Student Spotlight: Trevor Núñez (XXXIII), Future Policy Maker

We interview Trevor for Prep for Prep’s Annual Report on Transformative Leadership.

As a son of struggling immigrants, I am not supposed to be in the position I am in today, with the confidence and support systems to build whatever life I envision for myself. My parents immigrated here from Guatemala and Trinidad in search of the "American Dream" or "El Sueño Americano." They came here looking for liberty and opportunity. What they found was an unstable economic landscape which led me to be born to an unemployed father and an underemployed mother. My neighborhood public schools in Canarsie were not the bastions of learning and mobility that the New York City Public School system had been for the likes of Bernie Sanders, Chuck Schumer, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The difference for me was that in fifth grade Prep for Prep burst into my life. Struggling through Prep was a humbling experience, but more than that, it was incredibly important to my development into the young man I am today. Prep taught me grit, perseverance, and the importance of deferred gratification in achieving anything worthwhile. Both Prep and my independent school Poly Prep have allowed me to step outside my New York City bubble and to interact with the larger, global community: I’ve been privileged to interrogate the enduring legacy of slavery and Jim Crow in the American South, the dichotomy of democracy in South Africa and dictatorship in Zimbabwe, and the complicated and beautiful history and culture of predominantly Muslim Turkey. With those opportunities comes a responsibility that I know my peers have all felt since we first started Prep: to do more, to be better, and to never limit ourselves.

Mr. Roth and Mr. Whitman both were great teachers who had a formative role in my development. From Mr. Roth I learned that once you put the work in, you should have fun with your studies. His constant string of jokes and popular references always kept the mood light while we were doing deep historical analysis. From him I also learned that the study of history is too important to simply be an academic exercise. It should always be contextualized and analyzed in comparison to the present moment. From Mr. Whitman I learned the importance of being academically honest with myself. He showed me that following the simplest or shortest path, such as only learning what I think I’ll be tested on, is ultimately doing a disservice to my growth as a student and person. I take these lessons into my studies in university and I am sure they will continue to serve me for the rest of my life.

At Penn, I major in Political Science with a concentration in American Studies. My greatest interest has always been in learning about the social systems that govern my life and the lives of those around me. The PoliSci major has allowed me to interrogate and learn about the systems that structure and govern our lives from an international, cross cultural, and American-centered lens. I have grown tremendously as a reader, writer, and synthesizer of information. Being in this major has also afforded me the opportunity to do social science research led by a tenured professor. Every week I write and run code to analyze trends in large bodies of data on issues that matter to me and my community such as unemployment, education, healthcare, and criminal justice to aid in developing and publishing compelling and original findings in two books written by the professor. The major has afforded me incredible opportunities for learning and development.

What were some transformative learning moments during your U.S. House of Representatives congressional internship? Do you hope to pursue future government or policy opportunities?

In the last presidential election, I was not yet old enough to vote. 2020 is a pivotal year for U.S. politics. I knew I wanted to learn more about the structure of government and how my voice and my vote can be most effective. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation offered me training and mentorship, then placed me in the Office of Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who represents my home district in Brooklyn. My work included helping to prepare for Caucus meetings and policy roundtables on issues important to our communities, such as lowering prescription drug prices. The highlight of my summer was when I sat in on the Democratic Caucus meeting and saw Speaker Pelosi rally the House Democrats behind her. This was right after accusations had been hurled back and forth on Twitter and to the press between “The Squad” and Speaker Pelosi.

The secret to D.C. is that I learned much more from coffee chats and after work receptions than I ever could in any textbook. I spent nine weeks in a place where the rubber meets the road as far as theory and practice. Being around true practitioners of government at the highest level is one of the greater experiences of my life so far and informs not only my career plans, but also how I view the Federal Government and myself as an American citizen.

Sacrifice is what animates the lives of the greatest public servants. I believe that being prepared to make personal sacrifices is the bedrock of transformative leadership and public service. Creating change is not a glamorous process, but rather one that relies on consistency and determination.

After understanding these truths, change is truly whatever you want it to be. The best leaders and public servants are those who are both creative and courageous in their approaches and are able to think outside of the conventions of their time. They are willing to be uncomfortable and channel that discomfort into action. I would implore any young person who feels strongly about an issue to do things that create discomfort. If you are creating easy, simple, and completely comfortable change, then you likely have to broaden your vision.