We recently sat down with former Luce Scholars to answer frequently asked questions about the Program.
Frank Najarro-Izquierdo was a Luce Scholar in 2019-2020. He spent the year in Laos.
Finalist Weekend
Finalist Weekend was among Najarro-Izquierdo’s favorite parts of the Luce Scholar experience. Each January, 34 finalists attend a weekend full of programming, workshops, and interviews at an in-person selection in San Diego, California–all expenses associated with the selection process are paid for by the program. “I was very nervous [for Finalist Weekend],” Najarro-Izquierdo said, remembering that the panel interviewing him would be individuals who are visionaries in their respective fields. “But remember,” he continued, “this is a program that is here to grow you as a leaner, as an explorer, and as a leader.” This subtle re-framing of the weekend allowed Najarro-Izquierdo to view the programming, workshops and interviews as opportunities to develop skills to be a leader in his day-to-day life.
Preparing for the Unexpected
“Life happens when you’re on your Luce Year,” Najarro-Izquierdo said. No amount of preparation can truly prepare you for life on the Luce, but Najarro-Izquierdo thinks that is part of what makes the program so special. “You can never prepare for the ups and downs that life is going to give you,” he said, “but those experiences, whether they be good or bad, only make your Luce Year that much more of an unforgettable experience.”
Becoming Comfortable with The Uncomfortable
The workshops on Finalist Weekend prepare future Luce Scholars for the yearlong experience, even if it may not seem so immediately. “For instance,” Najarro-Izquierdo said, “the hat I’m wearing comes from one of the workshops.” The aim of this workshop was to loosen future Luce Scholars up to the idea of being comfortable with discomfort. “It serves as a really good mantra,” Njarro-Izquierdo continued, musing about how this applies to life, “lean in and allow yourself to work through that uncomfortableness in the moment, because the experience and the memory enriches your life so much.”
Advice for Future Luce Scholars
When prompted to give advice for future Luce Scholas, Najarro-Izquierdo turned to a phrase he learned while in Laos: ບໍ່ເປັນຫຍັງ (pronounced bor pen yang). “It means no worries,” Najarro-Izquierdo explained as a smile grew on his face. “In Laos, I leaned that life will continue to move,” he said, “and you don’t have to move through it in a stressful way.” Najarro-Izquierdo’s hope for future Luce Scholars is that they will allow themselves to fully enjoy the moments of joy, of fear, and of excitement equally: “just breathe it all in.”
