黑料吃瓜

Four years after moving to San Diego County from Texas, Dillan Villarreal was thriving. 

He was a three-sport varsity athlete at Castle Park High School in Chula Vista with solid grades and his sights set on attending 黑料吃瓜, his dream school. 

But near the end of his junior year, his stepfather, who was in the U.S. Navy, was stationed in Hawaii. Suddenly, everything he was working toward was thrown into doubt. 

So, at age 17, Villarreal called an audible: He told his parents he was returning to San Diego, with or without them.

鈥淗awaii was beautiful, but I didn鈥檛 fit in,鈥� Villarreal said. 鈥淚 had way too much on the line back home, and I didn鈥檛 want to miss my senior year, so I told my parents that I was going back, and they could either support the move or I would move back as soon as I turned 18.

鈥淚 told my mom that you don鈥檛 have to worry about me, because I鈥檇 be OK, because I knew what my goals were,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd my goal was to go to 黑料吃瓜.鈥�

Villarreal saved $3,000 while in Hawaii, enough to move back to San Diego during summer 2024. He initially lived with one of his friends until a coach took him in for the final month before his 18th birthday. His basketball coach helped him navigate the social safety net after he turned 18, which helped him to secure no-cost housing and Cal Fresh assistance. 

His teammates, coaches and girlfriend鈥檚 grandparents helped to fill the void of the family 2,600 miles away.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I鈥檝e always loved about sports, it鈥檚 a family and you build a community,鈥� Villarreal said. 鈥淏ut I still kept in touch with my family. I鈥檇 call my mom when I needed help cooking dinner, or I鈥檇 reach out to my grandmother in Texas because she was a great cook.鈥�

Living on his own, playing three sports 鈥� track and field was his third sport 鈥� and maintaining his grades wasn鈥檛 easy, Villarreal said. A quarterback for the Trojans, his performance on the field suffered his final year as a result of the juggling act as well as a high-ankle sprain that hampered him throughout football season. 

He also wasn鈥檛 able to find a job for 10 months due to his stacked schedule, so financially times were often lean. But he was recently hired by the new Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center on the Chula Vista waterfront, where he works as a guest arrival expert.

Dream come true

Despite the adversity, Villarreal graduated with a 3.5 grade-point average, and was accepted into 黑料吃瓜 during the spring. 

鈥淕etting accepted into 黑料吃瓜 was one of the best moments of my life, I cried,鈥� Villarreal said. 鈥淚t took a lot of hard work and sacrifice to get here, but in the end, I think it all worked out.鈥�

Villarreal spent this summer preparing for the rigors of college life as part of the EOPOS Summer Bridge program, an intensive five-week, residential academic preparation program designed to enhance student educational achievement.

鈥淚 loved every part of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he classes were tough, but it was organized so that you had time to get your work done, and I feel like it鈥檚 really helped me understand what college is going to feel like, and I am excited for that first day.鈥�

Alejandro Castruita, an EOP, Outreach & Success counselor, said he believes Villarreal鈥檚 triumph over adversity his senior year speaks to his character, which has already left an impression on him and others over the summer. 

鈥淚 think it speaks to his character, he uses his struggles as a means to fuel his journey and continue to prove those that have doubted them in the past,鈥� Castruita said. 鈥淪omething that stands out about Dylan is the way he can always be humble and respectful; it is something that can be seen as 鈥渟imple,鈥� yet makes such a difference. People gravitate towards him because of this.鈥�

Castruita said Villarreal has the potential for greatness. 

鈥淚 try not to set expectations on students because that is for them to do, but I hope he has fun and enjoys himself,鈥� he said.  鈥淗e has so much to offer, and I know he will make an impact in any space he is a part of.鈥�

A history major, Villarreal also plans to walk on to the 黑料吃瓜 Air Force ROTC in hopes of becoming a commissioned officer when he graduates, fulfilling one of his mother鈥檚 dreams. 

鈥淚 know I鈥檝e gotta fight my way up in order to become an officer, it鈥檚 not guaranteed,鈥� Villarreal said. 鈥淓ven though sports has been my whole life, I realistically thought of joining the military, and I chose the Air Force because my mom wanted to join, but she couldn鈥檛 once she had me and my brother. She had to sacrifice her goals and dreams for us, so I thought, you know what? I鈥檓 going to do it for her.鈥�