Armando Arguello
Compton College 2023 graduate Armando Arguello has played baseball since age 4 and
has fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a collegiate baseball player. A member
of the Compton College baseball team for the past two years, the right-handed pitcher
transferred to Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri this fall on an athletic
scholarship.
The honors student with a 4.0 GPA was invited to apply and audition to be the 2023
student speaker for Compton College’s Commencement Ceremony on June 9, 2023 at the
Dignity Health Sports Center. After being selected, the first-generation college student
delivered his speech to his graduating peers, friends, and family members with a message
focused on the premise that each person will have a different path to success. “Some
people will face more adversity than others, however, I want to encourage everyone
to remain strong and positive through rough times. He admits there are times where
he has felt like the standards he is held to by people close to him are too high,
yet he continues to work on being a better person every day. He strives to not only
fulfill these standards, but often sets the bar even higher.
“I’m inspired by my parents,” he said. “They are respected, and they are genuine;
what you see is what you get. They instilled in me good values. They taught me to
be loving and caring, and to treat people as you would want to be treated.”
At Avila University, Arguello is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, with
a concentration in behavioral and social science, while also playing for the Avila
Eagles baseball team. After completing his undergraduate studies, Arguello plans to
return to Southern California to earn a master’s degree in academic advising and counseling.
He hopes to one day return to Compton College to serve as an academic counselor, helping
students achieve their educational and career goals. “Through my interest in communication
studies and leadership roles in athletics, I discovered a passion for helping people,
so I want to pay it forward in the future by returning to Compton College and serving
on the counseling team,” he said.
Arguello says Compton College has provided a safe space for him to explore his interests,
both on and off the field. During the past three years at Compton College, he has
earned three associate degrees for transfer, five additional associate degrees, and
two certificates of achievement. Arguello served as pitcher for the Compton College
baseball team, and says he is grateful for everything that has come of his decision
to attend Compton College. He was named to the Dean’s List, selected as a Scholar
Athlete of the Year, and awarded a Presidential Scholarship. Arguello would like to
recognize the many coaches, instructors, counselors, and staff members at Compton
College that have contributed to his success.
“I never felt like just a number at Compton College, but rather felt like I was in
the right place,” he said. “I used the smaller class sizes to my advantage and was
able to get a lot of assistance from my instructors. All the resources were available
to me, and it was up to me to access the student services when I needed them.”
