vigorously, and I’d look fantastic with a neckerchief.

 

Q: What do you plan to do after you leave LBCC?

A: Transfer to UCLA to read more books and write more essays.