“My plan was to go far away from home like every other student. Then I got a call from the Morningside coaches to come play football, so I took that offer because playing football at the next level is what I always wanted to do. Because of my hard life, I want to show kids that just because something difficult happens in life you can still move on and overcome adversity. That’s why I chose my major to be secondary education. My plan is to go to high school and teach, and my end goal is to be an athletic director.

With my dad being in the military, we moved around a lot when I was a kid. I was actually born here in Sioux City. We moved to New Orleans, then in Germany for three years, then Hawaii for three years before we decided to move back to Sioux City. My older brother went to Bishop Heelan and West Point in New York. I wanted to follow in his footsteps, but after my sophomore year, I decided to go to South Sioux City High School.

I was a class president and when I learned about Student Government, I ran and got elected. I also decided to join some other smaller groups like MSAA and I’m an admissions ambassador, so I give tours and do little projects that need to be done.

Because Morningside is such a small campus, you really get to interact with everyone. Especially with international students and learning about where they come from. You also have a better connection with the other students and staff. Even when you don’t know someone, you recognize their face, and you also know that everyone wants you to have the time of your life because this is where you make most of your best memories”

• Marco Alvarado, freshman football player, Student Ambassador, member of Student Government and future educator