Making the Most of the Hilltop

December 8, 2014—On any given day, you can find Freddy Rosas (C’15) all over campus—whether he’s advising students at the Georgetown Scholarship Program, working with CSJ’s Hypothermia Outreach Team, or at his favorite job, walking Jack the Bulldog.

Rosas, a California native, sat down with the College to talk about coming to Georgetown as a transfer student and how he’s made a life here on the Hilltop.

Georgetown College: You transferred to Georgetown at the start of your junior year. How did you approach getting involved in the Georgetown community as a transfer student?
Freddy Rosas: I’m a very resourceful person, so I like to take advantage of all the things the campus has to offer. One of the first things I did when I transferred here last year, even before I got here, was to see what I could get involved with.

I met a lot of people through the First-Year Orientation to Community Involvement [FOCI] program. Now I have friends in all the schools and all the programs. There are people from FOCI everywhere. It’s really nice to see that I have friends all over the school.

GC: How did you feel coming to Georgetown from your school in California?
FR: My household was troubled at the time of high school, and that was reflected in my grades. So I went to community college, with the idea that “this is a blank slate for me. I can start over.” When I transferred here, I thought, “I have another blank slate! But I have better tools that I acquired after community college.”

I just knew it would be quick and I had to do the best I could do, like I did when I was at community college. When you have such limited time here, you can’t really waste a day.

GC: You’re active on campus with a lot of different groups. Do you have any advice to students (transfers or first years) on integrating themselves into the Georgetown community?
FR: I think it’s all about erasing any preconceived notions about a place and then just immersing yourself and exploring what it means to be a person wherever you’re going—like what it means to be a Georgetown student. If you are an authentic person, great things will happen to you. It’s all about authenticity, and letting yourself be comfortable, and being the person you want to be.

GC: Your favorite job is being part of the Jack Crew who walk Jack the Bulldog. What do people not know about Jack?
FR: I see him three times a week, but it feels like I see him everyday because of social media. He’s very stubborn and a lot people think he’s angry all the time; he’s not. He just has a stubborn face all the time. He loves being around people and kids.

GC: You interned with Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City, Utah, this past summer. Do you want to continue working in finance after graduation?
FR: I’m an economics major. I came into Georgetown with idea of wanting to study something more along the lines of economic development. There are a lot of ways you can take an economics degree. It’s a base, like “Here’s an economics degree and do what you want with it, maybe specialize [later] in something else.” That’s what’s really great about being an economics major.

I want to give back eventually. It would be great if more people working in finance [had] idea that economic development is important [because they have] the ability to give back or influence companies to set up programs internally. That’s my goal, to set up [philanthropic] programs within the greater scope of a company.

GC: Why do you want to combine your finance career with philanthropy?
FR: This school always talks about “men and women for others.” I feel like I internalize that a lot. I’ve been inspired by all of the people whose philanthropic efforts have supported me, going to community college [and Georgetown]. And that wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for alumni.

GC: Has your experience at Georgetown lived up to what you hoped it would be?
FR: It’s been everything and more, and it still hasn’t ended. I’m still excited to see what comes in the next few weeks and months.

—Elizabeth Wilson

Related Information

Alumni involvement in programs like Giving Tuesday, the 1789 Scholarship Imperative, and Hoya Gateway help students like Rosas attend and thrive at Georgetown. Georgetown College appreciates all of the support that our alumni community offers students.