Some of you may remember our intern, Octavio Garcia who worked with us during the earlier part of 2020. We are excited to announce he has joined Circulate SD as our new Planner. We asked him a few questions so that you all can get to know him!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi! I am Octavio Garcia. I am a native from Southeast Los Angeles and have lived in San Diego since I started my undergraduate in late 2016 at UCSD. I graduated as an Urban Studies and Planning major and Political Science minor this past March 2020. I am a huge sports fan, particularly football and basketball however I try to keep up with every sport! In my free time, you can catch me playing basketball, trying my best day trading stocks, Doordashing or playing Madden or NBA 2k on my Xbox Series X.
How did you become interested in Circulate San Diego?
Throughout my college career, I gained a particular interest in the field of transportation. In addition to that interest, my senior research project revolves around micro mobility such as dockless scooters and shareable bikes which is an area that the Circulate team touches upon often. When an intern opportunity popped up for Circulate San Diego, it was an opportunity I had to take to enhance my senior project and to take my first step into the world of transportation. Also the ability to work for a non-profit that does significant work in a major city really drew me in.
What’s your most memorable face palm moment? Or what is your biggest achievement to date? Choose one.
Hmmm… I’d say becoming the first person in my family to attend a university. Hopefully I will start a trend in my family to seek further education. Since I began my journey at UCSD in 2016, I have helped 2 of my cousins enroll in other UCs and will be helping my brother enroll in this upcoming year. Being a medium for my family to further their education has been something that I have been very proud of.
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?
Either LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. They are both referred to as some of the greatest players to ever touch a basketball however their impact goes further beyond. The reason why they are so great is their unmatched work ethic and dedication to their craft which is something I wish to replicate onto any task that I do. Outside of basketball, they are heavily involved in the community with an example being the school that LeBron sponsors; his “I Promise” school in Cleveland is a great example. I would love to understand where their work ethic and drive originates from so that I could apply that to my own career!
