January 2021

Luis Duran (Class of ’17), Boston College, Graduating in a few months with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Minor in Philosophy 

Career Goals: Becoming an attorney 

Most challenging coursework in college: My political theory courses 

Accomplishment most proud of: I have made Dean’s List every single semester since I started college. I am a John Marshall Fellow and participated in the Dan Lavoie Fellowship in the Fall of 2020. I was also chosen to participate in the Instauratio Magna Seminar (an intercollegiate and interdisciplinary seminar that deals with a number of political theories). I am also writing a Senior Thesis on the nature of political ambition. 

Can you provide any advice to our current Knights? To anyone starting college, I have just two pieces of advice: remember that you are going to school and think critically about what you’re learning. When you get to college, you stumble upon a degree of freedom and flexibility that you are not familiar with. This can be very beneficial for you. However, it is very easy to lose sight of the fact that you are in college primarily for educational purposes. If you do so, you can find yourself in a precarious and unfortunate position. So, in a few words, don’t be stupid. Get your work done first and do it well. Once that is done, enjoy your college experience. My second piece of advice is to think critically and logically about what you are learning. I do not advise that you be a skeptic. I am not suggesting the cliché of pseudo-intellectuals “question everything.” Rather, I am suggesting that you keep an open mind about what your professors are telling you. When you learn something new, think “does this make sense? Why or why not? What is my problem with it? Is this true?” Then, take your answers to your professors, and have a conversation with them. That is what “hands-on” learning is about, and that is how you will learn the most in college. 

I paid for college with…: Boston College is a 100% demonstrated need school, so my financial aid package is very generous. In addition, I have a scholarship from the Jorge Más Canosa Freedom Foundation, and I have received multiple CAP grants from the Miami Foundation. Furthermore, I have also taken out a small sum in loans. 

Fondest memory from high school: My senior year, my best friend Anthony and I, were in Mr. Milian’s 7th period. Needless to say, we never got any work done. Milian made me switch out of that class. However, at the end of the second nine weeks, I switched back into his 7th period without him knowing. I remember triumphantly walking into his 7th period class to tell him the big news. I also remember him quickly walking out of his class and into Ms. B’s office and reversing the schedule change. I was not very happy back then, but it’s funny now.

High School Graduation Date: May 31, 2017