Scholarships Recognize Christian Carrero’s Academic and Cultural Engagement

For Christian Carrero, scholarship recognition has brought both unexpected encouragement and meaningful support for his education at Seton Hall University. Through awards connected to his Italian studies and the Latino community, the College of Arts and Sciences student is finding new motivation to pursue his interests, celebrate cultural connections and prepare for a career in service.

A first-generation college student majoring in social work with minors in psychology and Italian, Carrero identified the Angelo A. Rancatti Jr. Endowment and the Paragano Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship among his awards. He also received scholarship recognition through the Latin American Cultural Organization at its Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

The honors came as a surprise. For Carrero, who is one of eight siblings and currently the only one attending college, the financial assistance helps ease the cost of his education while reinforcing his determination to become the first in his family to graduate.

“It’s a privilege to earn these scholarships,” Carrero said. He sees the recognition as a responsibility to continue giving his best: “Paying it forward is putting in the hard work.”

His interest in Italian began with a willingness to take on something unfamiliar. A native Spanish speaker who had visited Italy twice on church pilgrimages, Carrero chose to study Italian to challenge himself and deepen his understanding of a culture that had already captured his interest.

Spanish provided a foundation for learning another Romance language, but studying Italian introduced new perspectives and reminded him of the value of being a beginner.

“It’s so humbling to enter something new,” he reflected, “but making mistakes is what learning is.”

Carrero credits David P. Bénéteau, Ph.D., his Italian professor, with helping him develop that interest. Now in his third semester studying with Bénéteau, Carrero has been encouraged to complete assignments drawn from more advanced coursework. The additional challenges have given him opportunities to strengthen his language skills and consider how he can continue incorporating Italian into his life.

Alongside his Italian studies, support from the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute helped Carrero discover scholarship opportunities connected to the Latino community. He credits the institute’s team with providing guidance and helping him learn about the Horizon scholarship opportunity.

Being recognized at the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration offered another occasion to connect his education with his cultural background. The experience also encouraged him to become more involved with the institute, expanding the relationships and resources supporting his college journey.

Together, these experiences illustrate how exploring a new culture and maintaining connections to one’s own can enrich a student’s education. For Carrero, scholarship support has provided financial relief, recognition of his efforts and encouragement to keep learning.

That encouragement carries into his professional aspirations. After initially pursuing communications, conversations with faculty helped him discover social work as a path toward helping others. He plans to pursue a Master of Social Work and eventually become a licensed clinical social worker, with a particular interest in early intervention for children who have experienced trauma.

As he works toward those goals, Carrero hopes to continue speaking Italian, strengthening his cultural understanding and making his family proud. His scholarship recognition has become another source of motivation to approach those ambitions with gratitude and dedication.

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences can similarly explore opportunities that connect language learning, cultural engagement and career preparation. Through Italian studies, the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute and other academic programs and University resources, students can learn about scholarships, build relationships with faculty and participate in cultural programming. Opportunities for research, internships, study abroad and alumni mentorship further help students develop their interests and prepare for life after graduation.

Categories: Arts and Culture