Ivan Daquial
Nineteen-year-old Ivan Daquial now aspires to a career in public service, but he once had quite a different vocation in mind: Before moving to the U.S., he spent three years in a minor seminary in his native Philippines, preparing to become a Catholic priest. The freshman, who now calls Queens, N.Y., home, plans to major in political science and philosophy, minor in Spanish, and attend law school. “I’m really interested in criminal law or in immigration law,” says Daquial, who enjoys public speaking. “I also would like to run for elected office statewide or nationally, and write laws that affect people positively.” For inspiration, he looks to the late Miriam Santiago, a three-time candidate for the presidency of the Philippines. He also cites former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden as a role model; “he’s really experienced in what he does.”
A recipient of the Suydam Family Scholarship, Daquial says the award “means a lot,” because initially, his parents feared that that he could not afford to attend UAlbany. “I committed to Hunter College,” he recalls, “then got the call that the University would be offering more scholarships, and that made the whole situation better for me.” Daquial is eager to make the most of his UAlbany experience: “I wanted to do an internship for a state senator, probably, but right now I have a lot on my plate. I was just elected to the Student Association, and I’m on the debate team. I had interests in five clubs but narrowed [the list] to two.” In addition to devoting time to those extracurricular activities, Daquial plans to do research with Rockefeller College. Since arriving at UAlbany, he acknowledges, “I’ve grown up a lot.” He adds: “I’m enjoying the University. There’s always something to do. It’s fun for me; I enjoy it.”