After spending two and a half years as a business major, Juan Cabrera realized his passion for working with young people. That, combined with his own experience where he saw some gaps and needs of working with students of color, led him toward an education degree and a career in higher education.
Cabrera, who is from Port Lavaca, Texas, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in education from Baylor University before completing a Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education with an emphasis in student affairs at OU.
Throughout his time in higher education, Cabrera has worked in a variety of areas, ranging from residence life here at OU to a pre-collegiate outreach program to an adult education department. In early September, Cabrera began working as the new coordinator for Latino Programs and Services, located in the Office of Student Life.
After finishing his undergraduate degree in December 2017, Cabrera had a semester before entering grad school. That was when he worked in the adult education department at a community college back home, which was where his parents attended.
“It was a pretty special deal because I was the first one to kind of go off to a four-year university, and they both started their community college careers when I was in high school,” Cabrera said. “So I like to say we’re a first-gen family all together.”
Through his current role, Cabrera serves as the main advisor for two student organizations, the Hispanic American Student Association and Latinos Without Borders, and oversees various programming and events hosted through the Office of Student Life.