06/13/2024
We recognize that guy! Huge grats to our exemplary student worker Pablo!
Pablo Nunez started his career at Mt. SAC by commuting from 50 miles away… without a car.
A standout pole vaulter on the Track and Field Team, Pablo naturally found a way to leap over that obstacle.
“I found the solution: ride my bike from my home eight miles to the local train station, catch a ride to the City of Industry, and then ride for another 20 minutes to arrive at Mt. SAC before my 7 a.m. English class,” says the Moreno Valley native. “To get a little more specific, in order to make this commute, I had to catch the 3:45 a.m. train, which meant I began my day at 2 in the morning and left my house before 3 a.m.”
Pablo starts his day so early because it’s jam-packed with education, athletics, and extracurricular activities.
“While being a STEM student-athlete at Mt. SAC, I joined the Engineering Club and became a member of the Mt. SAC Rocket Team,” says Pablo, who switched his major to Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Mathematics. “Through the connections I made in the Engineering Department, I was able to secure a job on campus in the physics and engineering stockroom, which later led to me (also) working at the Mountie MakerSpace.”
With all the responsibilities he has in and out of the classroom, Pablo credits the fun and support he has received as the reasons why he found success and is graduating on Friday.
“I have to give a shoutout to the Physics and Engineering Department for having, in my opinion, the most fun classes and groups of people,” says Pablo, who also is thankful for his time with the WIN Program and the Mountie MakerSpace.
Pablo made his supporters proud by placing third in the 2023 FAR Unlimited Competition, building rockets that defeated schools like Stanford and UC Berkeley; helping Mt. SAC place first at the 3C2A 2024 Track and Field State Championship and win its third consecutive state title; designing and building games for the 2024 Athletics Fair as the lead engineer; and maintaining a GPA above a 3.5 as a student-athlete and student worker with two jobs. So, what’s next for him?
“Transferring comes with a lot of unknowns, and I am currently unsure of where I will be transferring,” Pablo says. “I can say I was offered a walk-on spot to Cal State Fullerton’s Track and Field Team but will not be attending this Fall. No matter which school I end up at for the 2025 track and field season, I will be continuing college athletics.”
While he decides on his next landing spot, the youngest son of Mexican immigrants will keep his vaulting skills sharp.
“After graduation, I will be heading to Mexico’s Olympic Training Center,” he says. “I hope to improve my skills and knowledge of the pole vault and potentially make a national team.”
