Victor M. Garrido Hernandez of Saint Paul has been selected a spring semester Outstanding Student at Metropolitan State University.
He is one of 10 Metropolitan State students recognized as a President’s Outstanding Student honoree, graduating with Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, was chosen Outstanding Student in the university’s College of Liberal Arts, School of Urban Education.
He and others were honored at an award reception on May 1, 2021. President’s Outstanding Student Award recipients are nominated by their professors and advisers and selected based on their academic excellence, community service, academic innovation in the educational program and professional achievement. He is one of 1,018 students receiving bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees at Metropolitan State’s 108th commencement exercises, which will be celebrated with an online ceremony on May 8, 2021.
“I always felt comfortable and felt I belonged on campus. I value multiple perspectives of my classmates,” Hernandez says. He chose Metropolitan State University for its flexible scheduling and class formats that are tailored for working adult learners, while maintaining academic excellence. “Balancing a rigorous academic schedule with a full-time job and a family. I am thankful to have understanding professors who helped me stay on track.”
Hernandez earned an associate’s degree in education from Century College in 2018. He has been an educational assistant in the Saint Paul Public Schools system for past seven years. He will now transition to teaching eighth grade social studies at SPPS.
Hernandez is originally from Guatemala and now lives in Saint Paul with his spouse, Megan, and sons Issac, 5, Simon, 3, and Benjamin, three months old, and their dog, Bruce. He helps to manage a non-profit effort in Guatemala and work closely to help stop malnutrition, supporting communities with pilas (hand-washing stations) and support to after-school programs.