Ricardo Garcia, a civil engineering sophomore from Eagle Pass, Texas, competes in the 3,000-, 5,000-, 8,000- and 10,000-meter runs for the UTRGV Men’s Cross-Country Team.
Q: What do you like to do in your downtime?
A: “I like baking a lot. I love making cookies. You can ask my coach. … I feel like at this point, he’s like, ‘You got to start getting the team something more healthy.’”
Q: What made you want to pursue a civil engineering degree?
A: “I was also interested in how [to] build a house, so I always had the little goal of, ‘I want to make my house.’ I’m gonna buy the [land] and just build it from down, up. And then I found that architecture, you got to be creative. So I didn’t go that route. So I just decided, ‘I’m good at math. I’ll go civil engineering.’”
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or role model?
A: “I think my mom. She’s always taken care of me. I can tell her everything. She’s always been there for me. Even if … we don’t agree, she just wants me to be happy. She’s going to [help me] pursue my dreams and keep on [helping me do] what I do.”
Q: How would you describe yourself in one word?
A: “Resilient.”
Q: What is your favorite show/movie?
A: “Currently, I like watching ‘Baki’ every time I go eat, because I’m just, like, ‘Yeah, if I watch this, well, I’m not gonna get fat. I’m gonna get strong.’”
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: “I’m into eating pizza and tacos. It’s not healthy, but I love them all. I just grew up around them. I just love them.”
–Compiled by Matthew Gonzalez
