Milton Baquedano – currently in his last semester at Bronx Community College (BCC) – found himself in a dark place just a few short years ago, grieving over the violent loss of family members in his hometown in Honduras and lacking motivation and self-confidence. But when he enrolled at BCC and his Biology Professor Raffaella Diotti invited him to attend the Biology Club, a transformation began to happen.

“Suddenly, I began reliving a part of me I didn’t know I still had,” said Baquedano, who initially would simply commute to campus, attend classes and leave. “I got so engaged with the Biology Club that I ended up leading it for three semesters. It kind of brought me back to the way I was in high school, more engaged and involved.”

Now a Biology major taking all necessary courses for Pre-Med, with a focus on Neuroscience, Baquedano juggles classes while working as a real estate broker in the Bronx and in Westchester to assist with family finances and is starting his own non-profit organization. He is laser-focused on helping others who may be going through challenging times.

“The biggest message I want to convey to those I interact with is that if you fail, you get back up,” Baquedano said. “I want to inspire other students by showing that even when things feel uncertain, perseverance and support can open unexpected doors. Both the encouragement and support I received at BCC played a major role for me in my journey,”

Two years in a row, Baquedano joined the BCC group led by science professors Dr. Neal Phillip and Paramita Sen to travel to India to participate in climate change research, supported by a National Science Foundation grant and two public diplomacy grants. When he learned a group would be returning to India in January 2025, Baquedano worked through his local church to organize a collection of backpacks and school supplies for donation to students in the areas they visited.

“The non-profit I’m creating will not only give to people in need but will create a structure and system that allows communities to uphold themselves and not be dependent on others,” Baquedano said.

In addition to traveling abroad, Baquedano has participated in several on-campus research projects and presented his work at various conferences and symposiums on and off campus. Last year, he was a key student presenter at the STEM Symposium held in Gould Memorial Library and will be back again this May when he presents his Biodiversity study that he has built out on a deeper level. He also presented his STEM work at the recent Middle States (MSCHE) conference in Philadelphia and has been a frequent participant at the Harvey Lectures at Rockefeller University, which led him to apply to and get selected for The Becoming a Scientist program.

“BCC has been an important part of my story and will continue to be, not just because of my experiences but because of the amazing students and staff I’ve met…people with diverse challenges but yet, a shared determination to build better futures for themselves and their families,” Baquedano said.

Post-BCC, Baquedano plans to transfer to a four-year college to study Neuroscience. He also expects to get his NeuroTech license, which will allow him to work in the field while pursuing his bachelor’s degree.

While Baquedano expressed some hesitation about walking across the stage at graduation, he said he does look forward to the day. “I’m nervous,” he said. “But I realize it’s not really about me. I’ll do it for my mom, who sacrificed everything to raise me.”

He said he hopes to stay connected with the BCC campus and give back in some way in the future.