Columbia, N.C., resident to be featured speaker at BCCC Black History Month event

Published 1:06 pm Thursday, February 20, 2014

Daniel Garza Salazar, right, is presented a certificate acknowledging him as one of "BCCC's Best" by Vice President of Student Services Rick Anderson. The citation, written by his instructor Christina Hale reads in part, "He is more motivated than any student I have ever worked with."

Daniel Garza Salazar, right, is presented a certificate acknowledging him as one of “BCCC’s Best” by Vice President of Student Services Rick Anderson. The citation, written by his instructor Christina Hale reads in part, “He is more motivated than any student I have ever worked with.”

submitted by Betty Gray

Columbia, N.C., resident, Daniel Garza Salazar, a student at Beaufort County Community College knows what it takes to succeed.

A native of Durango, Mexico, Garza Salazar came to the United States, settling in Dare County with his parents when he was three years old and moved to Tyrrell County when he was seven.

While now enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Garza Salazar said he can apply his experiences as an initially undocumented United States resident to the experiences of other minorities in the state and nation who have overcome great odds.

That’s why Garza Salazar was chosen to be a featured speaker at BCCC’s Black History Month Celebration to be heldĀ 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Multi-purpose Room of Building 10. It is offered free of charge to the public.

The theme of the celebration, sponsored by BCCC’s Men of Success, is “Breaking Every Chain.”

Garza Salazar said that although the theme refers to the chains of slavery, he will discuss the metaphorical side of breaking the chain.

Garza Salazar, 18, entered Columbia Early College High School in the ninth grade and at the end of this semester, will be the first student to successfully complete the fifth year. Early college high school students attend high school and college simultanenously and at the end of five years, have the chance to graduate with a high school diploma and the associate’s degree of their choice.

In his early years in the school, Garza Salazar and his fellow students attended class in Columbia via the Internet and through videoconferences but recently, Garza Salazar, has traveled from his home in Columbia to the community college two days a week.

For his efforts, Garza Salazar was recently cited as one of “BCCC’s Best,” being noted, in particular, for his motivation.

Garza Salazar credits his mother for inspiring him to work hard and overcome barriers in his path.

“My mom had very strict expectations,” he said. “I have to stay on my ‘Ps’ and ‘Qs’ and work hard.”

Garza Salazar is scheduled to graduate from high school this year and continue his studies at BCCC. He would also like to attend a four-year college or university and study public policy in the hopes of helping to influence the nation’s policy as it relates to Hispanics and other minorities.

Garza Salazar will be joined as a featured speaker by East Carolina University’s renowned football coach Ruffin McNeill. The event will also feature choirs from local high schools.